How to Pick the Best Apples for Baking

Not every apple belongs in the oven. According to Bon Appetit, the best baking apples have firm flesh that becomes soft when cooked but does not fall apart into mush. A good balance of sweet and sour flavors helps too. Its favorites are Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Mutsu, Winesap and Granny Smith.

What if you are at a farmers market and none of those are for sale? Claire Saffitz, a cookbook author and former Bon Appetit food editor, has an easy test. Press your thumb against the apple. If it is firm enough that it does not leave a dent, it is probably a good choice. Softer apples hold more water, so they are more likely to lose their shape when cooked. Save those for applesauce or apple butter, where breaking down is just what you want.

Granny Smith has long been a favorite for baking because it is tart and firm and can be found all year. Its sharp, citrus-like taste balances the sugar in pies and other desserts. But the magazine's test kitchen editors, Jesse Szewczyk and Shilpa Uskokovic, found that Granny Smiths turned mushy again and again in some baked desserts. When they switched to Honeycrisp, the fruit kept its shape and tasted more interesting. Granny Smith is still a classic, but if you want distinct pieces of soft fruit, another apple may be better.

Pink Lady apples have a good mix of sweet, sour and slightly dry flavors. They hold their shape in the oven and turn brown slowly, so the slices stay pale while you put your dessert together. They are the test kitchen's first choice for its best apple pie. Christa Campbell of Rainbow Orchards in Camino, California, also loves them. She says they keep their sweet-and-tart taste and become soft but still a little crunchy and juicy when baked.

Braeburn apples are crisp, with a strong taste that becomes richer and a bit spicy in the oven. They give off little liquid, which helps keep pies with a crumb topping from getting runny or soggy.

Honeycrisp is the test kitchen's favorite apple. It is very crisp, juicy and sweet, and it keeps its shape. The catch is the price, because Honeycrisps can be expensive. Uskokovic suggests saving them for recipes that show off the fruit, such as apple dumplings, an upside-down cake with apples and walnuts, or old-fashioned baked apples.