Difference Between Eating and Cooking Apples
Some Pommes are Meant to Be Eaten Raw; Others Better Cooked
Sep 8, 2009
Apples are apples -- good for eating or cooking, right? Wrong. Some apples are “eating” apples, meant to be eaten raw – freshly picked right off the tree is often the best.
Some apples are “cooking” apples – meant to be used in recipes where the apple will be heated up either on the stove (as in applesauce or other no-bake recipes) or in the oven (as in apple pies or cakes). And some apples can be used interchangeably for baking/cooking and eating.
While there’s no harm to using an eating apple in a recipe, or to eat a cooking apple – there are some distinct differences that you’ll see and taste with each of these types of apples.
Eating (or Table) Apples
Eating apples are usually larger and have a high sugar content -- which makes them ideal for a eating raw. Use these apples for snacks, sliced in a salad, or in a cheese or fruit tray.
Some of the better eating apples include:
- Cortland (slightly tart; great in salads)
- Crispin (also called Mutsu; large apple with great crunch)
- Criterion (also called the candy apple; very crisp and juicy)
- Elstar (tangy flavor; used in fruit trays)
- Fuji (best when eaten fresh)
- Gala (eating only -- do not use in cooking – flavor is destroyed)
- Jonagold (okay to bake, but best when eaten raw)
- King Luscious (okay for light cooking only)
- Macoun (great in salads)
- Pink Lady (great with cheese)
- Red Delicous (never use in baking -- will turn to mush)
- Winesap (wine-like flavor great for snacks or salads)
Cooking Apples
Apples that are best used in cooking or baking have a lower sugar content than eating apples. They are usually tarter than eating apples and as a rule do better in storage than eating apples. Some varieties don’t break down into mush when cooked (ideal for baked apple recipes).
The best apples for cooking include:
- Baldwin (traditionally used in cider)
- Braeburn (great for baking)
- Granny Smith (its natural tanginess shines through in pies and sautéed in butter)
- Gravenstein (best in pies and applesauce)
- Granny Smith (tart-tasting, but can also be an eating apple)
- Grimes Golden (best used to make jelly and apple butter)
- Red Rome (one of the best apples for cooking, particularly baking)
- Summer Rambo (perfect for tart apple pies)
- Winter Banana (a large apple that’s excellent for cooking)
- York (great for stewing, pies and cooking)
All Purpose Apples (good for eating or cooking/baking)
These apples can be used interchangeably for cooking or eating raw:
- Cameo
- Empire
- Ginger Gold
- Golden Delicious
- Honey Crisp
- Johnathan
- McIntosh
- Newtown Pippin
- Nittany
- Northern Spy
- Paula Red
- Spartan
- Stayman/Stayman Winesap
For more information about other varieties of apples, visit Heirloom Apples.
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