41 Types of Apples and Their Uses

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If you want juiciness, tastiness, and nutrition in one fruit, apples are your best bet.

Apples are one of the most ubiquitous fruits in the world with around 7500 varieties.

Of the 7500 varieties, around a third (2500 varieties) are cultivated all over the US. But interestingly, only the Crabapple is indigenous to North America.

Apples aren’t just for snacks. They can be used in baking, cooking, and making cider and oils from apples can also be extracted and used for different flavoring purposes.

Don’t be discouraged, we aren’t going to cover all 7500 apple varieties in this article. But if you want to learn about a few of them, we’ll cover some information about their color, taste, and different uses.

Table of Contents

Types of Apples

1. Fuji Apple

Color: Red (sometimes with yellow-green highlights)
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Apple sauce, salad, apple pie, and beverages

Fuji Apple has its origins in Fujisaki, Japan. It was created toward the end of the 1930s, and it currently finds use as a flavor enhancer.

At first, the Fuji Apple typically has a mild flavor. But as it gets older, the flavor becomes stronger.

2. Honeycrisp Apple

Closeup shot of Honeycrisp Applees with water drops

Color: Red
Sweet or Tart: Subtly tart
Common Uses: Cider, sauces, and fruit salad

The Honeycrisp Apple is remarkable for its ability to resist oxidization and maintain its shape. Hence, you’ll find it in various desserts and dishes.

The Honeycrisp Apple was created by the University of Minnesota around the 1960s.

3. Granny Smith

Fresh healthy tart green granny smith apples in a bowl

Color: Light Green
Sweet or Tart: Bold and acidic tart
Common Uses: Juices, apple pies, and dipping sauce

Granny Smith is one of the most readily available green apples.

It has its origins in Australia but is now grown in various other countries. Granny Smith is an all-purpose apple, and it is very crisp too.

4. Twenty Ounce Pippin

Color: Green or Bright-Yellow with red striations
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Dried apple chips, applesauce, and apple pie

The Twenty Ounce Pippin might not have a prominent taste, but as indicated by its name, it is one of the biggest green apples.

5. Newtown Pippin Heirloom Apple

Box of organic Newtown Pippin apples at local farmers market

Color: Green but becomes yellow upon storage
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Snacking, crisps, apple pies, and desserts

The Newtown Pippin Heirloom Apple is popular in New York City. It has a rich zest and gets sweeter while in storage.

6. Crispin Green-Yellow Japanese Apple

Crispin green apples growing on the tree

Color: Greenish-Yellow
Sweet or Tart: Slightly tart
Common Uses: Snacking, cooking, or baking

The Crispin Green-Yellow Japanese Apple is a progeny of the Golden Delicious Apple although it is crunchier and crispier than its parent variety.

7. Antonovka

Antonovka apples in wooden bowl on wooden table

Color: Pale Green
Sweet or Tart: Tart yet sweet
Common Uses: Snacking or cooking

The Antonovka has its roots in Russia, and it was first discovered in the earlier parts of the 1800s.

This apple is hardier than most other varieties. So, it thrives even in cold climates.

8. Rhode Island Greening

Color: Green to Yellow
Sweet or Tart: Citrusy tart
Common Uses: Juices, apple pies, and apple sauce

The Rhode Island Greening is thought to be a progeny of the Granny Smith. But its flavor is more intricate than that of its parent variety.

The Rhode Island Greening typically becomes juicier as the years go by. It is common in orchards and specialty markets around the US east coast.

9. Pound Sweet

Color: Bright Green
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Apple butter

The Pound Sweet Apple is most common in the US. They are large and look a lot like Granny Smith Apple.

The Pound Sweet Apple is not common in commercial orchards. But if you want one, you could check a farmer’s market or a local orchard.

10. Shamrock Apple

Color: Light Green
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Snacking or applesauce

Shamrock Apples were developed by crossing Golden Delicious Apples with Red-Green McIntosh Apples.

If you want Shamrock Apples, you may have to hold on till between September and November when they are harvested.

Shamrock Apples are hard to store so they are usually limited in stock.

11. Grenadier

Color: Pale Green that becomes Yellowish-Green
Sweet or Tart: Very tart
Common Uses: Apple sauce, apple butter, and jam (may not do well in apple pies)

Grenadier Apple originated in Buckinghamshire, England, around 1862. It is mainly used for cooking and comes with tender light-green flesh.

12. Lodi Apple

Color: Pale Green
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Applesauce and baking

Lodi Apples were created from the New York Yellow Transparent Apples.

They are typically harvested in early fall, which is earlier than many other varieties.

13. Tolman Sweet Green Apple

Color: Butter Yellow or Green
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Snacking, apple sauce, and baking

The Tolman Sweet Green Apple was first seen in Massachusetts almost 200 years ago. This type of apple is best eaten when fresh.

It is not available everywhere, like most other types. So, if you want a Tolman Sweet Green Apple, you may have to check specialty orchards between late September and November.

14. Calville Blanc d’Hiver French Green Apple

Color: Pale Green
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Apple pie and tarts

Calville Blanc d’Hiver is a cultivar with French Origins. It is one of the top choices of French chefs, and its popularity is growing as an ingredient in apple pies in the US.

15. Ashmead’s Kernel Apple

Color: Greenish-Yellow
Sweet or Tart: Sweet and tart
Common Uses: Snacking, cider, or apple juice.

Ashmead’s Kernel Apple originated in Gloucester, England, in the 18^th century.

It is an heirloom apple that is typically sour when plucked. But following storage for a month or two, they become tasty.

16. Duke of Devonshire

Color: A lightly-russeted, dull-green color that becomes yellow as the apple becomes ripe
Sweet or Tart: Sweet with a little hint of tartness
Common Uses: Cider and apple juice

The Duke of Devonshire is a russeted apple with origins in Cumbria, UK.

It is a fruity-type apple that shares some similarities with Ashmead’s Kernel Apple. In fact, it is thought that this apple was derived from Ashmead’s Kernel Apple.

17. Grimes Golden

Closeup of Grimes Golden yellow apples at market shop

Color: Greenish-Yellow
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Cooking and making desserts.

The Grimes Golden apple originated from Thomas Grimes’ farm in Wellsburg, West Virginia. It is also a favorite amongst apple connoisseurs.

18. Golden Noble

Color: Yellow
Sweet or Tart: A balance of tart and sweet
Common Uses: Cooking and apple sauce.

Golden Noble is a cooking apple from England.

It was discovered in an orchard in Norfolk, England. After its discovery, the Golden Noble apple was submitted to the Horticultural Society of London around 1820.

19. Manks Codlin Green Apple

Color: Bright-Green with some red flush
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Pies and sauces

The Manks Codlin Green Apple was cultivated for the first time in the Isle of Man in 1815.

This apple type is hardy and has yellowish-green flesh.

Although the peel is colored bright-green, sometimes patches of red flush appear in the fall when the temperature falls.

20. Envy Apple

Color: Ruby-Red with traces of green
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Snacking, salads and baking

Envy Apple was created in New Zealand between 2008 and 2009.

It was formed from crossing the Royal Gala Apple with the Braeburn Apple and is noted for being tough and crunchy.

21. Gala Apple

Fresh Red Organic Gala Apples on wooden table

Color: Mottled Orange
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Cooking and baking

Gala Apples were also developed in New Zealand.

They were formed from crossing Kidd’s Orange Red Apples with Golden Delicious Apples around 1934. The orchardist credited with the discovery of this apple type is J.H Kidd.

The flavor in Gala Apples is not so intense. But they still find applications in baking and cooking.

22. Baldwin Apple

Color: Crimson Red with some green hints
Sweet or Tart: Sweet-tart
Common Uses: Snacking and cooking

Baldwin Apple is an heirloom apple that originated from Massachusetts, USA. It came to be through a wild seedling that was on the farm of John Ball.

23. Cox’s Orange Pippin

Cox’s Orange Pippin English Apples on display at the market

Color: Orange-Red
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Juice, cider, and baking as well as use in mincemeat and chutneys

Cox’s Orange Pippin is also called Cox. It is thought that this type of apple might be a progeny of the Ribston Pippin.

24. Cortland Apple

A basket full of farm fresh Cortland apples

Color: Bright-Red with green blushes
Sweet or Tart: Sweet-tart
Common Uses: Cheeses and dips, baking, quiches, cobblers, applesauce, cider, and even soups

Cortland Apple is named after Cortland County, New York – the first place it was cultivated.

It is one of the most apple cultivars, as evident in the uses above.

25. Macoun Apple

Freshly harvested Macoun Apples on wooden basket on the table

Color: Red with striated green
Sweet or Tart: Sweet but slightly tart
Common Uses: Snacking, apple pie, salad, and applesauce

Macoun Apples were created by crossing Jersey Blacks and McIntosh Apples.

They were discovered in Geneva, New York, in the early 1920s and named after W.T. Macoun.

26. Empire Apple

Crate of fresh red Empire apples at farmers market

Color: Red with green blush and white striations
Sweet or Tart: Sweet and tart
Common Uses: Snacking, salads, coleslaw, baking, roasting, and sauteeing

The Empire Apple is a cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh. True to this crossing, the Empire Apple’s flavor is a combination of those of the Red Delicious and McIntosh.

This apple cultivar was created in New York, USA, at Cornell University around the 1940s.

27. Hyslop Crabapple

Color: Red or Purple
Sweet or Tart: Tart
Common Uses: Pickles, jellies, applesauce, and hard cider due to containing tannins

The Hyslop Crabapple came to be in the early 1800s. However, its exact roots remain unknown.

It was discovered by the Hyslop family and may also be called Hyslop Crab or Hislop.

28. McIntosh Apple

Healthy Organic McIntosh Apples on black stone background

Color: Red and Green
Sweet or Tart: Sweet-tart
Common Uses: Purees, pies, soups, pizzas, and tarts

Interestingly, MacIntosh Apple is the reason Apple computers got the name Mac or MacIntosh.

McIntosh Apples were discovered in Ontario, Canada, by John McIntosh in the spring of 1811.

29. Pazazz Apple

Color: Green to yellow with red stripes
Sweet or Tart: Sweet yet subtly tart
Common Uses: Salads, poaching, roasting, and baking

Pazazz Apple is a cultivar with a unique flavor. It originated from Minnesota, USA, and it was created through open pollination.

It is a progeny of the Honeycrisp Apple, but its pollen parent is not known.

30. Spartan Apple

Color: Red to Dark-Purple
Sweet or Tart: Sweet-tart
Common Uses: Cooking and baking (crisps, pies, fritters, chutney, and cheese puffs)

The Spartan Apple originated from British Columbia, Canada.

It was created from the McIntosh Apple by Dr. R.C. Palmer in 1936. As expected, it has a similar appearance and flavor to the McIntosh.

31. Jazz Apple

Newly harvested Jazz Apples in the basket

Color: Rosy Red
Sweet or Tart: Mildy sweet and tart with a bit of spice
Common Uses: Crisps, cakes, muffins, tarts, apple pies, gallettes, and bread

Jazz Apples were created in New Zealand in 1985 through a cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn. This apple is a Scifresh cultivar and a trademarked brand.

32. Red Delicious Apple

Red Delicious Apples in Eco-friendly reusable string bag tote

Color: Dark-Crimson Red
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Salads, burgers, quesadillas, and sandwiches

The Red Delicious Apple originated from Peru, Iowa, on Jesse Hiatt’s farm. It was discovered in 1985 through chance seeding.

Jesse Hiatt tried to cut down the Red Delicious Apple tree three times because he thought it was a weed before he finally conceded and let it thrive.

The flesh of the Red Delicious Apple does not maintain its form when cooked. Thus, it is mainly used in fresh preparations.

33. Cameo Apple

Color: Creamy-Orange with red stripes
Sweet or Tart: Sweet and tart
Common Uses: Fresh preparations such as salads and sandwiches

The Cameo Apple stemmed from a chance seedling and was discovered by the Caudle family in 1987 in Washington.

The parentage of this cultivar is not known for sure. But it is thought to have come from Red Delicious and Golden Delicious.

34. Braeburn Apple

Color: Red streaks on a green/yellow background
Sweet or Tart: Sweet and tart
Common Uses: Snacking, fresh preparations, baking, and roasting

Braeburn Apple originated from Nelson, New Zealand. It was discovered in the 1950s and was first grown commercially in the Braeburn Orchard.

35. Gravenstein Apple

Color: Green to Yellow background with red striping
Sweet or Tart: Sweet-tart
Common Uses: Cider and applesauce

Gravenstein Apples were discovered as far back as 1797. The trees of this apple cultivar are often large, and they come with thick leaves.

Gravenstein Apple is hardy, but perhaps only by European standards. Extreme weather conditions in North America might affect it significantly.

36. Liberty Apple

Color: Dark-Red with a yellow undertone
Sweet or Tart: Sweet with a tart finish
Common Uses: Desserts

The Liberty Apple originated from New York, USA. It was developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in a bid to create a McIntosh-esque apple.

A crossing between Malus Floribunda and McIntosh produced what is now known as the Liberty Apple.

37. Lady Alice Apple

Color: Creamy-Yellow background with pinkish/red blush
Sweet or Tart: Sweet with a slight tartness
Common Uses: Snacking, cooking, or baking

Around the 1970s in Washington, Lady Alice Apple was discovered. Don Emmons, a farmer, was credited with the discovery of this cultivar.

Lady Alices are juicy, crisp, firm-fleshed, and sweet with a tart aftertaste.

38. Winesap Apple

Winesap Apples on a blue white stripe cotton on the table

Color: Dark-Red with a creamy-yellow undertone
Sweet or Tart: Sweet-tart
Common Uses: Snacking, cider, apple pies, juice, and apple butter

The exact origin of the Winesap Apples is not known. But it is thought that they have been around since the 18^th century.

The Winesap Apple is not quite as sweet as many other red apples. But its tartness makes it a good option for making ciders.

39. Kiku

Red Organic Kiku Apples on a cloth on the table

Color: Ruby-Red with yellow stripes
Sweet or Tart: Sweet
Common Uses: Pies, applesauce, sandwiches, salads, and tarts

Kiku Apple maintains its form when cooked. So, it finds various applications in cooking.

It originated from Japan in a Fuji Apple Orchard and was discovered by Luis Braun in 1990.

40. Sugar Bee Apple

Color: Yellow-Green background with red blushes
Sweet or Tart: Sweet. Hence, the sugar in its name
Common Uses: Baking and fresh preparations like salads as well as cider and apple juice

Sugar Bee Apples originated in Minnesota, where they were discovered in the Ocheda Orchard. The discovery was made by Chuck Nystrom – the owner of the Ocheda Orchard.

While Sugar Bee Apples have been around since the 1990s, they did not become available commercially until 2019.

41. Ambrosia

White container filled with fresh Ambrosia apples on white background

Color: Pink hues with a creamy-yellow undertone
Sweet or Tart: Very sweet
Common Uses: Donuts, cakes, and muffins as well as tarts, baked apples, and pies

Ambrosia Apples do not turn brown readily when cut. Hence, they are commonly used in fresh preparations.

The Ambrosia Apple cultivar came to life through a chance seedling, so its parentage is unknown. It was discovered in 1987 in British Columbia, Canada in the Mennell family’s orchard.

Quick-Look Apple Table

Variety	Sweet or Tart	Common Uses
Fuji Apple	Sweet	apple sauce, salad, apple pie, and beverages
Honeycrisp Apple	Subtly Tart	cider, sauces, and fruit salad.
Granny Smith	Bold and acidic tart	juices, apple pies, and dipping sauce.
Twenty Ounce Pippin	Tart	dried apple chips, applesauce, and apple pie.
Newtown Pippin Heirloom	Tart	snacking, crisps, apple pies, and desserts
Crispin Green-Yellow Japanese Apple	Slightly Tart	snacking, cooking, or baking
Antonovka	Tart and Sweet	snacking or cooking
Rhode Island Greening	Citrusy Tart	juices, apple pies, and apple sauce
Pound Sweet	Sweet	apple butter
Shamrock Apple	Tart	snacking or applesauce
Grenadier	Tart	apple sauce, apple butter, and jam
Lodi Apple	Tart	applesauce and baking
Tolman Sweet Green Apple	Sweet	snacking, apple sauce and baking
Calville Blanc d’Hiver French Green Apple	Tart	apple pie and tarts
Ashmead’s Kernel Apple	Sweet and tart	snacking, cider or apple juice
Duke of Devonshire	Sweet with a little hint of tartness	cider and apple juice
Grimes Golden	Sweet	cooking and desserts
Golden Noble	A balance of tart and sweet	cooking, apple sauce
Manks Codlin Green Apple	Tart	pies and sauces
Envy Apple	Sweet	snacking, salads and baking
Gala Apple	Sweet	cooking and baking
Baldwin Apple	Sweet-Tart	snacking and cooking
Cox’s Orange Pippin	Sweet	juice, cider, baking, mincemeat, and chutneys
Cortland Apple	Sweet-Tart	cheeses, dips, cakes, quiches, cobblers, applesauce, cider, and even soups
Macoun Apple	Sweet but slightly tart	snacking, apple pie, salad, and applesauce
Empire Apple	Sweet and tart	snacking, salads, coleslaw, baking, roasting, or sautéing
Hyslop Crabapple	Tart	contains tannins pickles, jellies, applesauce, and hard cider
McIntosh Apple	Sweet-Tart	purees, pies, soups, pizzas, and tarts
Pazazz Apple	Sweet yet subtly tart	salads, poaching, roasting, and baking
Spartan Apple	Sweet-Tart	cooking, baking, crisps, pies, fritters, chutney, and cheese puffs
Jazz Apple	Mildy sweet and tart with a bit of spice	crisps, cakes, muffins, bread, tarts, apple pies, and galletes
Red Delicious Apple	Sweet	salads, burgers, quesadillas, and sandwiches
Cameo Apple	Sweet and Tart	fresh preparations such as salads and sandwiches
Braeburn Apple	Sweet and Tart	snacking, fresh preparations, baking, roasting
Gravenstein Apple	Sweet-Tart	cider and applesauce
Liberty Apple	Sweet with a tart finish	desserts
Lady Alice Apple	Sweet with a slight tartness	snacking, cooking, baking
Winesap Apple	Sweet-Tart	snacking, cider, apple pies, juice, butter
Kiku	Sweet	pies, applesauce, sandwiches, salads, and tarts
Sugar Bee Apple	Sweet	cider, apple juice, baking, and fresh preparations like salads
Ambrosia	Sweet	donuts, cakes, muffins. tarts, baked apples, and pies.