Apples, apples, everywhere

October 29, 2025 by
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In my neck of the woods, autumn has fully arrived (after a lingering warm spell), with crisp morning air and blazing color on the trees. This time of year – between the oppressive summer heat and the blistering cold of winter – has a lot going for it, including the flavors of autumn, especially apples. If you live near an apple growing area, you will be able to choose from dozens of varieties with varying flavors and textures.

Maple apple turnovers from King Arthur Baking (Sift Magazine)
Maple apple turnovers from King Arthur Baking

Crisp and tart varieties hold their shape well for baking and are delicious for fresh eating, but some of the softer types are sweeter and make great applesauce or apple cider. I have a difficult time limiting myself to just a couple of varieties when I visit local orchards because the possibilities are endless. Now it’s quiz time: what is the first thing you should do after picking a peck of apples from the farmer’s market or orchard? Browsing the EYB Library for recipe ideas, of course! 

For the past 20+ years, one variety has dominated the apple market: the Honeycrisp, developed by the University of Minnesota. It almost singlehandedly rescued the reputation of apples, which had been in decline because most commercial varieties looked good but were mealy and flavorless (I’m looking at you, Red Delicious). In recent years, new varieties have been gaining ground on the Honeycrisp, which is finicky to grow. First Kiss, Rave, Zestar, and Sweetango have emerged as fan favorites, but Food and Wine recently reported on even newer contenders looking to become the next big thing.

Most newer apple varieties have Honeycrisp lineage because of its winning flavor and texture. One that stands out is Cosmic Crisp, a cross between Honeycrisp and the Enterprise apple from Washington. It boasts a dense texture, and lots of acidity that keep it from browning quickly when cut. Another variety that has gained attention is the Lucy, which is a red-fleshed apple. Generally, I am partial to flaky turnovers as my go-to use for apples but am anticipating the possibility of using a rosy-hued apple in a gorgeous open-faced pie. I am now on the lookout for the Lucy Glo or its sibling, the Lucy Rose. If you have tried either of those, please weigh in on what you think about it.

Category: Antipasto

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8 Comments

  • FuzzyChef  on  October 30, 2025

    Most of my favorite varieties come from Kiyokawa in OR, like the Crimson Crisp (no relation). The exception would be a genuine Arkansas Black.

  • tmjellicoe  on  October 30, 2025

    My husband is into Cosmic Crisp these days. I like the Red Prince when it’s in season.

  • lean1  on  October 30, 2025

    My favorite is the Northern Spy. Its an old variety and hard to find. I love it in pies and salads and just eating out of hand.

    • Darcie  on  October 30, 2025

      I planted a Prairie Spy, developed by the University of Minnesota in 1923, which is likely a descendant of the Northern Spy. It has been slow to bear fruit – I planted it in 2018 and this year had only three apples! The literature said it could take up to 15 years to fully mature.

  • dbuhler  on  October 30, 2025

    I would love to try one of the Lucy apples but I haven’t seen any in my neck of the woods. My kids and I did an apple tasting last week with every variety we could find from a few local stores (I capped it at 7) and everyone voted Cosmic Crisp as top eating apple (plain, with homemade peanut butter, and dipped in homemade caramel sauce) with Honeycrisp coming in second. Poor Golden Delicious ranked at the bottom with no one able to finish their slices. I know that GD is a baking apple, but it was good for my kids to experience the different textures and be able to express what they liked or disliked and why. It was great fun, and I now I don’t feel guilty for buying a big bag of Cosmic Crisp because it’s been the cheapest apple at my local store, because now I know everyone loves them! Even though I do enjoy Cosmic Crisp, my favorite will always be Granny Smith, to eat out of hand and to cook and bake with.

  • averythingcooks  on  October 30, 2025

    I can get more variety than we used to get in our small town stores (including honey crisp) but honestly….I’m pretty old school re: my 2 favourites / always 1st choice for snacking or baking: Granny Smith and Macintosh.

  • Rinshin  on  October 31, 2025

    I find applerankingsdotcom interesting. They ranked SweeTangle near perfect at 97 followed Honey Crisp at 95.

  • radishseed  on  November 1, 2025

    I made Dorie Greenspan’s Crispy Braeburn apple and almond sheet tart last fall using Lucy Rose apples. It was memorably delicious.

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