What kind are baking apples

The best baking apples offer a balance of sweet and tart flavors as well as flesh that doesn't break down in the oven. Here we showcase 12 great baking apples that meet those criteria--as suggested by the Ohio Apple Marketing Program and the Michigan Apple Committee.

Once you know which apples to look for, experiment, mix and match to find your tastiest combination. Click ahead for apple suggestions, then give your favorite combination of baking apples a try in Apple Pear Praline Pie pictured. You'll recognize Jonathans as deep red, classic apples, grown in many Midwest states.

They're tart and tangy and have been pie favorites for over 90 years. Jonagolds are daughters of Jonathan and Golden Delicious, with the best of both worlds—firm flesh and a sweet-tart taste. Both Jonathans and Jonagolds excel as pie apples.

One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie. But be ready to grab Honeycrisps; they're only available for a few months in the fall.

One of the most popular baking apples, the classic Granny Smith puts the American in apple pie. It's a tart and tangy apple with a firm flesh.

If you like a splash of sweetness, pair it with some slices of Honeycrisp in your recipe. The Melrose is the state apple of Ohio. It's a cross between Red Delicious and Jonathan, a combination that gives it a good tart, apple taste. Harvested in October, they taste best after weeks off the tree so they can develop their full aroma and flavor. This tart-and-spicy apple's very thick skin makes it good for storing, and the white flesh doesn't cook down during baking.

Try this apple not only in pies but also in salads, cider, applesauce and wine-and-cheese treats. A firm apple, the Braeburn offers spicy-sweet flavor. Let's compare some of the most popular commercially available apples to help you sort out which ones are the best apples for apple pie , the best apples for applesauce , the best apples for all-purpose baking, and more. Braeburns have a sweet-tart flavor, with a texture that remains firm when it's baked.

An all-purpose apple , it works well in pies and tarts where you don't want the filling to be overly juicy. Cortlands are juicy and slightly tart, with bright red skin and snowy white flesh.

They are a terrific baking apple: Great apples for pies, cobblers, and crisps. When sliced, Cortlands are a excellent for salads and cheese plates , as the flesh doesn't brown and discolor quickly.

Empires are a cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious apples. Firm-textured and sweet-tart, the Empire is a fine all-purpose apple good for juice, sauce, pies, baking, salads, eating fresh, and drying. Firm, crisp, and juicy, Fuji apples are among the most popular apples for eating fresh, but they're also great for baking , as they hold their shape when they cook. A crisp, sweet apple with a mild flavor, Galas have yellow-orange skin with red striping. They're among the best apples for applesauce, salads, eating out-of-hand, and pressing into cider.

The Golden Delicious is sweet, with a rich, mellow flavor. It is one of the best all-around cooking apples , as it maintains its shape after baking. One of the most popular tart apples, Granny Smiths are crisp and quite sour. They're a good all-purpose cooking apple , and their flavor is enhanced when paired with sweeter, spicier apples in pies and crisps. Gravensteins come in red or yellow varieties, with a sweet-tart flavor and firm texture.

They're excellent apples for eating fresh as well as baking, cooking down into applesauce, and pressing into cider. They have a very short season and don't keep well, so snap them up when you see them at a farmers' market or farm stand.

Developed in Minnesota, Honeycrisps are fantastic eating apples. As the name indicates, they are crisp and juicy, with a honey-sweet and tart flavor. Honeycrisps are also good for baking and applesauce.

A very old variety, Ida Reds have a tangy flavor and a flesh that is sometimes tinted a rosy pink. Which apples bake best? For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. Try mixing a variety of baking apples to take the flavor of your pie to whole new depths. Let's think beyond a pie! Use fewer firm apples for cakes and sauces. Red Delicious, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious apples tend to break down faster when they bake, making them perfect for your alternative treats.

How do I know what apple to choose? The best apples are the ones that are in season. Out-of-season apples have been kept in storage, which affects their freshness, crispness, and juiciness. Look for firm apples with no bruises or bug holes.