N
Velvet Digest

Can I use Red Delicious apples for apple pie?

Author

Ava Hall

Updated on May 13, 2026

Red and Golden Delicious, for instance, are reliably crisp, sweet eating apples. But when you bake them into a pie, they can become mushy and lose some of their sweetness. I also add Granny Smith because, if there's one ubiquitous, year-round apple, Granny Smith is it.

.

Subsequently, one may also ask, can Red Delicious apples be used for baking?

Apples that are more soft won't do as well when cooked,” she says. “You want a large, firm, crisp apple for baking,” like Crispin, Fuji, Braeburn, Cameo, Red Delicious, and Ralls Janet that go well in pies, in baking, or apple sauce, Brannen says. And as for salads, Brannen recommends fresh Cripps Pink and Honey Crisp.

what are Red Delicious apples good for? Red Delicious apples are best used in fresh preparations, as their flesh does not hold up well when cooked. Add to green, fruit and chopped salads. Use as an edible garnish on sandwiches, quesadillas and burgers.

In this manner, which apples are good for apple pie?

Best Apples for Apple Pie

  • Granny Smith Apples. For whatever reason, Granny Smith apples have long been considered the favorite for apple pies.
  • Honeycrisp.
  • Golden Delicious.
  • Rome.
  • Jonathan or Jonagold Apples.
  • Braeburn.
  • Northern Spy.
  • What Do We Want from Our Apples?

Can you use any apples for apple pie?

Firm, dry apples usually work best in a pie because they soften up but don't turn mushy when baked. For the best flavor, opt for a mix of tart and sweet apples. A 50-50 split pleases most palates. The following apples are widely regarded as being some of the very best to use in apple pies.

Related Question Answers

What are Red Delicious apples best for?

Red Delicious Apples Persistence paid off as today Red Delicious is one of the most recognizable apple varieties in the United States. Red Delicious are known for their classic coke-bottle shape, deep to bright red skin, and mildly sweet flavor and only a few notes of acidity.

What is the best apples for baking?

The Best Apples for Baking
  • Jonagold. Tart with a honeyed sweetness, Jonagolds hold up exceptionally well in the oven.
  • Honeycrisp. This is our desert-island apple.
  • Braeburn.
  • Mutsu.
  • Winesap.
  • Pink Lady (or Cripps Pink)
  • Now, let's bake some apples!

Do Red Delicious apples make good pie?

Gravenstein, Braeburn, Fuji and Pink Lady Apples are all crisp and sturdy, as well. Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, despite their promising names, are not good choices for baking, and neither are Gala and Cortland, since they tend to become mealy in pie fillings.

Are McIntosh apples good for baking?

McIntosh is an apple that has been loved since John McIntosh discovered seedlings in Ontario in 1811. The tender white flesh is crisp when freshly harvested, but soon adopts a softer consistency, making it perfect for cooking into pies or sauce. Pink Lady apples hold their shape and flavor well for baking.

Can you bake with Cortland apples?

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.

Are Gala apples good for apple pie?

Gala. Flavor: Mild and sweet, with a fair amount of tartness, it's one of the most popular apples around for its small size and good resistance to bruising. Texture: Very thin-skinned, with a grainy texture. Pie Rating (1–10): 6.

What are the best apples to use in apple crisp?

When it comes to finding the best apple for your crisp, go with a crisp, tart variety that stands up well to baking, like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Or, go for it – try mixing the two together if you've got both on hand. Golden Delicious is another great choice for crisp.

Are Honeycrisp apples good for baking pies?

Our Favorite Apple Pie is the perfect combination of an all-butter flaky crust and tender, toothsome apples. Honeycrisp and Braeburn apples won our taste test for best-in-pie, since they have a just-right balance of sweet and tart flavor and hold their shape nicely as they bake.

Should you cook apples before making apple pie?

Throw raw apples right in the pie crust Some experts will tell you to par-cook apples before filling a pie by pouring boiling water over cut apples and soaking them for 10 minutes. Others say to roast them to reduce water content. Still others say to let cut apples sit for 30-40 minutes to drain natural juices.

Do Cortland apples make good pies?

At the end of the day, choosing the best pie apples is a personal decision. My best apple pie would include a combination of these three: Cortland, for flavor; Russet, for texture; and Granny Smith, for its combination of the two.

How many pounds of apples make a pie?

A pound of apples will yield 3 cups; so for 8 cups prepared apples, you'll need about 2 2/3 pounds whole apples (make it 2 3/4 pounds, if you're at the supermarket weighing).

How does Martha Stewart make apple pie?

Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting.
  2. Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
  3. 12 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced.
  4. 3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for pie top.
  5. Zest and juice of 1 lemon.
  6. 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
  7. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
  8. Pinch ground cloves.

Where do red delicious apples come from?

Discovered in 1875 on Jesse Hiatt's farm in Peru, Iowa, the Red Delicious apple was a chance seedling.

Are Red Delicious apples soft?

While juicy, the Red Delicious is a soft apple and won't cook well. It's best to eat them raw.

How do you pick a good red delicious apple?

Fully ripe Red Delicious apples will separate easily from the tree, and the flesh will be fully white, with no green tinge. To harvest properly so you do not damage the spur or fruit, grasp the apple in your hand and pull upwards on it and then outwards, giving a slight twist as you pull.

Do Red Delicious apples bake well?

Apples that are more soft won't do as well when cooked,” she says. “You want a large, firm, crisp apple for baking,” like Crispin, Fuji, Braeburn, Cameo, Red Delicious, and Ralls Janet that go well in pies, in baking, or apple sauce, Brannen says. And as for salads, Brannen recommends fresh Cripps Pink and Honey Crisp.

How long do red delicious apples last?

five months

Are Red Delicious apples good?

Red Delicious is one of the most famous American apples, and one of the most widely grown apple varieties. Red Delicious has a sweet but very mild flavor, somewhat reminscent of slightly over-ripe melon. The flesh is juicy and has a light crispness. The skin can be quite tough.