Apple Varieties and Uses: Know Your Apples!

The Adirondacks are home to many beautiful orchards growing gorgeous crops of local apples. Before you go apple picking or head to the market for fresh Adirondack apples, you should know what type of apple you need and which ones are in season.

Please note that our selections below are not definitive, but rather represent general impressions of the apple varieties, flavors, and uses.

Apple Guide Key

Apple Variety

Season Ripe

Flavor

Best Use

Tips and Tricks

Acey Mac

Sept-June

The "Mac" in the name indicates that these apples are related to McIntosh!

Autumn Crisp

Sept-Dec

These apples have tons of Vitamin C, so one a day really might keep the doctor away!

Braeburn

Oct-April

These apples have a unique bi-colored skin.

Cameo

Late Oct-April

Cameo apples are more popular on the West Coast, but are gaining recognition in NY too!

Cortland

Sept-April

Cortlands don't brown as quickly as other varieties, so they are great sliced.

Crispin

Oct-Sept

This apple is known to be extra juicy and refreshing.

Empire

Sept-Aug

Despite their big sounding name, Empire apples are quite small, making them great for kids.

Fortune

Oct-June

Fortune apples bake well, especially when mixed with sugary sweet varieties.

Fuji

Oct-June

When baking or making applesauce, you don't need to add much sugar because Fujis are very sweet.

Gala

Sept-June

Gala apples have a super mellow taste, great for picky eaters but bad for baking.

Ginger Gold

Aug-Nov

Ginger Golds are a great snack because the skin and flesh are soft and they aren't overly juicy.

Golden Delicious

Sept-June

Golden Delicious apples actually are not closely related to Red Delicious apples.

Granny Smith

All Year

These super sour apples are great for baking because their flesh holds up in the heat. Just be sure to mix them with a sweet variety to add a complexity of flavor to your goods.

Honeycrisp

Sept-Feb

Honeycrisp apples are fairly young; farmers have been growing them for just about 20 years.

Idared

Oct-Aug

If you leave Idared skins on while you make applesauce, your final result will be a lovely pink sauce.

Jonagold

Oct-May

Jonagold, as indicated by its name, is a cross between the Golden Delicious and Jonathan varieties.

Macoun

Oct-Nov

You have to get Macouns quick! They're only good for 2 months.

McIntosh

Sept-June

Apple employee Jef Raskin named his computer after the McIntosh, his favorite apple variety.

Paula Red

Late Aug-Oct

Paula Reds are great for applesauce, but they make a terrible pie. The flesh of a Paula Red is too soft and mealy to hold up in the heat of the oven.

Red Delicious

Oct-Sept

Red Delicious apples have a long shelf life, making them ideal for decoration. Just beware, this variety looks beautiful even after its flavor has diminished.

Red Rome

Oct-Sept

When baking, try mixing this tart apple with a sweeter variety, like Jonagolds, to get a balance of sour and sweet.

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