What Are the Sweetest Apples?
Ah, the sweet smell of freshly picked apples. The crunch as you sink your teeth into a juicy apple is one of life’s simple pleasures – and picking the right type of apple for snacking can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying something truly special.
But with so many varieties out there, how do you choose what are the sweetest apples? In this article, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at some of the best types of apples around so that you can find your new favorite!
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What Are the Sweetest Apples?
When it comes to apples, everyone has a different preference. Some people like apples tart and tangy, while others prefer sweet and crisp.
However, if you’re in the latter category, you’re in luck! There are plenty of apple varieties that are known for their high sugar content and sweet flavor. Here are 21 of the sweetest apples you can find:
1. Golden Delicious Apples
If you’re wondering, “What are the sweetest apples?” look no further than Golden Delicious apples. These golden-hued gems live up to their name, offering a honeyed sweetness that is hard to beat.
The Golden Delicious apple variety is known for its unique balance of sweet flavor and subtle tartness, making it a versatile choice for both eating raw and cooking. Their sugar level can range from 11 to 15 Brix units.
Their rich, sweet taste makes them a favorite among apple lovers, and once you’ve tried a perfectly ripe Golden Delicious apple, it’s not hard to see why. So next time you search for a sweet, flavorful apple, consider the Golden Delicious!
2. Pink Lady Apples
If you’re on the hunt for some of the sweetest apples out there, Pink Lady apples should definitely be on your list. These delightful fruits, with their vibrant pink hue and crisp texture, offer a unique balance of sweetness and tartness.
They are a cross between Golden Delicious apples and Lady Williams apples, inheriting the best traits from both – the honeyed sweetness of Golden Delicious and the late-season tartness of Lady Williams.
This blend of flavors makes the Pink Lady apple a versatile choice for both eating fresh and incorporating into your favorite recipes. So, next time you’re at the grocery store, try Pink Lady apples – you might find your new favorite fruit!
3. Envy Apples
For those seeking a truly sweet apple experience, Envy apples are an excellent choice. This apple variety is a unique cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn apples, two popular varieties that originated in New Zealand.
The result of this special blend is the Envy apple, which boasts a sweet taste and low acid content that many find irresistible. On average, Envy apples have a Brix value of approximately 12-15, making them one of the sweetest apple varieties.
Not only do they have a pleasingly sweet flavor, but their slow discoloration after being sliced makes them perfect for presentations or fruit platters.
4. Red Delicious Apples
Red Delicious apples, one of the sweetest apple varieties, are popular for those who love super sweet flavors. The skin of a Red Delicious apple is a striking deep red, almost burgundy, that makes it easily recognizable.
The taste is uniquely sweet with a hint of light refreshing tartness, providing a perfect balance. They have a sugar level measured around 10-12 degrees Brix, contributing to their sweet flavor profile.
Its white flesh is juicy and crisp, making every bite of this sweet apple a delightful experience. In summary, the Red Delicious apple stands out for its rich color, super sweet flavor, and satisfying crunch.
5. Honeycrisp Apples
Honeycrisp apples, developed at the University of Minnesota, are a delightful variety known for their honey-sweet taste and exceptional crispness.
The skin of a Honeycrisp apple is a distinctive mottled red over a yellow background, inviting fresh eating. With a sugar level that can reach 15 Brix units, they are among the sweetest apples, making them perfect for desserts like apple pie or apple butter.
Whether enjoyed fresh or cooked, the unique balance of sweetness and tartness in Honeycrisp apples offers a flavorful experience that’s hard to beat.
6. Ambrosia Apples
Ambrosia apples, first discovered as a chance seedling in British Columbia, Canada, are another variety known for their honey-sweet juiciness.
The skin of an Ambrosia apple is a stunning blend of red and gold, reflecting its sweet and juicy nature. The taste is characterized by a natural sweetness rarely matched by other apple varieties, making it one of the sweetest apples available.
With sugar levels often surpassing 15 Brix units, the Ambrosia apple offers a uniquely sweet experience. Whether eaten fresh or used in cooking, its exceptional sweetness and juiciness delight every bite.
7. Sweetie Apples
Sweetie apples, a modern apple variety from New Zealand, are a delightful cross between Royal Gala apples and Braeburn.
Their skin is vibrant red with hints of green, displaying a pleasing contrast. Sweetie apples are one of the sweetest apple varieties available for those with a sweet tooth.
The taste is a perfect blend of crisp texture and natural sweetness, often surpassing other apples in sugar content. With a sweeter taste naturally reaching up to 16 Brix units, Sweetie apples offer a satisfyingly sweet crunch that makes them a favorite among apple lovers.
8. Gala Apples
Gala apples, a popular commercial apple variety, originated from New Zealand and are now loved worldwide. Recognizable by their pinkish-orange stripes over a yellow background, gala apples are known for their sweet flavor and crisp flesh.
The sugar level in Gala apples is quite high, making them one of the sweetest apple varieties. Apart from being enjoyed fresh, Gala apples are excellent for autmn, adding a sweet and juicy component to apple pies.
The Gala apple tree grows between 20 and 25 feet in height and width, offering a bountiful harvest of these delightful apples.
9. Jazz Apples
Jazz apples, a captivating blend of Braeburn parent apples and Royal Gala were first developed in New Zealand. Their beautiful skin is a mottled red over a yellow-green base, reflecting the sweet-tart flavor that lies within.
Jazz apples offer a unique taste experience, combining the sweet taste of an apple with a pear-like fruity tartness. With sugar levels often reaching 14-15 Brix units, they are indeed one of the sweetest apple varieties.
Whether enjoyed fresh or used in cooking, Jazz apples’ complex flavors and sweetness make them a versatile and delicious choice.
10. Kiku Apples
Kiku apples, a delightful variety discovered as a natural mutation of Fuji apples, hail from Japan. They are notable for their attractive striped, ruby-red skin contrasting beautifully with their crisp, bright white flesh.
Kiku apples are known for their delicate, sweet flavor and are reputed to be one of the sweetest apples, often surpassing Fuji apples in sugar content.
With a sugar level that can reach up to 17-18 Brix units, they indeed offer a sweeter apple experience. Whether savored fresh or used in culinary creations, Kiku apples’ crisp texture and intense sweetness make them a truly delicious choice.
11. Braeburn Apples
Braeburn apples, first discovered in New Zealand, are an enticing apple variety known for their perfect balance of sweet and tart. They have a striking appearance with a reddish-orange blush against green undertones.
The flavor profile of Braeburn apples is complex, offering a sweet taste with hints of spice, making them one of the more uniquely flavored sweet apples.
While their sugar level can reach up to 12-15 Brix units, their balanced sweetness sets them apart. Braeburn apples’ crisp texture and distinct flavor make them a versatile and popular choice, whether eaten fresh or used in baking and cooking.
12. Ginger Gold Apples
Ginger Gold apples, first discovered in Virginia, USA, are a delightful variety known for their early ripening.
They have a distinctive appearance, starting as under-ripe green apples and maturing to a soft yellow with a slightly waxy touch. Ginger Gold apple has a delicate, sweet flavor with a hint of spice, making it one of the sweetest yellow-green apples.
While exact sugar levels may vary, they’re typically sweeter than many early varieties. Whether savored fresh or used in baking, Ginger Gold apples’ crisp texture and sweet-tart balance make them a versatile and much-loved choice.
13. Cosmic Crisp Apples
Cosmic Crisp apples, a variety bred at the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, are an exciting addition to the apple family.
The name ‘Cosmic’ was inspired by the striking lenticels on the apple surface, reminiscent of a starry sky. Cosmic crisp apple is a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp apples, resulting in a sweet apple that balances sugar and acidity perfectly.
The Cosmic Crisp apples have a sugar level that can range from 11-15 Brix units, making them versatile for a variety of uses, from baking to adding a sweet crunch to fruit salads.
14. Pixie Crunch Apples
Pixie Crunch apples, developed by Purdue University in the USA, are a unique apple variety renowned for their sugary sweet taste. These small-sized apples have a beautiful deep red skin that adds to their visual appeal.
The Pixie Crunch apple offers an exceptionally sweet, crisp flavor, with sugar levels reaching 16-18 Brix units, making them one of the sweetest apples available. Despite being small, they have a punchy flavor and texture.
15. Opal Apples
The Opal apple, recognized as one of the sweetest apple varieties, has a fascinating origin. This apple cultivar, known as ‘UEB 32642’, is a natural crossbreed of ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Topaz,’ originating from the Czech Republic in 1991.
The Opal apple’s vibrant yellow color encases a uniquely sweet and juicy taste, with flavor notes of banana, coconut, and pear. Its high sugar levels make it a delightful snack and a versatile ingredient in culinary arts.
16. Spencer Apples
Spencer apples, known for their incredibly sweet taste, are a delightful result of a cross between McIntosh and Golden Delicious apples.
This variety originated in Canada’s British Columbia in 1959. These apples boast a captivating red blush color, akin to their McIntosh parent, with a honey-sweet taste reminiscent of Golden Delicious apples.
Spencer apple is firm and crisp, delivering a unique sweet-tart flavor that is more sweet than tart, making it a naturally sweeter apple variety. Spencer apple’s versatile uses range from fresh eating to baking, adding a sweet twist to cake or various other culinary delights.
17. Pacific Rose Apples
The Pacific Rose Apple, a sweet variety of apples, originates in New Zealand. It is a cross between the Gala and Splendour varieties, resulting in a stunning rose-pink hue.
The taste is delicate and sweet, with a subtle balance of tropical, citrus, and floral nuances. Pacific Rose Apples is a dessert apple that adds a naturally sweeter touch to desserts and salads.
The sugar level is higher than the Gala apple, making it one of the sweetest apples available. Its brix level, a measure of sweetness, is notably high, further enhancing its dessert suitability.
18. Lady Williams Apples
The Lady Williams apple, originating from Australia, is a deep dark red apple with yellowish-green flesh.
It’s known for its balanced sugar-acid taste, which starts tart when harvested young and matures into a sweet and tangy flavor. While the exact brix level isn’t readily available, it’s considered one of the sweetest apples available.
Its firm, crisp, and juicy texture makes it an excellent choice for various culinary uses, including fresh consumption, baking, and cider production.
19. Jonagold Apples
The Jonagold apple, a sweeter apple naturally, was developed in the 1940s at Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.
It’s a cross between the mellow Golden Delicious and tart Jonathan apples, presenting a vibrant blend of yellow-green and rosy-orange hues often marked with red spots or stripes.
The taste profile of a Jonagold apple is unique, balancing sweet, honeyed notes with a subtle tanginess. While the exact sugar level isn’t available, it’s known for its high-quality sweetness.
The versatility of this apple variety makes it ideal for both fresh consumption and various culinary uses, including baking and cider production.
20. Snow Apples
Snow apples, also known as Fameuse, are a unique variety of apples originating from Quebec, Canada. They are recognized for their bright red or crimson exterior and interior flesh that may display streaks of red and pink hues depending on growing conditions.
The flavor is notably sweet, making them a naturally sweeter apple, with complex notes of warm spices, wine, and a hint of strawberry-like scent. Their high sugar levels contribute to this distinctive sweetness.
21. Fuji Apples
Fuji apples, renowned for their sweetness, are one of the sweetest apple varieties available. Their skin is a beautiful blend of red and yellow, giving them a warm, inviting appearance.
The taste of Fuji apples is predominantly sweet, owing to high levels of natural sugars, with a subtle tart undertone that adds to their complex flavor profile.
The sugar level in a Fuji apple can reach up to 16-18 Brix units, making it one of the sweetest apples on the market. Overall, Fuji apples offer a deliciously sweet apple experience with their vibrant color, high sugar content, and pleasingly crisp texture.
What Is Brix Unit?
The Brix unit is a measure used to quantify the amount of sugar in an aqueous solution. One degree Brix represents the weight of 1 gram of sucrose dissolved in one hundred grams of a solution, corresponding to a sugar concentration of 1% by weight.
In relation to apples, a higher Brix value generally indicates a sweeter apple. However, the specific Brix value can vary significantly between different apple varieties. For instance, a tart Granny Smith apple may have a Brix value of around 12-15, while a sweet Fuji apple might have a Brix value of 16-18.
Recipes to Make With Sweet Apples
Try these awesome sweet apple recipes! Each of these recipes brings out the best of the apple’s sweetness and combines them with other delicious ingredients to create a mouth-watering dish. Let’s explore each one:
- Autumn Caramel Apple Cookies: These cookies combine the sweetness of caramel and apples to create a perfect autumn treat. Check out the full recipe here.
- Candy Apples: A classic treat that’s not just for Halloween. Sweet apples covered in a hard candy shell – find out how to make them here.
- Instant Pot Apple Butter: This recipe uses the Instant Pot to make creamy, sweet, and tangy apple butter. It’s perfect for spreading on toast or adding to your favorite dessert. Check out the full recipe here.
- Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples: These cinnamon apples made in an Instant Pot are an easy and quick dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth. Check out the full recipe here.
- Instant Pot Apple Cider: Warm up this fall with homemade apple cider made in an Instant Pot. Learn how to make it here.
- Apple Crumble Cheesecake: This recipe combines the creaminess of cheesecake with the sweetness of apple crumble, making it a unique and delicious dessert. Check out the full recipe here.
So, What Are the Sweetest Apples?
In conclusion, many different kinds of sweet apples have their flavor profiles. From the Opal apple to the Lady Williams apple and Snow Apple, each variety has a unique sweetness and is used in culinary delights. We also have an awesome post on Apple Flavors, which explains why these apples taste so great. Or we have a fantastic Vegan Mixed Berry Smoothy recipe, where you may wish to add some of these apples for extra taste.
Whether you’re looking for a sweet snack or to bake something delicious, these apples have you covered! We’ve also shared some recipes for you to try these sweet apples in. Try out some of these recipes and enjoy the sweetness of apples today!
