Apple Sweetness Chart

August 6, 2024 3 Minute Read

There are enough types of apples to keep your fall filled with this yummy, versatile fruit! Whether you like them sugary-sweet or lip-smacking tart, we’ve got apples that are perfect for baking, snacking, slicing for salads and sandwiches, and everything in between. Apples are very nutritious, too – they’re packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber and other nutrients.

Here you’ll find some of the most popular apples, ranked from sweet to tart, using our Apple Sweetness Chart, plus easy apple recipes, when are apples in season, and ideas on the best ways to enjoy them (including baking, of course!).

Types of Apples	Sweetest Level	Best For	Peak‑of‑season
Fuji	the sweetest apple variety	snacking, applesauce and salads	mid- to late October
Gala	highly sweet	snacking, applesauce and salads	late July to early September
Autumn Glory	very sweet, with notes of cinnamon	cocktails, pork, almonds, and peanuts	October
Golden Delicious	sweet, rich and mild in flavor	snacking, baked apples and applesauce	mid- to late September
Red Delicious	sweet-tart mix but very mild in flavor	snacking and salads	mid- to late September
Honeycrisp	great balance of sweet and tart, with a rich, aromatic flavor	snacking and salads	September
Cosmic	very sweet with some tartness	snacking, salads, baking and pairing with wine and cheese	December
Opal	quite sweet and slightly floral (similar to Honeycrisp)	snacking, salads, baking, appetizers and pairing with wine and cheese	December to March
Envy	extremely sweet	snacking, salads, cider, mocktails and pork recipes	May to October
Sweetango	sweet, crisp, and zesty	pork recipes, salads, butternut squash soup, and chilled Prosecco	Mid-August – Early December
Sugarbee	not too sweet, with notes of honey, caramel, and molasses	snacking, pies, caramel apples, and juice	September – December
Jazz	sweet-tart combo	snacking, baking, salads and sauces	early to mid-October
Pink Lady	quite tart	snacking, baking, salads, sauces and more	mid- to late October
Granny Smith	very tart	baking, salads and baked apples	mid- to late October

Apple Recipes

Apples are good for more than just snacking, they can be the main ingredient or a nice, subtle compliment to many dishes. Whether you’re looking for a homemade cider, or a quick and easy sheet pan on a busy weeknight, we’ve listed a few of our favorite easy and unique fall recipes to try this fall:

Apple Nutrition

According to Stephanie Skinner-Lucas, one of our registered dietitian nutrition experts, apples have many health benefits. Stephanie listed a few of her favorite apple nutritional tips below:

One medium 7-ounce apple is a good source of fiber (including both insoluble fiber which may help improve bowel regularity, and soluble fiber) and vitamin C.
The apple skin contains most of the antioxidants and half of the fiber.
An antioxidant flavonoid called “quercetin” is a component of apples and is studied for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Apples contain no fat, sodium, and cholesterol.
Apple is about 85% water making it a good hydrating snack.
A medium apple has about 100 calories, mostly from natural sugars, which provides energy.