Kitchen

[nursejulia]

What type of apples do you use when you bake apple pie?  I have a recipe that calls for 2 pounds of cooking apples.  I googled and got many different suggestions, so I thought I would ask the experts!  TIA

[Toppers]

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@nursejulia wrote:

What type of apples do you use when you bake apple pie?  I have a recipe that calls for 2 pounds of cooking apples.  I googled and got many different suggestions, so I thought I would ask the experts!  TIA

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Well, I guess it just depends on your\your family's personal preference. If you like a more tart apple, then you might want to bake with Granny Smith apples. Those are good for baking. Jonathan's and MacIntosh are also good for baking, too. They're also good eating apples, too. 

[circles]

When i use to bake...many years ago....I always used MacIntosh apples...they make the best pies.....

[tkins]

My mom in law makes the best apple pie and the only one my husband will eat (texture thing he hates mushy fruit) because her apples stay pretty crisp. I don't know the exact details, it is her specialty and not something I would make, but I think she cuts the apples into chunks and mixes with cinnamon and sugar (not sure but might be a little brown sugar and a little granulated sugar) and puts them into the unbaked pie crust, then covers it with more crust, cuts a few slits and bakes  and she makes cookies out the leftover crust either random shapes sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or makes a rectangle spreads with a little butter and sprinkles cinnamon sugar, rolls up like a cinnamon roll slices and bakes, so yummy. She only uses pippin apples.  I agree with Toppers about your family's preference.  Maybe try making small pies with different apples to see what you all like the best.  

Happy pie baking.

tkins

[DiAnne]

Granny Smith always!

[Pook]

The only kind I use are red delicous.  They never are tart like some if you don't sweeten more than the recipe calls for and they always bake perfect.  Some stay hard or get too mushy.  I always just pile the apples in the bottom crust until well rounded.  Most recipes  don't call for enough apples.  I like a lot of apples and a high round pie.

[novamc1]

@tkins

You have described my mother's apple pie perfectly..........no sauciness to it, just slices of apples layered with cinnamon, sugar and maybe butter,  and the apples still had some texture after baking.  The top crust had slits.

Any leftover crust dough was brushed with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and baked until crisp.  It was delicious.

I've never made an apple pie (pumpkin and pecan and lemon pies were on my playlist when I actually baked pies), but I think of my mother's every time I see a slice of goopy and gummy-looking apple pie. 

[Kachina624]

Granny Smith is the widely available so that's what I always use.  They are quite tart to eat but by the time they're sugared they're just right.

[KYToby]

Your best bet is to use an assortment of apples.  Granny Smiths are great, they hold up to cooking, but they are a bit on the tart side.  Golden delicious provide a sweetness when cooked down.  McIntosh are great as are Jonathan and Braeburn.

When making apple dishes, I usually use at least half Granny Smith along with whatever else looks good.

Despite what some may say, Red DElicious apples are horrendous for cooking.  They turn to mush and are quite tasteless.  They are not even good for eating outright.  There are so many other varieties of apples out there -- all superior to the Red Delicious.

[Bellabutterfly]

I myself have always used Macintosh...They are a great baking apple and make yummy apple pies.  My Mother always used Macintosh...I guess the "Apple Falling off the Tree" was passed down to me...Try Macintosh Apples, I think you will be happy with the results.