By Amara Brunner-Harper,
Staff Writer.
Everyone knows that as soon as fall hits, apple-flavored-everything comes out. Nobody talks about the original apple flavors. I decided to rank all the classic apple flavors and tell you how I feel about each flavor. From crisp and sweet to tart and refreshing, each variety brings something different to the table. But when it comes to taste, texture and overall appeal of the apple, how do these apples really stack up? Here’s my favorite apple flavors from worst to best.
At the bottom of the ranking are Pink Ladies. They’re technically sweet, but taste bland. They don’t have the quality of a tasteful apple that makes you want another one. They just don’t have a specific sweetness or crispness that some other apples do. I like them but they are the type of apple that don’t really stick out from some other good flavors.
Honestly, I know that there are really tart apples like Granny Smiths. I can appreciate the boldness, especially when I’m in the mood for something refreshing, but they can be a little too intense on their own. They make more sense to me when paired with something sweeter or put into a pie, where their sourness can balance everything out.
Slightly sweeter varieties rank pretty high on the list, such as the classic Honeycrisp or Red Delicious. They’re easy to eat because they have a soft outside and have a familiar, almost candy-like quality, but sometimes they lack the specific crispy flavor that makes an apple memorable. They’re dependable, but not always exciting.
At the top of my list is the Cosmic Crisp apple. It has that crisp, refreshing taste that is the perfect mix of sweet and juicy. The Cosmic Crisp tastes great on its own, and it works in other consumables like pies, cider and applesauce. I love using it to make fresh apple juice and apple crumble. They blend in and make the perfect flavor of apple for the fall.
Overall, every apple variety has something to offer, but the Cosmic Crisps stands out as my favorite. While Pink Ladies and Granny Smiths have their strengths, and Honeycrisps and Red Delicious are reliable choices, the Cosmic Crisps has a perfect balance of sweetness, crispness, and juiciness. Whether eaten by itself or used in a fall recipe, it is an apple that I think deserves the top spot.
