Cooking apple facts for kids

Bramley apples

Granny Smith apples

Red Gravenstein apples

Yellow Gravenstein

Baked apple with vanilla sauce

A cooking apple is a special kind of apple that people mostly use for cooking. It's different from a dessert apple, which you usually eat raw. Cooking apples are often bigger and can taste more tart (sour) than apples you eat fresh.

Some cooking apples have a firm flesh that stays together well when heated. Others have a lot of acid, which makes them bubbly when cooked. This is great for certain recipes! Many countries grow apples that are good for both cooking and eating raw.

What are Cooking Apples Used For?

Cooking apples are super versatile! You can turn them into many yummy treats:

• Sauces and Spreads: Apples can be cooked down into applesauce or apple butter. These are great with meals or on toast.
• Baked Goods: They are perfect for pies, apple crumbles, and apple dumplings.
• Baked Apples: You can bake a whole apple in the oven until it's soft. People often remove the core and fill the middle with things like brown sugar, raisins, or cinnamon. Sometimes, they even add a little brandy for grown-ups.
• With Meals: In the UK, people often serve cold applesauce with roast pork.

Popular Cooking Apple Varieties

Different parts of the world have their favorite cooking apples:

• The Bramley apple is super popular in the United Kingdom.
• The Granny Smith apple is a favorite in the United States and Australia. It actually started in Australia! Granny Smith apples are also often eaten raw because they are crisp and tart.

Types of Cooking Apples

There are many different kinds of apples grown especially for cooking. Some are also good for eating fresh. Here are some well-known varieties:

See also

In Spanish: Manzana de cocina para niños