4 Up-and-Coming Apple Varieties That Are Making Honeycrisp Old News

Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the U.S., with Americans noshing on an average of nine pounds per person each year. Though apples have been cultivated since Roman times (and wild apples date back even further), these days growers and agricultural scientists work to develop varieties that are economically viable, travel well for national distribution, and satisfy consumer tastes, such as sweetness, crispness, and a long storage life.

While there are more than 7,500 modern apple varieties, some are more beloved than others. For years, Gala has been the most popular choice for U.S. growers, topping out the country in total number of bushels produced, thanks to its sweet taste and long shelf life. But both it and the maligned Red Delicious are losing orchard-share every year as new varieties (and not just Honeycrisp) take on the fruit aisle. We tapped three experts for their insights on the hot new apples you should be seeing in your supermarket soon.

1. Cosmic Crisp

The largest apple launch in American history, Cosmic Crisp took over 20 years to develop and was reportedly marketed with a $10 million budget before it hit supermarkets in 2019. 

First bred by former Washington State University horticulturist Bruce Barritt in 1997 as a hybrid of Honeycrisp and Enterprise varieties, Cosmic Crisp was created to yield an ultra-crisp, juicy, and firm apple with a long shelf life. 

This new variety of apple “has absolutely taken off in U.S. production over the last five years,” says Lynsee Gibbons, director of communications for the U.S. Apple Association.

Cosmic Crisp apples “combined that ultra crispness of Honeycrisp with a firmer texture, loads of juice, and some additional acidity,” says Kate Evans, PhD, a professor in the Department of Horticulture at Washington State University who helped to develop Cosmic Crisp. 

“People love it,” Evans says. But beyond its consumer appeal, Cosmic Crisp is also attractive for growers.

“It was one of the first new apple varieties that was available to all Washington growers, and it fit the harvest window of Red Delicious, and could therefore replace it in some orchards,” Evans says. 

This apple also has a high pack-out, which means many apples can be picked and transported to the store at once, Evans says. “It retains its eating quality well throughout storage, so reduces food waste,” she adds.

2. SnapDragon

First launched in 2013, SnapDragon was created by cultivators at Cornell AgriTech, part of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and was the result of a 10-year development process. A cross between Honeycrisp and an unnamed variety known as NY752, it was bred to create a better version of Honeycrisp. 

SnapDragon has “many of the Honeycrisp attributes, but less of the Honeycrisp defects,” says Susan K. Brown, PhD, professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, who helped develop the variety. Among other advantages, SnapDragon is less likely to develop the “bitter pit” disorder that impacts Honeycrisp and causes small, dark brown, sunken spots on the skin. 

Sweet and snappy, with a flavor that offers a hint of vanilla, this variety has won several awards, including the outstanding cultivar award from the American Society for Horticultural Science in 2023.

And, for sports fans, Brown points out that SnapDragon is the official apple of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

3. Firecracker

The Firecracker apple was also developed by Brown’s team at Cornell, and was released in 2020 along with Pink Luster and Cordera varieties. “FireCracker apples have not yet become widely grown, but they have their fans,” she says. 

This apple has a partial russet skin, and a mix of acidity and sweetness for a complex flavor. “We call it a triple threat,” Brown says, noting that it’s delicious fresh, in baked goods, and in non-alcoholic and hard cider. 

Although Firecracker has been called an “ugly duckling,” the flavor is college student-approved. During the development process, Cornell offered the apple in dining hall desserts and sought feedback and name suggestions. 

4. Pink Lady/Cripps Pink 

The Pink Lady/Cripps Pink apple isn’t a new variety — it was created back in the 1970s by British-Australian horticulturalist John Cripps, who had the idea to cross-pollinate Golden Delicious and Lady Williams varieties to yield an apple with the sweetness of the former and the long storage potential of the latter.

But it’s been dubbed a variety on the rise by the U.S. Apple Association. Pink Lady has “excellent brand messaging” that’s helped to propel it forward, along with “a unique combination of eating quality and appearance,” Evans says. In fact, Pink Lady (the cultivar name is Cripps Pink) was the first apple in history to be given a trademarked name, in 1996. To qualify for the trademark, Pink Lady apples must meet certain criteria, including sugar content and lack of blemishes. Pink Lady was also one of the first apples to devote funds to innovative marketing, like a tie-in to breast cancer research, Brown says. 

Pink Lady apples have a “long growing season,” which makes them difficult to grow in some areas of the country, including the Northeast, Brown says. In fact, Pink Lady trees are usually the first to blossom and the last to be harvested. 

But, if you’re able to find them, Pink Lady apples have a honey-like flavor and buttery taste with an acidic finish. “Cooking shows and magazines often suggest using ‘Pink Lady’ and ‘Granny [Smith’ apples], due to their widespread availability,” Brown says. “It keeps its firmness in baking, so many recipes recommend its use.”

But Honeycrisp isn’t going anywhere 

Most people have heard of Honeycrisp, but it’s still not the most popular apple for growers in the U.S. According to the U.S. Apple Association, that honor goes to Gala, followed by Red Delicious and Granny Smith.  

Honeycrisp was first developed in the 1960s at the University of Minnesota but really took off in the 2000s, when it started to be planted in Michigan and New York. The apple’s flavor profile has earned it plenty of fans, and it’s now the state fruit in Minnesota.

This apple variety was bred to have larger cells than other apples, which explains its crunchiness. “Honeycrisp raised the bar for crispness in apples,” Evans says. “Pre-Honeycrisp, there was really nothing that had that texture. Combined with its sweetness, it appealed to a large group of consumers.” 

Honeycrisp apples offer a “balanced blend of sweet and tart flavors, with an exceptionally crisp bite,” Gibbons says. But these apples are “challenging” to grow, she says. 

“At harvest, workers must carefully clip the stem of each apple before placing them in the bin to prevent bruising the thin skin,” Gibbons says. “Additionally, the larger cells make them more susceptible to pests and diseases.” Still, growers are willing to put in the extra work and resources to deliver Honeycrisp apples since they fetch a  “premium” price, Gibbons says.  

How to pick the right apple for you

Apple varieties exist for a reason — to offer a range of experiences for consumers. “Trying a few varieties and paying attention to what suits your taste best is a fun way to discover your perfect apple,” Gibbons says. “Point-of-sale descriptions or a ‘sweet-o-meter’ can also help take some of the guesswork out, making it simple to match taste preferences with the right apple.”

But Evans says the best way to find your go-to apple is to sample a range of varieties. “I hear more and more folk having loads of fun hosting apple tasting sessions at parties or events,” she says. “It can be a really easy thing to do with the family over the holidays and doesn't take many apples if you just give slices to them to taste.”

So, if you happen to come across an apple variety you haven’t heard of before, give it a try. It may just become your new favorite.