apple honeycrisp

March 7, 2011 1:14 PM

What's the most honeycrisp-like apple?

Honeycrisps finally vanished from my supermarket a few weeks ago and I'm seriously hunting for an apple that can be my off-season replacement. What do you recommend for an apple that's as similar in taste and texture to honeycrisp (very sweet and very crunchy) as one can possibly get?

Thank you!

posted by anderjen to food & drink (28 answers total)

Pink Ladies are my #2 apple. They're crisp, but more tart than honeycrisps.
posted by amarynth at 1:18 PM on March 7, 2011 [6 favorites]

I think the pink lady is pretty close.
posted by ashotinthearm at 1:18 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ah, beat me to it!
posted by ashotinthearm at 1:19 PM on March 7, 2011

Around here, Pink Lady's are usually at least $1 per pound cheaper too.
posted by COD at 1:23 PM on March 7, 2011

yes, pink ladies.

FYI for next year - Honeycrisps are great storage apples. Buy a box, wrap each one in newspaper, and store in a cool place. They keep for a few months this way (the ones you've been buying recently have probably been cold-stored since the fall). Get some at the tail end of their market appearance and you can store them for at least a couple more months.
posted by peachfuzz at 1:24 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

I like Gala's...not quite as sweet as honeycrisps, but not anywhere near tart. Same texture.
posted by stellaluna at 1:24 PM on March 7, 2011 [2 favorites]

Doh. Strike the apostrophe.
posted by stellaluna at 1:25 PM on March 7, 2011

Ambrosia apples are very close to honeycrisp; as far as I can tell the biggest difference is the size. They're not common, though.

Gala is my personal favorite - not quite as sweet as honeycrisp, but less tart than Pink Lady.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:26 PM on March 7, 2011 [2 favorites]

If you are an apple fan, you should probably look at pickyourown.org's chart of apple varieties, with commentary below the chart. Ripening dates are included (your local orchards may vary).
posted by MonkeyToes at 1:31 PM on March 7, 2011 [4 favorites]

jazz apples are quite good, I think in line with a honeycrisp. Link since MonkeyToes' chart doesn't include it ..
posted by k5.user at 1:35 PM on March 7, 2011 [2 favorites]

Fuji apple = crunchy sweet delicious. You may never go back to those other apples.
posted by Glinn at 1:36 PM on March 7, 2011 [3 favorites]

Nthing Pink Lady. My favorite apple and very similar to Honeycrisp.
posted by rbellon at 1:44 PM on March 7, 2011

Fujis and Braeburns aren't bad alternatives. I recently had something that I think was a hybrid of the two (forgot the name).

I also recently had a euphoniously named Opal Apple, which is a deep yellow color and really good (I usually don't care for yellow apples).
posted by adamrice at 2:04 PM on March 7, 2011

as an amateur apple connoisseur and lover of Honeycrisps is my input:

Pink Ladies are probably the next best for texture (and the ones i usually buy since I adore honeycrisps but won't pay the usually exorbitant price for them here in Philadelphia) but less sweet. Braeburns are also good alternatives in texture, but are also more tart than honeycrisps. Jazz apples will have the sweetness you're looking for but I don't find them to be as crunchy. I'd also put Jonathon apples into that group. Fuji and Gala I like some of the time, but find that when they're past their peak they can lose their crunch.
posted by moshimosh at 2:10 PM on March 7, 2011

Another vote for Fuji apples. For some reason, my supermarket suddenly has some delicious, crunchy organic ones after a long stretch of dismal Fujis.
posted by bassjump at 2:13 PM on March 7, 2011

I just switched to Fujis myself
posted by rmless at 2:19 PM on March 7, 2011

Another vote for both Pink Lady and Ambrosia. Although Ambrosias are usually the hardest to find.
posted by mykescipark at 2:25 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

My heart belongs to honeycrisp, so I'm excited to read. (Hate pink ladies, gala are ok.)

But am poking in to second the storability of my beloveds. They stay completely amazing in the bottom drawer of the fridge for several months. I did a test last year - and am extremely OCD about food. I won't even drink milk from a carton that's been open more than three days.

But honeycrisps are unchanged after four/five months.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 2:44 PM on March 7, 2011

If you can find them, Pacific Rose apples are quite delicious. Very crunchy, very sweet...but a bit more expensive usually.
posted by moutonoir at 2:59 PM on March 7, 2011

We've been buying Fuji at our local market quite a bit, recently -- I'm just chiming in to agree with the other posters who said that. Crunchy, sweet and tart.
posted by GriffX at 3:51 PM on March 7, 2011

Pinata (also known as Pinova.) Crunchy, sweet, bright acid, delicious.

Fujis almost as good, but not quite as dependable. I used to love them, but I've converted to Honeycrisps and Pinata.
posted by fingersandtoes at 4:49 PM on March 7, 2011

Smokehouse, but good luck finding them.
posted by plinth at 5:35 PM on March 7, 2011

I'm going to second Pacific Rose, though they haven't been in my local stores this winter as they were last year. Very crisp with a bright flavor, more sweet than tart, whereas I find Pink Ladies more sour than tart--I like both, just trying to help you get the difference.
posted by miss patrish at 6:11 PM on March 7, 2011

I'm eating a Jazz apple for the first time right now. No tartness at all, mildly sweet, slightly crisp. This apple is okay but the flavor is very mild, almost pear-like. I usually get fuji apples and I think I prefer those for the stronger flavor and crisper texture. I think you will find fuji to be a good alternative to the honeycrisp. If your store has small galas and braeburns, those work too. Pink Lady apples are great but harder to find.
posted by wondermouse at 6:17 PM on March 7, 2011

A datapoint - today, in Rockland country, NY, in a local ShopRite, I noticed that the Pink Lady apples were $2.49/lb., while Braeburns (sp?) were $1.39/lb. The Honeycrisps are almost always around $2.50/lb., no matter what time of year.
posted by dbiedny at 8:24 PM on March 7, 2011

It's the Ambrosia, more than the Pink Lady.
posted by fiTs at 9:59 PM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

I see you are a fellow Minnesotan. Come next fall, spend some time out at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, where they developed the Honeycrisp and a bunch of other varietals. When they get back in season try the SweeTango, which are pretty darned amazing. The Zestar! (yes, I'm sure the exclamation point is part of the registered trademark) are good too.

My brother in law and I had a big discussion about the Honeygold, a parent of the Honeycrisp. He actually likes it better, as it may be a little bit more firm and bigger. Obviously they are not as available. During the winter you're just going to have to make do, and the Fuji/Gala/Pink Lady suggestions are about as good as you're going to get, I suspect. I tend more towards the Fuji camp myself, but YMMV, as the kids say.
posted by norm at 11:43 AM on March 8, 2011

I like the Cameo.
posted by exceptinsects at 1:51 PM on March 10, 2011