With so many varieties of apples to pick from, I’m here to guide you in choosing the best apples for juicing and which ones to avoid. You’ll be on your way making your own apple juice in no time.
Skip the store bought juice and pull out that juicer or blender (yes, you can make apple juice in a blender too!). No need to be overwhelmed with all the apple varieties.
This simple guide will help you choose good juicing apples for your homemade apple juice!
Once you’ve decided on a type of apple, then check out my complete how to guide – How to Make Apple Juice.
Busy with no time to read the whole article? My top picks are below.
My number one choice for a simple apple juice recipe is the Red Delicious apple. It’s oh so sweet, has the best health benefits and is also less expensive than the other varieties.
What are the best apples for juicing?
Best overall pick
- Red delicious
- Granny smith
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
- Gala
What are the best apples for highest juice content?
- Granny Smith
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
- Red Delicious
- Gala
What are the best apples for juicing with a tart flavor profile?
- Granny Smith
- Pink Lady Apples
- Braeburn
- McIntosh
What are the best apples for a sweet juice?
- Red Delicious
- Fuji
- Golden Delicious
- Gala
- Honeycrisp
Table of Contents
- Best apples for sweet juice
- Best apples for green juice
- Best apples for health benefits
- Other top apple picks for juicing
- Can I mix and match apples?
- Apples not to use for juicing
- Things to consider when choosing good apples for juicing
Best apples for sweet juice
Red delicious apples
Many store bought apple juice is made from red delicious apples and for good reason! A popular choice – these apples have great flavor and a higher sugar content. This makes their juice perfectly sweet. Overall, these are a more cost effective choice as well.
This is also my top pick if you’re making apple juice with kids. Making apple juice is a great way for kids to get involved in the kitchen. The juicing process is super easy and fun. My kids love this apple for its sweetness and it’s my personal favorite for juice.
Golden Delicious apples
Golden delicious apples are another variety to try if you are looking for sweeter apples to juice. Described as a honey sweet flavor that is crisp and juicy. You can pick these apples out from the rest by their light yellow peel. Not as sweet as the Red Delicious but still a great choice.
Best apples for green juice
Granny smith apples
Known for their bright green color, you may not have known they’re a great choice for juicing too. Different apple varieties have different juice contents. The greater the juice content then the more juice you get from the apple. Green apples or Granny Smith apples have a high juice content.
They also are lower in sugar and therefore more tart apples and less sweet. Because of this they will make a more tart juice. This makes them a great choice for juicing with other fruits and vegetables (like in a green juice recipe) or if you are wanting lower sugar content in your juice.
Best apples for health benefits
Red delicious apples
Although apples are quite similar in nutritional content there are some slight differences. These differences will depend on the apple’s type and color. For example, Red Delicious apples contain polyphenols. A component that is only found in dark red fruits like the deep red color you see in Red Delicious apples.
Polyphenols may help prevent cancer and heart disease. This is why I also recommend leaving the skins on your apples for the healthiest apple juice! -But see my important tip about waxed apples. Red delicious apples are also high in antioxidants. So if you are looking for the best apple for health benefits, the Red Delicious apple is a great pick, although you can’t really go wrong with any apple and its benefits.
If you are looking for a juice with less sugar content, go for the more tart apples. Granny smith apples have less sugar but are still high in antioxidants
Other top apple picks for juicing
I would hate to not mention the Fuji apple and Honeycrisp apple. Although they are expensive, these apples are still great for juicing. If you don’t mind the cost or want to splurge a little on your apple juice, try these apples with a beautiful flavor balance.
You can experiment and find the perfect apple juice blend. These in particular are not too sweet and not too tart. In our house, we save these types of apples for eating because of the cost.
Fuji Apples
A crisp texture apple for juicing. A good balance of sweetness but not overly sweet like a Red Delicious. It can be an expensive apple that’s good for juicing but best for eating in my opinion. But if cost isn’t a factor, I say go for it!
Honeycrisp Apples
Another apple variety great for juicing because they have a high juice content. They are a sweet, firm and juicy apple. Again, a more expensive apple. It’s completely up to you and your fresh apple juice budget. If you’re wanting a less sweet apple juice with great flavor, give these apples a try also!
Gala Apples
A balanced apple for juice that is not too sweet. Can get soft if they aren’t fresh. Soft apples aren’t the best for juicing (they make better apples for applesauce). These are a less expensive option. If you choose them carefully, then they can be a good alternative to a Red Delicious apple if you find those to be too sweet.
Can I mix and match apples?
Yes, in fact I like to blend granny smith apples with red delicious apples. They provide the perfect balance of sweet flavor and tart apple juice. I like the high juice content of the granny smith apples as well. In addition, you may need to mix and match depending on what apple varieties you have available and what season it is.
Apples not to use for juicing
Mealy apples
If your apples are soft or mealy, they’re going to produce less juice with more pulp. Therefore, it’s best to save those apples for things like apple sauce.
Waxed apples
Tip! – If you don’t have access to an apple tree producing fresh apples, the grocery store or apple orchard are still a great place to get your fresh apples. Avoid apples that have a wax coating applied however. Most apples bought at grocery stores will have a wax coating on it.
Either peel these apples to juice them or you can remove the wax coating by washing them in hot water and scrubbing with a rough towel. You can also add lemon juice and baking soda to the hot water.
Things to consider when choosing good apples for juicing
Cost
Making apple juice at home can get expensive if you’re using the heirloom apples. I save the more expensive apples for eating whole and use the less expensive ones for fresh juice.
How much juice does an apple produce?
The size of the apple and juice content will vary the amount of juice produced slightly, but in general 3 medium sized apples will produce one cup of juice.
Above all, the right kind of apples for juicing really comes down to your own personal preference. You will find that different apples will produce different sweetness, flavors and even different textures of your juice. If you like sweet, tart, or somewhere in between, experiment with different varieties and combinations to find your best recipe. Most importantly, you really can’t go too wrong! Have some fun and let your kids do taste testing between the different apples and apple juice.
Now you learned all about the best apples for juicers, next head over to my full guide – How to make apple juice for the rest of my tips, tricks and step-by-step instructions.
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