The juicy variety is making a splash in the produce section.
I feel like everyone has a certain kind of apple that they gravitate towards. Growing up, we always kept Granny Smith apples in the house because my mom loved their tang. My dad, however, was a big fan of Golden Delicious apples. My brother and I preferred “red apples” of any variety, because we thought those apples were somehow a truer representation of an apple than our parents’ green and yellow favorites.
As an adult, my attitude towards apples has expanded considerably. Honeycrisp apples get a lot of attention, and rightly so: They are delicious. But my absolute favorite apple is the Opal. It’s a hybrid of Golden Delicious and Topaz, and is very tender and sweet with a delicate skin. Whenever I see what I think is a pile of Opals in the grocery store, I make a beeline for it.
Which is what I did the other day, only to realize that I wasn’t staring at a pile of Opal apples. Instead, the sign said something I had never seen before: “Lemonade” apples. I immediately bought a few, and I’m so glad I did.
What are Lemonade apples?
Lemonade apples are a hybrid of a Gala and a Braeburn. They have more of an elongated, oval shape instead of the rotund, spherical shape I usually associate with apples. Their skin is very waxy, and its yellow tint is what gives it its name. Personally, I think that they also kind of resemble lemons as well!
The lemonade apple also is bright and flavorful. The skin has a great snap, and the flesh is incredibly juicy. While “lemonade” refers to its color, I think it’s also an apt descriptor of its refreshing flavor.
This variety originated in New Zealand in the early 21st century. After several years of breeding and cultivation, they became available for purchase in 2009.
Why are Lemonade apples showing up in grocery stores now?
Although this variety has been around for almost thirty years, it has been pretty rare to see them available in the United States since they were mainly produced in New Zealand. Sure, some specialty markets may have had them, but it was only recently that they really started to catch on. In fact, Washington State–grown Lemonade apples were sold for the first time in the U.S in 2022.
Now that they’re being grown in the U.S., Lemonade apples are appearing more frequently in stores. They are at their peak freshness during fall and winter, so definitely keep an eye out for them. They’ll make an absolutely delicious addition to any of your favorite fall recipes.
Would you try Lemonade apples? Let us know in the comments below!
