Crisp Apples Ranked: Crunchiest to Least Crunchy

Two whole red apples and a sliced apple showing juicy interior.
Fresh, crisp SweeTango® apples perfect for healthy snacking and recipes.

An apple’s crunchiness is like a flower’s smell — it’s the first impression we get before we pick it out from others depending on whether we enjoyed it or not. There’s nothing more satisfying than biting into an apple that fractures perfectly on the first bite. It’s like shaking someone’s hand for the first time and matching their confident energy with a firm grip and brilliant smile. But what are the crunchiest apples?

The first crunch impression of an apple is something you don’t forget, and next time you’re in the grocery store, you’ll find yourself looking for that same crunch-tastic fruit. So, if crunch is such a factor in the apple-eating experience, what are the crunchiest apples? Some may attest that Honeycrisp and Pink Lady® are the crunchiest, while others would shake their heads pointing to Cosmic Crisp® and SweeTango®. To each their own, as everyone’s experience is different, but we’ve come up with a Crisp Apple Ranking Scale to help determine which apples have the wow-worthy crunch you’re looking for.

Two fresh SweeTango apples with organic stickers on a white background.

SweeTango® – SweeTango apples naturally have larger cells giving them an extraordinary crunch and perfect fracture, in fact, it won the Guinness World Record for the World’s loudest crunch ever!

Crunch scale: SweeTango rated 9 of 10, 1st crunchiest of 11.
Fresh Honeycrisp apples with organic and artisan labels from Stemilt.

Honeycrisp – A huge crunch successor that has been hard to beat since its creation!

Crunch scale: Honeycrisp rated 9 of 10, 2nd crunchiest of 11.
Two Cosmic Crisp apples with organic and artisan labels on a white background.

Cosmic Crisp® – New to the category of crunchiest apples, Cosmic Crisp® makes its way up the ladder with a honey-crisp like fracture and fine flesh.

Crunch scale: Cosmic Crisp rated 8 of 10, 3rd crunchiest of 11.
Two fresh organic apples with Stemilt Artisan Organics labels on a white background.

Pink Lady® – A crisp and firm apple that gives a fine crunch and tangy finish

Crunch scale: Pink Lady rated 8 of 10, 4th crunchiest of 11.
Fresh Rave® apple with barcode sticker, vibrant red and yellow skin.

Rave® – Outrageously juicy with a refreshing snappy zing, Rave® apples are crisp and juicy.

Crunch scale: Rave rated 7 of 10, 5th crunchiest of 11.
Fresh Granny Smith apples with organic certification labels from Stemilt.

Granny Smith – I would consider Granny Smith to be a firm apple as opposed to a crunchy apple, but it still makes for a great crunch contender for its natural density and sour flavors.

Crunch scale: Granny Smith rated 7 of 10, 6th crunchiest of 11.
Fresh Ambrosia apple with organic and artisan labels on a white background.

Ambrosia – A fine-flesh apple with crispy floral notes makes a sweet addition to the crunch list with very little acidity.

Crunch scale: Ambrosia rated 7 of 10, 7th crunchiest of 11.
Fresh Fuji apples with Stemilt Artisan Organics label for optimal freshness.

Fuji – A soft and sweet apple that’s a sweet-tooth’s dream. Fuji has a bit of crunch, but nothing too dramatic for this apple.

Crunch scale: Fuji rated 6 of 10, 8th crunchiest of 11.
Fresh Gala apples with Stemilt Artisan Organics label for organic quality.

Gala – As mellow as sweet apples come, Gala apples are known for their sweet, vanilla aroma and soft bite.

Crunch scale: Gala rated 5 of 10, 9th crunchiest of 11.
Two Red Delicious apples with stickers on a white background.

Red Delicious – Bittersweet and soft fleshed, the Red Delicious is a classic apple with mild crispiness.

Crunch scale: Red Delicious rated 3 of 10, 10th crunchiest of 11.
Yellow apple with Stemilt sticker, part of the Apple Sweetness Scale.

Golden Delicious – The Golden Delicious sits at the bottom of the crunch list with soft skin and mellow, yellow apple flavors.

Crunch scale: Golden Delicious rated 2 of 10, softest of 11.
Honeycrisp apple