I've used a variety of different apples to make apple butter depending on how sweet or tart I want the end product to be. It's best to use an apple that breaks down quickly, but if all you have are firmer apples a stick blender can help smooth things out. Here are a few apple varieties that would be good for apple butter: Cortland This red apple has a mild, sweet taste and is good for eating fresh or for pies and sauces. Golden Delicious Firm, crisp and juicy, these apples have a golden yellow skin and are good for eating fresh, baking and applesauce. Russet Russet apples are sweet & tangy. They are good for eating fresh, pie filling and applesauce. For a full list of Ontario apples with flavour profiles visit Ontario Apple Growers.