The most common varieties of apples for cooking and baking include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Braeburn and Honeycrisp. These are the best apples for cooking or baking as they can maintain their firm and crisp texture—as well as a balance of sweet and tart flavors—when exposed to the high heat of an oven or cooktop. The different apples vary in sweetness but are all juicy and firm enough to hold their shape and maintain a pleasant texture and flavor when baked.