Apples are a fruit meant for every season. When you want to stock up on them, the sizes and weights can get very confusing. Figuring out how many apples in a pound is tough without a measuring device around you. Since there are so many varieties of apples and they all have different weights, it can get a bit difficult.
Depending on the variety of apples and the size, it can take 2-5 apples to make a pound. The classic way of measuring apples is to size them using your hands. So, if the apple you choose is around the size of a tennis ball, it’s a medium-sized one. And a pound of this size will usually take 3 apples.
It would be simple if we all knew how many apples are in a pound. Unfortunately, because different seasons bring in different sorts of apples. However, training your eye to assume a pound of apples is not difficult. Thus, a basic understanding of the sizes and weights can go a long way.
General Apple Varieties And Their Sizes
Genetic modification and research have allowed for more and more apple varieties to exist today. Each of these can differ in size, taste, and texture. Because of their size differences, they also vary in weight. Granny smith, honey crisp, Jonathan, etc. apples are some of the most common varieties of apples out there.
Generally, we only measure apples in small, medium, and large sizes. But farmers harvest a different variety of apples every season. This can cause some confusion in measuring and weighing them when you buy them directly from a farm. So, before you buy them, make a note of the types.
Large
These types of apples usually make about 2 pieces per pound. If you’re buying them from a local market, there are a couple of varieties you can look for. Moreover, this large set of varieties can make a 9-inch pie with around 2 pounds of apples.
The list of varieties you can find as the largest apples in each season are these-
Baldwin: This apple type is usually harvested later in the season. They’re hard to preserve and have a sweet taste.
Cameo. Harvested around the same time as Baldwins, Cameo apples are red/yellow.
Cortland. You can find them in a muted shade of red.
Hokuto: These apples are a cross between Fuji and Mutsu apples. They also have a generally sweet taste.
Honeycrisp: Commonly found and also are a sweet variety good for snacking.
Medium
These apples are almost the size of a tennis ball. You’ll find that around 3 medium-sized varieties of apples will amount to a pound. Therefore, 5-7 of these apples will make a 9-inch apple pie easily.
Some of the varieties of apples that belong in this category are given here.
Opal: With yellow skin and crispy, smooth flesh. These apples make good pies, muffins, and tarts.
Crimson Crisp: This one has a firm and crisp texture with incredible flavor. Harvested in mid-September.
Crimson Gold: Harvested at the same time as crimson crisp, this one has red/orange tints on its yellow base.
Jonagold: These apples are on the medium-large side. Very popular worldwide and are very sweet and tart. Harvested in early October.
Mutsu/Crispin: These apples are known as a better version of the Golden Delicious apple. They’re yellow-green in color.
Small
The smaller varieties of apples are mostly used for snacking. You can use up to 5 apples in this category to make one pound. Also here, you’ll need about 10 of them to make a 9-inch apple pie.
The smaller varieties have a unique taste to them. Sometimes, an early harvest can also cause the bigger sizes to turn out smaller than usual. In that case, the taste may differ. But the size and weight will be the same.
Red Cort: The red cord ripens in early October and tastes similar to a Cortland apple.
Snow: Snow apples are hard to find. But you can still find them growing in certain places around the world.
The apple varieties you just read about only make up some of the types out there. But if you are looking to measure them, knowing these varieties can surely help you narrow it down.
Making Sure That There’s Actually A Pound In Your Bag
The best way to tell if there are around a pound of apples is to know your apples. Knowing exactly what type of apples you buy will give you a head start in ensuring you get the right amount. Additionally, if you know the measurements of these varieties, it will help you a lot.
When buying apples to stock or for regular use, you can follow some basic methods to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth.
1. Choose the apple variety beforehand
Before you go out to shop, it might be helpful to decide what variety you go for. There are apples better suited for snacking (for example, Honeycrisp). Some are also good for making pies and other baked goods.
As said before, the apple variety is a big factor in the weight of your apples. So, if you know the kind you want, you can find out how much you will need for your recipe. This will assist you in determining the weight.
2. Decide what you’re gonna use the apples for
When shopping for apples, it can help you cut out a lot of hassle by deciding what you’ll use the apples for. Different recipes will call for different amounts of apples. Since the recipes describe the amount by the number of apples, it will again be much easier.
Buying apples by the number it says on the recipe will help you decide the number of pounds you’ll need ultimately.
3. Use The Rule Of Thumb
2 for large, 3 for medium, and 4 for small. This may vary depending on the apples you’re buying. But it is a close approximation to what the amount may actually be.
If you have an idea of what variety you want and your use of the apples, the rule of thumb can still help you. It might not give you an exact pound. But it can help you get close to the pounds you’ll need.
4. If confused, Go For The Mediums
Medium-sized apples are the most commonly found ones. If you can get medium or average-sized apples in your store, go for them first. The measuring guide for them is also easier. If it fits into the palm of your hand like a tennis ball, you can get 3-4 to make a pound.
Just going for the medium-size or the most common size in the market is enough. This will help you get a rough measurement of how much you’re buying. And the chances of you getting more or less than you need will be less.
Don’t Get Tricked Into Buying Less
If you’re buying apples from a local farmer’s market, things can get a bit shady. Since they sell their apples in bags and numbers of apples, you might be tricked. The way to prevent that is to know exactly how much you’ll need before you even start measuring the apples you want.
Carrying a weighing device is the best option. But it is obviously not always possible to carry them around. In that case, a rough estimate can be enough. Make sure to check the apples you buy before you buy them. And lastly, check your bag and weigh it as you pay for the fruits.
What You Can Do With A Pound Of Apples
A pound of apples can go a long way to give you snacks, casual meals, or even delicacies that you can make at home. People use a 9-inch pie as a comparison for how many apples you might need. And that’s just one thing that you can make with a pound of apples!
Recipes that need apples in them are usually made in the fall or early winter. There, there's heavy use of warm spices and sugar. So, using up a pound of apples in one of them might be just what you need in a season like that. Some things that you can make with just a pound of apples are these ones.
- A small traditional apple pie will need around 3-4 medium-sized apples.
- Apple pancakes are a breakfast essential that also needs around 3-4 apples of any size.
- Apple snack balls are nutritious snacks that can have peanut butter, cheese, or nuts in them.
- Apple butter is a much healthier butter that you can make by pureeing a pound of simmered apples.
- Finally, candied apples are a treat for just anybody. You can make these by taking any amount of apples and coating them with either caramel or hard candy. Next, you can top them with chocolate or nuts.
These recipes are only a couple out of hundreds that you can make using only a pound of apples. So, you can see that a pound is a good amount of apples for food items that you can get 3-4 servings out of. Hopefully, if you can get your hands on a spare pound of fruit, you can try the recipes out.
Measuring a pound of apples might seem like an easy task. But the way apples vary in size causes a good amount of trouble. Next time you have to decide how many apples in a pound, remember the rule of thumb. Make sure to get some good recipes out of it too. Happy snacking!
