Empire Apples: The Lunchbox Apple New York Invented

What Is an Empire Apple?

An empire apple is a medium-sized, deep-red variety developed in New York State — a cross between McIntosh and Red Delicious. It was bred at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, and released commercially in 1966. The name is a direct nod to New York, "the Empire State," and the variety has been one of the state's most widely grown apples ever since.

If you've ever reached for a Red Delicious and found it mealy and flavorless, Empire is the answer. It takes the firm, attractive shape of Red Delicious and replaces the bland interior with McIntosh's bright, sweet-tart flavor and juicy crunch. The result is one of the most reliable, pleasant apples to eat fresh out of hand — which is exactly why families have been packing it in lunch boxes for sixty years.

A New York Original: The Story Behind the Name

Apple breeding takes decades of careful work. Cornell's Geneva station started the cross that would become Empire in the 1940s, evaluating hundreds of seedlings over many years before settling on the one that earned a commercial release. It was a calculated effort to create something that tasted like a McIntosh — the beloved, fragrant, tart apple that New Yorkers had grown up with — but held together better on the tree, in the bag, and at room temperature.

Empire succeeded. By the 1980s it was one of the top-ten most grown apple varieties in the United States, and it remains in the upper tier of commercial production in New York today. For western NY growers including the farms around Monroe County and Orleans County, Empire is a mid-season staple — reliably heavy-bearing, consistent in color and flavor, and ready to pick in late September just as the season hits its stride.

Fisher's Fruit has grown Empire apples at the farm in Brockport since the early years. It's one of the varieties that regulars expect to find every fall, and for good reason.

How Empire Apples Taste

Empire sits in the sweet-tart range — not as sharp as a Granny Smith, not as mild as a Golden Delicious. The McIntosh parentage gives it a lively tartness and a pleasant aromatic quality; the Red Delicious parentage contributes firmness and a satisfying dense bite. What you get is an apple with real flavor that doesn't fall apart on the first bite.

The flesh is creamy white and noticeably slow to brown after cutting. This is one of Empire's most practical advantages: slice an Empire for a school lunch, a fruit plate, or an apple salad, and it will still look appealing an hour later. Other popular varieties oxidize much faster. This slow browning is one of the reasons Empire earned the "lunchbox apple" reputation that has followed it since the 1970s.

Texture-wise, a well-grown Empire from a local orchard is firm, crisp, and juicy. Supermarket Empires, stored for months in controlled-atmosphere warehouses, tend to lose some of that crunch. A freshly picked empire apple from a farm is a noticeably different experience — this is one of the clearest arguments for picking your own.

Empire Apples in the Kitchen

Empire is one of the most versatile cooking apples in the fall lineup. Its firm texture holds up under heat, which means it won't dissolve into mush the way McIntosh can when baked. For apple pie, Empire works especially well in a mix — it provides structure and a balanced sweet-tart flavor without overpowering the spices. Used alone, it makes a tender but not soupy filling.

For applesauce, Empire produces a sauce with good body and natural sweetness. It breaks down more neatly than Red Delicious and has more flavor depth than Golden Delicious. If you want a smoother sauce, Empire is a reliable pick; if you want a chunkier sauce, pull it earlier and don't overcook it. The full guide to applesauce apple selection is at best apples for applesauce.

Empire also presses into very good juice and cider. It contributes sweetness and body without excessive tannins. If you're pressing a blend, Empire plays well with sharper varieties. For guidance on apple selection by use, see best apples for cider.

When Empire Apples Are in Season Near Rochester

In western New York, empire apples typically ripen in late September and carry through mid-October, depending on the summer's heat and the timing of cool fall nights. The Rochester area and Monroe County usually see Empire hit its peak between the third week of September and the first two weeks of October — which lines up squarely with peak fall-visit season.

At Fisher's Fruit in Brockport, about 25 minutes west of Rochester, Empire usually comes on in strength after Macoun and alongside other mid-season varieties like Honeycrisp and Fuji. Exact ripening shifts year to year with the weather, so the best way to know whether Empire is on is to check current picking conditions before you head out.

Late September is also one of the most comfortable times to visit the orchard — cooler temperatures, long rows still heavy with fruit, and no summer heat to slow you down.

How to Store Empire Apples

Empire is a solid keeper — better than McIntosh, which loses its punch within a few weeks, and comparable to Fuji and Jonagold. A paper bag or open container in the refrigerator crisper will keep Empire apples in good eating condition for four to six weeks. Kept in a cool basement or second refrigerator held around 32–35°F, they can stretch even longer.

A few storage basics that apply to Empire and most other mid-season apples: don't wash them until you're ready to eat, since moisture shortens shelf life. Store them away from foods with strong odors — apples are porous and will pick up flavor from nearby garlic, onions, or cheese. And if you notice any soft spots developing, use those apples first rather than letting one bad apple work through the rest of the batch. The firm texture of Empire means damaged spots usually stay localized and don't spread as quickly as in softer varieties.

If you picked a bushel, consider dedicating a portion to sauce or pie fillings you freeze — that stretches the harvest well into winter and saves you time when baking season hits in November and December.

Empire vs. Other Red Apples — Is It Worth Seeking Out?

Red apples occupy a crowded shelf. Red Delicious remains the most recognized name, but its commercial reputation has suffered — decades of breeding for color and shelf life over flavor left it with beautiful packaging and unremarkable eating. Empire starts from that same parent stock and does nearly everything better: more flavor, better texture, slower browning, more honest sweetness.

Compared to Honeycrisp, Empire is firmer and less sweet, with a more pronounced tartness. Honeycrisp tends to win taste tests on first impression; Empire holds up better in the kitchen and keeps longer. Both are worth picking when they're both on — and at Fisher's Fruit, both typically overlap in late September. If you're comparing apples directly, the Honeycrisp vs. Jonagold guide covers the flavor and use differences in detail, and much of that comparison applies to Empire in the middle.

The short version: if you're looking for a red apple that actually tastes like an apple, Empire is the answer.

Pick Empire Apples at Fisher's Fruit Near Rochester

Fisher's Fruit Farm has been growing apples in Brockport, Monroe County since 1973. Empire is one of the varieties the farm has offered for decades — a mid-season staple that draws families from Rochester, Spencerport, Greece, Hilton, and Hamlin every fall. The farm uses organic practices and no systemic pesticides, which means the Empire apples you pick here are grown the way fruit was grown before chemical dependency became the industry norm. Not USDA-certified organic, but grown with genuine care for the fruit and the soil.

Apples are available by the bag or the bushel. A standard 8-quart bag is $14. A full bushel — which is a lot of apples — is $40. If you're planning to make sauce, cider, or a few pies alongside your fresh eating, a bushel of Empire is one of the better values in the fall. For up-to-date availability and conditions, check current picking conditions first. Full variety information is on the apples page. The farm also grows hops for local microbrewers and Christmas trees for later in the season — but late September belongs to the apples.