A Classic New York Apple Is Back — Crisp, Juicy and Fresh From the Orchard
The Cortlands are coming off the trees.
Every September, the orchard settles into a rhythm we look forward to all year: ladders against the trees, bins filling up in the rows and that sweet, cidery smell of ripe apples in the cool morning air. And right now, one of New York's most beloved apples is part of it.
If you grew up with Cortlands in the fruit bowl, in your lunchbox or in Grandma's pie, you already know why people wait for them. If you've never had a fresh Cortland, this is the time of year to find out.
Ready now? Order fresh Cortland apples and we'll ship them From The Farm To Your Door.
Cortland Season Is Here
We generally begin harvesting Cortland in mid-to-late September, but the exact timing always depends on the season. Weather, sunshine, how cool the nights get and each orchard's own location all play a part. Some years the fruit colors up early; other years we wait a little longer for the flavor to be just right.
That's the part of apples you never see in the supermarket. Cortland isn't a year-round commodity for us — it's a variety that has its moment in the fall, and customers who love it tend to watch the calendar for it.
Many of the customers who order Cortlands from us tell us the same thing: they can't find good ones near home anymore. Sometimes they've moved away from New York or New England. Sometimes their local store just stopped carrying them. Either way, fresh Cortland season is when they finally get their apple back.
A New York Apple Worth Waiting For
Cortland's story starts in Geneva, New York, in 1898. Breeders at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station crossed McIntosh with Ben Davis, hoping to keep the McIntosh flavor people loved in a sturdier, more versatile apple.
It worked. Cortland kept that classic McIntosh-family character — the bright, aromatic, sweet-tart flavor — and added its own personality: a slightly firmer bite, larger fruit and wonderfully white flesh.
More than a century later, it's still a Northeast favorite. That kind of staying power doesn't happen by accident. Generations of families kept buying Cortlands because they simply taste good.
Cortland Is an Eating Apple, Too
Cortland sometimes gets filed away as a "salad apple." We think that sells it short.
A fresh, cold Cortland is a wonderful apple to eat out of hand. Bite into one and you get a burst of juice, a sweet-tart flavor with a little tang at the finish and that fresh, aromatic apple scent the McIntosh family is known for. The snow-white flesh is tender-crisp and refreshing — the kind of apple you finish and reach for another.
And then there's everything else Cortland does well:
- Fresh eating — sliced for snacks, with cheese or straight from the bag.
- Lunchboxes — a great size and a flavor kids and grown-ups both like.
- Salads and fruit plates — the white flesh looks beautiful and stays bright longer than many varieties after slicing.
- Pies — a classic Northeast pie apple with a balanced sweet-tart flavor. See our Cortland apple pie recipe and baking guide.
- AppleCrisp and baking — tender, juicy and full of flavor under a buttery oat topping.
- Applesauce — cooks down into a smooth, flavorful sauce.
It's also a lovely apple for fall and holiday tables — a bowl of fresh Cortlands on the counter, a pie for family gathered around, or a crisp coming out of the oven on a cool evening.
From the Orchard
Honeycrisp.com works with family orchards in the Northeast who grow, pick and pack the fruit we ship. These are people who spend the whole year caring for their trees for a few weeks of harvest — and it shows in the fruit.
Watch the Cortland story here:
Shop Cortland apples while the fresh harvest is here.
Why Cortland Can Taste a Little Different From Year to Year
Apples are a crop, not a factory product. Cortlands can vary a bit year to year, tree to tree and even bin to bin.
Sunshine, rainfall, temperatures, harvest timing and orchard location all shape how an apple tastes. Storage matters too: as apples mature after harvest, some of their starch converts toward sugars, so the eating experience can shift as the season goes on. An early-season Cortland may have a bit more tang; later in the season it may taste a little sweeter and mellower.
That's part of the fun of eating in season. Each year's Cortlands tell you a little something about the summer they grew in.
Get Cortland Apples From the Farm to Your Door
If Cortland is one of the apples you remember waiting for every fall, you don't have to wait any longer. We'll pack fresh Cortlands and ship them straight to you — for your own table, for family or as a gift for someone who misses a taste of New York.
Want to see what else is coming from the orchards right now? Visit Apples Ready to Order.
Enjoy Cortland season — From The Farm To Your Door.
