Meet the modern gold standard of American apple breeding. The GoldRush apple is one of the most highly-regarded varieties released in the last 30 years — a stunning marigold-yellow apple with intensely complex sweet-tart flavor and legendary storage life. This is the apple that actually improves with time in the fridge, gets better as winter deepens, and stays crisp well into spring. If you love a serious apple, you'll love GoldRush.
Order fresh GoldRush apples direct from our orchard.
A Brief History of the GoldRush Apple
The GoldRush was developed at the Illinois Cooperative Extension in the 1990s through a joint apple-breeding program among Indiana, New Jersey, and Illinois. It's a cross of the popular Golden Delicious with the disease-resistant Coop 17 — and was released in 1993. The goal was simple: create a modern apple with superior taste, exceptional storage life, and natural disease resistance. Every one of those goals was hit.
Did You Know?
- Released in 1993. A modern American classic in its third decade.
- Cross of Golden Delicious × Coop 17. Modern breeding at its best.
- Actually improves in storage. Unusual among apples — GoldRush gains complexity over months.
- Extraordinary storage life. 8–10 months refrigerated.
- Deep marigold-yellow skin. Sometimes with a russet blush.
- Intense sweet-tart complexity. Bright, spicy, with hints of citrus and honey.
- Disease-resistant. Can be grown with fewer sprays than most modern varieties.
- Late-season harvest. Ready in late October or November.
Best Uses
- Fresh eating. Serious apple for serious apple people.
- Baking. Firm dense flesh holds up beautifully in pies and tarts.
- Cider. Adds real complexity to blends — a favorite of cider makers.
- Applesauce. Bright, complex, needs no added sugar.
- Cheese boards. Pairs magnificently with sharp aged cheddar, blue cheese, and Manchego.
- Winter storage. The apple that carries you through to spring.
Storage & Shelf Life
GoldRush is legendary for storage — 8–10 months refrigerated at 30–35°F. Some fans report GoldRush that has been in cold storage for 6+ months tastes better than freshly-picked, because the sugars have had time to develop full complexity. Store in the crisper drawer in a plastic bag with holes, away from bananas and tomatoes.
GoldRush Recipes to Try
- Perfect Apple Pie — GoldRush brings serious complexity.
- Apple Cheddar Soup — the aged-cheddar pairing is heavenly.
- Caramel Apple Crisp Cheesecake Bars
- Best Macoun Apple Crisp — sub GoldRush for a winter version.
Similar Apples You Might Love
- Golden Delicious — GoldRush's honeyed parent.
- Northern Spy — another complex, tart-sweet, storage champion.
- Winesap — classic bright, spicy heirloom.
- Stayman Winesap — another spicy winter keeper.
Ready to Try Some?
Order fresh GoldRush apples from our orchard and discover the apple that gets better with time.
Questions? Reach us at [email protected].
