What Are & Where to Buy Opal Apples

Have you been turned off to yellow skinned apple varieties because of soft, flavorless Golden Delicious apples. Then it's time to give Opal apples a try. You will be converted.

A grocery store display of yellow Opal apples in a pile.

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Meet the Opal apple!

It's been a couple years since I first experienced the Opal apple and now they have become a variety I look forward to trying each year.

Opal and I meet at a Whole Foods Market store on the west side of Ann Arbor, Michigan. A marketing representative was there giving out samples of this apple.

A single Opal apple sitting on a wooden board. — A close up on an Opal Apple. They are beautiful yellow apple with some spots and a little blush

? What are Opal Apples?

It is a bright yellow color, more vivid in color than one of it's parents, the Golden Delicious. It's other parent is the Topaz apple. It is exclusively grown in the United States in Prescott, Washington.

It is grown conventionally as well as organically. It was first discovered in Europe in 1999, eventually making it's way to Washington.

? My Ratings

Here is my thoughts on this variety on a scale of 1-10. These ratings are from when the apple is at it's peak (more on that in a moment).

Crispiness	8
Tartness	5
Flavor	7
Sweetness	7
Juiciness	9

Overall Feeling: Move over Golden Delicious, your offspring has you beat. The Opal apple is a flavorful apple that is sweet with enough acidity to not make the sweetness overwhelming.

It's an extremely juicy apple. When I cut into a lot of juice came out onto my napkin.

Great Choice for Salads

The apple is also slow to oxidize, which means it will not turn brown when cut very quickly. This makes it a great choice for salads.

Cooking

As for cooking, the jury is still out (for me at least) on how well this apple does when baked. I do think though that it would make a great apple to use for applesauce, paired with a more tart apple. I am sure the high juice content of this apple would make it a good choice for juice or cider.

A display of Opal apples at Kroger store. The apples have a red PLU sticker on them that says Opal Sweet.

? When in Season?

Opal apples arrive on stores shelves in early November to mid November. They are usually in stores all winter but by late January quality decreases as they aren't as crisp. You might be able to find a good one still in later winter but it's less likely. Best to enjoy the from November to early January.

❓ Are Opal Apples GMO?

No, Opal apples are non-GMO. To learn more about GMO & apples, check out my post: Are SweeTango Apples GMO? Are Any Apples GMO?

A sale on bags of Opal apples at Whole Foods Market is shown. The apples are organic going for $1.79 per pound. — Whole Foods Market is a big supporter of Opal apples. You can find them across the country in all their stores. They even go on sale, like these organic ones featured in November 2018.

? Where to Buy Opal Apples

Here is a list of stores that carry Opal apples (by state). They may not be in all locations at the same time, so check with the individual store.

Whole Foods Market is one of the best places to look nationwide. So if you have a Whole Foods check it out beginning in about middle November. Also Kroger is a good option.

Arkansas
Walmart

Arizona
Safeway

California
Safeway
Vons/Paviilions

Colorado
King Soopers

Florida
Harvey's Supermarket
Sweetbay
Target

Georgia
Harvey's Supermarket

Illinois
Jewel
Mariano's Fresh Market
Meijer
Target

Indiana
Meijer

Iowa
Target

Kansas
Target

Kentucky
Meijer

Louisiana
Walmart

Michigan
Meijer
Whole Foods Market

Minnesota
Lunds/Byerlys
Target

Missouri
Walmart

Nebraska
Target

North Dakota
Dan's

Ohio
Meijer

Oklahoma
Walmart

Rhode Island
Dave's

South Carolina
Harvey's Supermarket

Texas
Central Market
HEB
Randall/Tom Thumb
Walmart

Washington
Haggen

Wyoming
Walmart

Here are some other unique apple varieties to check out:
Kiku
Spitzenberg
Pinata

Here are some apple related kitchen tools I recommend:
Amco Dial-A-Slice Adjustable Apple Corer and Slicer : Allows you to slice apples into either 8 or 16 pieces
Zyliss Soft Skin Peeler : The best peeler I have ever owned. Does a great job peeling an apple.
Mirro Foley 2-Quart Stainless Steel Food Mill : A great tool for making your own applesauce. You can make the sauce without having to do any peeling.

Have you tried this apple? What did you think? Leave a comment below telling us. Be a helper and share where you found it. You may make someone's day with your insider info on where to get them! If you are a true apple lover, you'll want to check out all of our apple reviews.