Aura vs. Opal Apples - A Comparison
In this newsletter, I will be comparing the new Aura apple to another yellow apple, the Opal apple.
So last week, I shared with everyone about the new Aura apple that I finally got to try out for the first time. This apple was on my list of What Apples I Want to Eat in 2025.
I wanted to come back this week to do a comparison between Aura and Opal apples. Both of these are yellow apples so I thought it would be good to compare them. I want to first say that both of these apples are for sure better than the Golden Delicious you find in the grocery store.
Skin Color - Right off the bat you can see there is a difference in the color of the skin of these two apples. The Opal apple is a brighter yellow color for sure. It’s really noticeable when you put the apples side by side. By looks alone, I think Opal is going to attract more attention, especially if they are both in the store at the same time, like it was for me when I found Aura.
I think the skin is thinner on Aura than Opal. My wife’s mom likes to peel her apples but she said didn’t mind the skin on the Aura.
Flavor - Both of these are good apples. I would say that Opal is more sweet than Aura, however the flavor of Aura is a bit more balanced and complex. I do enjoy eating both of these apple varieties. When I asked my family which one they thought tasted better, it was an even split between Opal and Aura.
Texture - Aura was clearly the more crisp apple. Opal can be crisp but if you get them too late in the season or if they have been sitting out too long they will go soft. Aura is certainly benefiting from Honeycrisp being one of it’s parents. I would like to see how long Aura will stay crisp post harvest and if it’s longer than Opal generally do. I usually don’t buy Opals past January as I have found too many they were on the soft side.
So that’s my comparison. Both apples have some advantages over the other. I want to have more Aura apples in the future to see how they hold up. It’s great to see more yellow apple on the market to go along with Lucy Glo and Lemonade. We are getting more color in our apple sections of the grocery store, now if only we could get more brown apples!
I have added Aura to a couple of lists on my blog”
26 Types of Yellow Apples (I included it as the Most Crisp Yellow Apple)
Learn about what apple varieties are best to eat during each month of the year -
Listen to the latest episode of my apple podcast -
If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. I hoped you enjoyed today’s newsletter.
I got some of those today at Countryview market in Snover. Haven't tried them yet.. $2.49 for 2# bag.
I was able to find an Arkansas Black heirloom at Whole Foods. It's a dark skin and relatively small in size, but it was delicious. Sweet and crisp. I like to refrigerate my apples because I prefer them cold and crisp.