The Cosmic Crisp is set to dethrone the HoneyCrisp apple, known to growers as the “MoneyCrisp”.

Cosmic Crisp is the first apple ever bred in Washington state, which grows the majority of the United States’ apples. The apple variety was developed by Washington State University, and Washington growers, who paid for the research, will have the exclusive right to sell it for the first 10 years. The apple is called Cosmic Crisp because of the bright yellowish dots on its skin, which look like distant stars. It is expected to finally be in stores this week.

The new variety keeps for a long time in storage and in the refrigerator. It’s described as “ultra-crisp, very juicy and has a good balance of sweetness and tartness.”

Cosmic Crisps are a cross between the disease-resistant Enterprise and the popular, crunchy Honeycrisp varieties. The Honeycrisp, nicknamed “Moneycrisp” by some growers, was the latest apple to spark a big buzz in the United States when it was introduced a couple of decades ago. It was developed by the University of Minnesota.

Susan Saunders 12/2/19