The Easiest Way To Slice Apples Is a Method You’ve Never Tried

I've been working in kitchens for most of my life. I grew up in my family's restaurant, and now, as a recipe developer and cooking instructor, I've spent countless hours teaching folks how to feel at home in their own kitchens. Over the years, I've seen plenty of confident cooks trip up on little things—and cutting an apple is the perfect example.

Most of us instinctively cut an apple straight down the middle, and then have to deal with the seedy wedges. This is not only inefficient, it's also the least safe way to get the job done.

If you slice apples this way, you’re not the only one. Instead, use this surprisingly simple move to improve the way you cut apples forever.

The Best Way To Cut an Apple

This is the easiest technique I know for cutting an apple, and it's what I do whether I'm making a snack for my family or prepping an apple pie for a photo shoot. I call it the "no core, just cheeks" method. Think of it as carving away the four sides, leaving a square-ish core behind.

Start with the stem of the apple standing tall and pointing up. Now, take a sharp chef's knife and slice straight down, about three-quarters of an inch to one side of the core. This gives you your first large, beautiful "cheek."

Place the remaining apple cut side down so it rests flat on your work surface, then slice off the second cheek. Turn it 90 degrees and cut off one of the two remaining cheeks, then repeat the process for the final cut. You'll be left with four flat, clean pieces of apple and a small center block that contains the core and seeds—that's the part you discard.

This method is easy and much safer. The first cut immediately creates a flat base, so the apple doesn't roll around under your knife. It also gives you more uniform slices, which is helpful for baking and cooking because every piece cooks at the same rate. Once you try this method, I don’t think you’ll ever go back to cutting apples the old way.

A Few More Slices of Apple Wisdom

• Sharp equals safe: This might sound counterintuitive, but a sharp knife is much safer than a dull one. A sharper edge cuts through food more easily, so you don't have to force it, which results in fewer slip-ups.
• Prevent browning: To keep your freshly cut apples from turning brown, toss the slices in a saltwater solution. It's a trick that's used in restaurant kitchens to keep food looking fresh for service, and, I promise, it doesn't make the apples taste salty.
• The peel is up to you: You can do this with the peel on or off. For recipes that require peeled apples, it's often easiest to use a vegetable peeler on the whole apple before you cut off the cheeks.
• It's a kid-friendly snack: The core-free wedges are perfect for little hands to hold and dip into caramel sauce, making them an easy option for lunches and after-school snacks.