Everyone’s Talking About Gwyneth Paltrow’s Organic Apples – So I Had to Find Out What’s So Special About Them

In my dream acreage after winning the lottery, I imagine tree after tree of apples. It must be so lovely to wake up and pluck fruit fresh from your own yard, ready to press into the crispest juice or enjoy alongside a nourishing breakfast.

This is the reality for Oscar-winning actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow, who’s recently shared glimpses of her homegrown fruit on social media.

In a clip posted to the star's Instagram, Gwyneth is seen greeting a guest for The goop podcast – not just with a hug, but with a gift: a freshly picked apple from her garden.

“This is from my tree,” she says. “It’s an organic apple that I picked for you this morning.”

If I wasn’t envious of apple-tree owners before, I would be now. The apple looked large, deeply red, and utterly perfect.

In another recent post, Gywneth is seen picking apples from her yard to make a "cozy #boyfriendbreakfast" of baked Dutch pancake with garden apples and coconut milk.

I talked to a growing and produce expert to learn more about the organic apples Gwyneth is growing, and how you can get a taste of her lifestyle. Here's what you need to know.

What Kind of Apple is Gwyneth Growing?

Siobhan Shaw, orchard manager at Growing to Give, has spent over a decade managing organic fruit orchards. While Gwyneth hasn’t named the variety herself, Shaw offered an educated guess based on the fruit’s colour and texture seen in the video.

“From the video, I believe Gwyneth’s apples could be McIntosh,” says Shaw. “The colouring is a giveaway. McIntosh apples have a deeper, almost brown-red skin tone – not the bright, glossy red you see on a Honeycrisp.”

She adds: “Other apples like Honeycrisp also tend to show more yellow striping and shine, while McIntosh colouring is softer and more uniform. McIntosh are rounder with a slightly flattened bottom, unlike Gala, which is taller and more conical.”

To be clear, this identification is speculative – McIntosh apples are a cool-climate variety that originated in Ontario, Canada, in 1811. But if Gwyneth’s property enjoys the right conditions, it’s easy to see why she’d choose a heritage variety known for its fragrance and flavour.

What Do McIntosh Apples Taste Like?

If you love an apple that’s soft, aromatic, and bursting with tangy flavour rather than pure crunch, the McIntosh could be your perfect pick.

"McIntosh apples are one of North America’s oldest cultivated varieties,” explains Shaw. “For decades, they were the classic lunchbox apple – softer, fragrant, and deeply red – long before Honeycrisp took over grocery shelves.

“As a kid, McIntosh apples filled my lunch kit from our family orchard. They’re also the reason I love apple pie – especially cold for breakfast! By the time I managed an organic orchard and fruit stand in the 2000s, ‘Macs’ weren’t as popular, mostly because they bruise more easily than today’s supermarket varieties.”

What Makes Organic Apples So Special?

Growing organic apples isn’t as easy – avoiding synthetic pesticides means accepting a higher risk of pests like codling moths or borers. But the payoff, says Shaw, is worth it.

“Growing apples organically adds another layer of challenge,” she explains. “Without chemical sprays, apples are more vulnerable, and growers can expect more labour and lower yields – but the flavour and environmental benefits are unmatched.”

Indeed, several studies have found that organically grown apples can have slightly higher antioxidant levels and more complex flavour compounds, though results vary by climate and variety. More importantly, homegrown apples are often eaten within hours or days of picking, which helps preserve their natural sugars and aromas.

Shop Organic Apple Essentials

If Gwyneth’s organic orchard has inspired you to try growing or harvesting your own, these tools can make it easier to care for your trees.