[Published: June 5, 2026 | Last updated: June 5, 2026] | 7 min read
TL;DR
- Mojang removed the enchanted golden apple (Notch apple) crafting recipe in Java Edition 1.9 (2016) because it made PvP combat unfair and unsustainable.
- The item still exists in the game – it just can’t be crafted anymore. Players find it in loot chests across various generated structures.
- The removal was part of a broader balancing pass that also introduced the combat cooldown system.
- It remains one of the most debated balance decisions in Minecraft’s history, with players still split on whether it was the right call.
- On Java Edition, the item is now exclusively a rare loot find. Bedrock Edition kept a version of the crafting recipe longer but has since aligned with Java.
What Is the Enchanted Golden Apple?
The enchanted golden apple – often called the “Notch apple” or “God apple” – is the most powerful food item in Minecraft. Eating one grants Absorption IV, Regeneration II (or higher on some editions), Resistance, and Fire Resistance, all simultaneously, for several seconds.
That combination makes a player nearly unkillable for the duration. In PvP scenarios, it was the difference between winning and losing almost every fight.
The item has existed since Minecraft Beta 1.8 (Minecraft Wiki, 2024). Originally it could be crafted using eight gold blocks surrounding an apple in the crafting grid – a recipe that cost a massive amount of resources but was still achievable by dedicated players.
Mojang removed that crafting recipe in Java Edition 1.9, released on February 29, 2016 (Mojang Studios Patch Notes, 2016).
Why Mojang Removed the Crafting Recipe
The short answer: gold farms made the item too easy to mass-produce, which broke PvP balance completely.
Here’s the longer version. In competitive Minecraft servers, especially factions and PvP game modes, gold could be farmed at industrial scale using pig spawners, zombie piglin farms, and Nether-based gold farms. A well-built gold farm could produce hundreds of gold blocks per hour. That made the crafting cost – theoretically enormous – effectively trivial for experienced players.
The result was that top-tier PvP players were consuming enchanted golden apples at a rate that made fights one-sided. A player with a stack of God apples could absorb almost any damage output and regenerate through it. Players without them had no realistic counter.
Mojang’s lead developer Dinnerbone addressed this directly during pre-1.9 development discussions, noting that certain items created “gameplay loops where countering them was not feasible” (Mojang Studios Developer Notes, 2015).
The 1.9 update was already redesigning combat – it added the attack cooldown, new shield mechanics, and a sweep attack for swords. Removing the enchanted golden apple’s crafting recipe was part of the same goal: making fights about skill and preparation, not who had the bigger gold farm.
Where to Find Enchanted Golden Apples Now
The item didn’t disappear. It moved to loot tables.
Players can find enchanted golden apples inside chests in these structures:
| Structure | Approximate Find Rate |
|---|---|
| Ancient City | ~3.1% per eligible chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
| Bastion Remnant (treasure) | ~6.5% per treasure chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
| Desert Temple | ~2.6% per chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
| Dungeon | ~3.1% per chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
| Mineshaft | ~1.4% per chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
| Ruined Portal | ~1.5% per chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
| Woodland Mansion | ~3.1% per chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024) |
Bastion Remnant treasure chests are your best bet. The Nether is where you’re spending most of your time mid-game anyway, and the drop rate there is the highest in the game.
What Changed in Java Edition 1.9
The 1.9 update – officially called the Combat Update – was the most significant overhaul to Minecraft’s combat system since the game launched.
The main changes included a weapon attack cooldown that penalized button-mashing, a shield that could block projectiles and melee attacks, new sword mechanics including sweeping and knockback adjustments, and the removal of the enchanted golden apple crafting recipe.
These changes arrived together because they were solving the same problem. Minecraft’s PvP had become a speed-clicking contest where the player with the best gear and the most healing items won automatically. The 1.9 redesign tried to put decision-making back into combat.
Some players liked it. Many did not – and that split persists today. The “1.8 vs 1.9 PvP” debate is one of the longest-running arguments in the Minecraft community, and popular server networks like Hypixel (Hypixel Network, 2024) still offer 1.8-style combat modes because of ongoing player demand.
The “Notch Apple” Name: Where It Came From
The community nickname “Notch apple” comes from the item’s original history. Markus “Notch” Persson – Minecraft’s creator – introduced the item during Beta development. The name stuck even after Notch left Mojang in 2014 and Microsoft acquired the company.
It’s a small piece of game history now. The item carried his nickname through the crafting removal and still does.
Worth noting: Notch himself has been a controversial figure since his departure. But the item named after him has outlasted all of that and remains one of the most recognizable power items in the game.
Did Bedrock Edition Also Remove the Recipe?
Yes – but later.
Bedrock Edition kept the enchanted golden apple crafting recipe for longer than Java, which frustrated players trying to maintain a consistent cross-platform experience. Bedrock eventually removed the crafting recipe as well as part of the ongoing effort to align the two editions through the Bedrock/Java parity project (Mojang Studios, 2022).
The parity project has been running since 2019 and targets feature alignment across both editions. Both now treat the enchanted golden apple as a loot-only item.
Common Mistakes Players Make About This Item
- Confusing it with a regular golden apple. The regular golden apple – crafted with eight gold ingots, not blocks – still has a working recipe. It gives Absorption I and Regeneration II for shorter durations. Completely different item.
- Assuming it was removed entirely. The item still spawns in loot chests. It’s rare, but it exists. Players who give up looking are leaving one of the game’s strongest items on the table.
- Hoarding it in survival. Because it’s so hard to find, players often save it until it feels “worth using.” That moment rarely comes. Use it when you need to survive – that’s the point.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Enchanted Golden Apple
Why was the enchanted golden apple removed from Minecraft?
Mojang removed the crafting recipe in Java Edition 1.9 because gold farms made the item easy to mass-produce, which gave PvP players who used it an unbeatable advantage. The removal was part of the broader Combat Update that also added attack cooldowns and shields to make fights more skill-based.
Can you still get enchanted golden apples in Minecraft?
Yes. The item still exists in the game but can no longer be crafted. It spawns in loot chests inside structures including Bastion Remnants, Ancient Cities, Desert Temples, Dungeons, Mineshafts, Ruined Portals, and Woodland Mansions.
What is the difference between a golden apple and an enchanted golden apple?
A regular golden apple is crafted with eight gold ingots and an apple. It gives Absorption I and Regeneration II for a short duration. The enchanted golden apple cannot be crafted and gives far stronger effects: Absorption IV, Regeneration II or higher, Resistance, and Fire Resistance simultaneously.
What does the enchanted golden apple do in Minecraft?
Eating one gives the player four status effects at once: Absorption IV (extra hearts), Regeneration II (rapid health recovery), Resistance (reduced incoming damage), and Fire Resistance (immunity to fire and lava damage). All effects last for a limited duration, but the combination makes the player extremely hard to kill.
What version of Minecraft removed the enchanted golden apple recipe?
Java Edition 1.9, released February 29, 2016. Bedrock Edition removed it later as part of the Java-Bedrock parity project.
What is the best place to find an enchanted golden apple?
Bastion Remnant treasure chests have the highest drop rate at approximately 6.5% per chest (Minecraft Wiki, 2024). Ancient Cities and Woodland Mansions are the next best options.
Will Mojang ever add the crafting recipe back?
Mojang has not announced any plans to restore the crafting recipe as of June 2026. The combat balancing philosophy introduced in 1.9 is still part of the game’s design direction. A crafting recipe restoration would require a reversal of that philosophy, which Mojang has shown no interest in doing.
Key Takeaways
- The enchanted golden apple crafting recipe was removed in Java Edition 1.9 (2016) because gold farms made it trivially mass-producible, which broke PvP balance.
- The item still exists as rare loot. Bastion Remnant treasure chests offer the highest drop rate.
- Bedrock Edition eventually removed the crafting recipe too, aligning with Java through the parity project.
- The change remains one of Minecraft’s most debated balance decisions, nearly a decade later.
- If you find one – use it. Don’t save it forever.