How to Get Enchanted Golden Apples in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Enchanted golden apples can't be crafted - they're treasure loot only. Look in monster room, desert pyramid, mineshaft, woodland mansion, ruined portal, bastion remnant and ancient city chests, or open ominous vaults in trial chambers. Eating one gives Absorption IV, Regeneration II, Resistance and Fire Resistance.

What you need

Structure looting gear (torches, food, weapons)
Wool and crouching discipline for ancient cities
Ominous Bottles for the farmable ominous vault route
Looting patience - drop chances are a few percent per chest

Step by step

Accept the grind: since Java 1.9 the enchanted golden apple (the 'Notch apple') is uncraftable - the old 8-gold-block recipe is gone. It's loot-only.
Early game: check monster rooms (dungeons), desert pyramids and mineshaft chest minecarts. Chances are low (a few percent), but you'll find these structures constantly while caving.
Ruined portals: every portal chest has a shot at one - quick to check while exploring, and the gold blocks around the portal are a nice bonus.
Mid game: woodland mansions and bastion remnants both carry enchanted golden apples in their chest loot. Bastions pair well with a netherite template run.
Ancient cities: their chests have some of the best odds for enchanted golden apples - bring wool, crouch everywhere, and loot fast.
The renewable route: ominous vaults in trial chambers can eject enchanted golden apples. Since ominous trials reset every 30 minutes, this is the one farmable source - drink Ominous Bottles and clear spawners.
Use it well: eating one restores 4 hunger and gives Absorption IV (2 min), Regeneration II (20s Java / 30s Bedrock), Resistance I and Fire Resistance I (5 min each). Save them for the Wither, the Ender Dragon or a bad raid.
Bonus uses: they boost horse taming by 10%, breed and lead horses, and speed up foal growth by 4 minutes - but that's an expensive snack.

Java vs Bedrock

Loot locations match across editions. One effect differs: Regeneration II lasts 20 seconds in Java (heals 16 HP) and 30 seconds in Bedrock (heals 24 HP). Piglins inspect dropped apples for 6 seconds in Java and 8 in Bedrock - and no, they never eat them.

Versions: Added in Java 1.3.1 (12w21a); made uncraftable in 1.9 (15w44a). Loot locations grew over time: woodland mansions (1.11), ruined portals (1.16), bastions (1.16.2), ancient cities (1.19) and ominous vaults (1.21 / Bedrock 1.21.0).

Frequently asked questions

Can you craft an enchanted golden apple?

No. The crafting recipe (8 gold blocks around an apple) was removed in Java 1.9. Today it's only found as structure loot or in ominous vaults - that's why players call it the Notch apple and treat it as treasure.

Where do enchanted golden apples spawn?

In monster rooms, desert pyramids, mineshafts, woodland mansions, ruined portals, bastion remnants and ancient cities - plus ominous vaults in trial chambers, the only repeatable source.

What does an enchanted golden apple do?

It gives Absorption IV for 2 minutes, Regeneration II (20s Java / 30s Bedrock), Resistance I and Fire Resistance I for 5 minutes. It's the strongest panic-button food in the game.