How to Cut an Apricot

Whether eaten out of hand or sliced and baked into all kinds of delicious desserts, fresh apricots taste juicy, sweet, and floral, with just a hint of addictive acidity. When at their best, they take on a plush, almost-buttery texture that can be best compared to peaches (and they bruise like a peach, too!). Apricots are a member of the stone fruit family, so just like their cousin cherry and brother plum, they too have a tough little pit in the center that needs to be removed.

There's nothing to it, though; the process of cutting an apricot will feel familiar if you've ever prepped avocados or peaches before. Start by finding the natural indentation that runs across one side and slice into it with a sharp paring knife. Stop when you hit the pit, then slowly rotate the fruit (while still dragging the blade against the pit). Gently twist the fruit open and pluck out the pit.

If the apricot you are working with is very firm and the pit is not budging from the halved apricot, simply turn your fruit pit-side down on your cutting board and slice the half in half lengthwise (don't cut through the pit). This should loosen it enough to break it into two smaller wedges.

From there, you can slice or slice and dice these natural beauties up for treats like these Mini Tarte Tatins or this Apricot-Strawberry Galette, or go for the sweet-savory combo with this recipe for Broiled Apricots with Ricotta and Pistachios.