Two of the most popular stone fruits at the store, peaches and apricots are in season beginning in May and crowd supermarket shelves all summer long. Both are super juicy and sweet in flavor, and they actually look quite similar. But while peaches and apricots have many similarities, they’re two totally different species of fruit. When choosing between apricots vs peaches, it’s important to keep their taste and texture in mind.
What Are Apricots?
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This oval-shaped fruit is in season from early May through July. Apricots are slightly tart and both the flesh and skin are beautifully orange in color. However, the skin color can range from yellow to orange, depending on the ripeness of the apricot and the growing conditions. When choosing apricots at the store, look for ones that are slightly soft with a rich orange color and avoid those that are firm, pale, and completely yellow.
Compared to peaches, apricots are slightly smaller in size and are usually less juicy and sweet. Apricot stones are also much smoother than peach pits (although I'm not sure how much help that'll be when you're at the store). It can be confusing choosing between these two stone fruits at the store, because some apricots look like miniature peaches, peach fuzz and all.
#SpoonTip: The red patch on apricots is where the fruit was most exposed to sunlight.
What Are Peaches?
In season from July through September, ripe peaches are incredibly juicy and uber sweet. The multi-colored skin can be a mixture of red, pink, and yellow and is slightly bitter in flavor. Some people remove the fuzzy skin of a peach before eating it, but the skin is totally edible and contains lots of nutrients. The flesh of a peach can be yellow (which is usually sweeter and more acidic) or white (which is less sweet).
#SpoonTip: Choose peaches that are slightly soft when you squeeze them. You should also be able to smell the peach when it's fully ripe.
Although peaches and apricots are two totally different species of fruit, they can be used interchangeably in recipes. Just keep in mind that peaches contain more juice, so you may need to adjust the dry ingredients in a recipe to accommodate for the extra liquid. And apricots are slightly tarter, so you may need to add more sugar to make up for that.
If you're itching to test your newfound knowledge on the differences between apricots vs peaches, give this apricot peach pie a go. These bacon-wrapped peaches are a delightful blend of sweet and savory, and you can't go wrong with these strawberry apricot tarts. But no matter which ripe stone fruit you choose to eat, be sure to enjoy them while they're in season.