The Ultimate Guide To Stone Fruit

Say hello to stone fruit! We’re talking apricots, cherries, nectarines, plums, pluots, apriums, and sweet summery peaches. What makes a stone fruit, also called a drupe, a stone fruit? It’s the rock-hard pit in the center. What’s more, there are two types of pits: freestone and clingstone. Freestone pits pull away cleanly, whereas clingstones are harder to separate because they—you guessed it!—cling to the flesh of the fruit.

It’s stone fruit season and there’s no time to waste. Our guide to enjoying every juice-dripping-down-your-chin bite while you still can. 

What Are Stone Fruits?

Let’s start with the heart of the matter. What makes a stone fruit a stone fruit is the pit in the center. There are two types of pits: freestone or clingstone. Freestone pits pull away cleanly, whereas clingstones are harder to separate. 

How to Store Stone Fruits

When it comes to storage, follow the room temp rule. Store on your countertop away from the sun. Stone fruit is ready to eat when it’s slightly soft to the touch and smells fruity and fragrant. A little too ripe? Preserving it for a couple days in the fridge is okay, too.

How to Store, Slice, and Serve Stone Fruits

While we suggest simply biting into a juicy stone fruit and snacking on it whole, there are a number of recipes that call for sliced and diced stone fruit. Plus, you’ll want to wait to enjoy them until they’re nice and ripe and juicy.

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Get to Know Each Stone Fruit

Apricots

You might be used to the syrupiness of dried apricots, but when fresh, they’re sweet, juicy, and a little tart. The mild tartness comes from the skin, which you can peel off if you want to make jam or dessert. 

Cherries

There are so many types of cherries—red Rainiers, yellowish Bings, black and sour varieties—so we’re endlessly experimenting in the kitchen. Invest in a pitter to easily whip up savory pan sauces and sweet compotes or crumbles.

Plums

Plums are usually a rich red or dark purple color. The inside, however, can be golden yellow. The tartness of plums lends itself to savory dishes. Grilled and paired with pork chops, tossed with bitter greens, or served with salty cheese. 

Peaches & Nectarines

These two get mixed up because they share similar flavors, but fuzzy peaches are often tangier than sweet and sharp nectarines. (Yellow varieties are usually higher in acidity, so we tend to use those for baking.)

Donut Peaches

We’ve got a soft spot for donut peaches. Squat, lumpy, and even the “perfect” ones are a little funny-looking. But what makes them different, flavor-wise? They’re softer, sweeter, and almost candy-like. Less fuzzy, too. 

Pluots

Pluots are a plum-apricot hybrid, but they’re more plum than apricot in taste, and more apricot than plum in mouthfeel. Flavorosa, Dapple Dandy, and Flavor Grenade are just a few varieties of pluot you might come across. 

Apriums

Sort of like a pluot but flipped around: more apricot in taste with a hint of plum. Apriums are also sweeter than regular apricots!

What to Cook with Stone Fruit

The best part about stone fruit? They’re super versatile and mostly interchangeable. That means you can substitute whatever stone fruit you have on hand for recipes that call for peaches, plums, nectarines, and even apricots and cherries. Here, our 10 must-try stone fruit recipes.

Stone Fruit Cobbler

You can mix and match stone fruit, or even throw in some berries if you have them. And here’s a handy time-saving tip: Instead of laboring over the crunchy topping, use granola instead. Learn how to make stone fruit cobbler.

Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad

Sugary-sweet grilled peaches pair beautifully with the richness of the fresh burrata cheese and the saltiness from ribbons of aged prosciutto. Learn how to make a peach and burrata salad.

Plum and Red Wine Ice Pops

Ice pops aren’t just for little kids—in fact, our red wine-infused take on the childhood classic is for grownups only. Swap in whatever kind of stone fruit you’ve got on hand, just don’t skimp on the infused honey simple syrup. Learn how to make popsicles with plums.

Summer Stone Fruit Bread Salad

Maybe it’s not your traditional panzanella, which is a popular Italian salad with stale bread soaked with tomatoes and onions, we think this summery stone fruit version is pretty great, too. Sweet stone fruit and nutty, salty Parmesan are one dynamic duo we can always get behind. Learn how to make stone fruit panzanella.

Peach and Goat Cheese Tarts

This summer-y spin on pineapple upside-down cake couldn’t be easier, thanks to frozen puff pastry. Tangy goat cheese plays the perfect counterpart to your best and brightest stone fruit (plums, nectarines, or even a combo!). Learn how to make peach and goat cheese tarts.

White Peach and Cherry Sangria Punch

Celebrate stone fruit season with a refreshing adult bev that’s sure to wow. Learn how to make Bobby Flay’s white peach and cherry sangria.

Still can’t get enough stone fruit? Read more:

Nectarines and Peaches: What’s the Difference?

The Ultimate Produce Storage Guide

Fruits and Vegetables That Don’t Need to Be Refrigerated