Apricots in the summer kitchen: How to use them, what to make from them, and why you shouldn’t miss their season

Fresh apricots taste best. Use them differently every day

When apricots are perfectly ripe, often there is no need to do anything at all. Just wash them and enjoy them on their own. But if you are looking for more inspiration, there are really many options.

For breakfast, try slicing apricots into Greek yogurt, adding granola, almonds, and a teaspoon of honey. They also work great in oatmeal together with cinnamon or vanilla. A popular summer option is overnight oats, which besides apricots also go well with chia seeds and plain yogurt.

During hot days, a fruit salad is a delight. Apricots pair excellently with melon, peaches, raspberries, or blueberries. Adding fresh mint and a few drops of lime juice creates a light dessert and a refreshing snack.

A great idea is also curd parfaits. Layer whipped curd with a bit of cream into a glass, add apricots, crushed cookies or homemade granola, and finish with chopped pistachios. It's ready in just a few minutes.

Apricots and baking? A classic that never disappoints

Homemade apricot cakes are as inseparable from summer as strawberries or cherries. Their delicate tartness beautifully balances the sweet dough.

The most popular remains the yeast cake with crumble topping. Apricots soften during baking, release juice, and create a wonderfully moist dessert. If you prefer simpler recipes, go for the classic bublanina. It’s quick, even beginners can manage it, and it tastes great the next day.

French galettes are also gaining great popularity. The tender dough is simply folded over the fruit, no mold is needed, and the result looks very impressive. You can complement the apricots with almonds or pistachios, which enhance their flavor.

Also worth trying:

• upside-down caramel apricot cake
• crumble with oats
• curd cake with apricots
• apricot muffins
• bishop's bread with pieces of apricots

If you like to experiment, add a few leaves of thyme or rosemary to the fruit. The herbs will give the dessert a subtle Mediterranean touch.

Homemade jam is not the only option. Try other ways of processing

When the harvest is really abundant, it would be a shame to let the apricots spoil. Besides the classic jam, there are many other ways to preserve their flavor.

The biggest classic is apricot jam with vanilla. A great variation is also with a drop of rum or a few sprigs of lavender. If you prefer less sweet jams, add lemon juice, which beautifully enhances the flavor.

Baked apricots in a jar are very popular. The fruit is baked with a little sugar and vanilla, which gives it a more intense flavor than regular cooking. In winter, you can use them for pancakes, in yogurt, or as a filling for pies.

Another option is to prepare:

• apricot puree for smoothies
• homemade fruit snack
• compote
• apricot sauce for desserts
• fruit filling for buns

If you have space in the freezer, divide the blended apricot puree into smaller containers. Later, you can make homemade ice cream or sorbet from it in just a few minutes.

Apricots can pleasantly surprise in savory cuisine

You might mainly associate apricots with sweet recipes, but their flavor works wonderfully in savory dishes as well.

A great example is a salad with arugula, goat cheese, grilled apricots, and walnuts. Just add a honey-mustard dressing and a light summer lunch is ready. They taste just as good with mozzarella, burrata, or feta cheese. If you add prosciutto or dried ham, you get an elegant appetizer suitable even for summer celebrations.

Apricots can also be used for grilling. For example, prepare:

• grilled chicken with apricot sauce
• pork tenderloin with roasted apricots
• burger with caramelized apricots and cheddar
• duck breast with apricot glaze

A very interesting option is homemade apricot chutney. Made from apricots, onions, ginger, chili, apple cider vinegar, and cane sugar, it creates a spicy side dish for grilled meat, cheeses, or pâtés.

Refreshing drinks and summer desserts prepared in just a few minutes

Apricots are also great for homemade drinks. The simplest is a smoothie made from apricots, banana, and orange juice. If you add Greek yogurt, you get a more filling version suitable for breakfast.

A popular choice is also homemade lemonade. Blended apricots just need to be combined with lemon juice, sparkling water, and a few mint leaves. The drink gains a beautiful color and natural sweetness.

During hot days, you will also enjoy:

• iced tea with apricot puree
• homemade apricot sorbet
• fruit popsicles made from yogurt and apricots
• milkshake with vanilla
• non-alcoholic summer cocktails with tonic

How to store apricots properly to keep them fresh as long as possible

Apricots ripen quite quickly. Leave firmer fruits at room temperature for a few days, ideally out of direct sunlight. Once they soften and become fragrant, it is best to consume them as soon as possible.

They will last about a week in the refrigerator. However, before eating, let them warm up to room temperature for at least twenty minutes. Their flavor will be more pronounced. If you have a larger quantity of fruit, freeze them. First, spread halved apricots on a tray, let them freeze, and only then transfer them into bags. This prevents them from sticking together.

Another option is drying. Homemade dried apricots are great for granola, homemade muesli, Christmas baking, or as a quick snack for trips.

It’s worth using the whole season until the last apricot

Apricots are among the fruits that offer much more possibilities than it seems at first glance. From a few kilograms, you can prepare breakfasts, desserts, pies, homemade jams, refreshing drinks, and original savory recipes. Thanks to their delicate flavor, they pair well with dairy products, nuts, herbs, and meat, so the space for experimentation is really wide.

The short season is the perfect opportunity to try new recipes and enjoy fruit at its best quality. Whether you bake a fragrant bublanina cake, prepare homemade grilling chutney, or freeze several containers for the winter, apricots will remind you of summer long after it has ended.