Types of Stone Fruit
Have you ever noticed that some fruits have a hard pit right in the middle of their juicy flesh? These types of fruits are known as stone fruits, and many varieties grow all around the world. Each has its own unique flavor and cooking application, so we’ve listed out different types of stone fruits so you can become better acquainted with these seasonal treats.
What Is Stone Fruit?
A stone fruit, also known as a drupe, has an inner pit surrounded by a fleshy fruit encased with a thin skin. Mangoes, lychees, peaches, and apricots are just a few examples of stone fruit. The inner pit of a stone fruit is oftentimes called a “stone”, which is stone fruit’s namesake! Stone fruits can be classified as either “clingstone” or “freestone.” Clingstone means the fruit’s flesh latches onto the inner stone, whereas freestone does not.
Stone Fruit List
There are a lot of different types of stone fruits. Some grow in the same regions and have similar tastes, while others grow halfway around the world and are used in entirely different ways. Below is a list of stone fruits to become familiar with:
1. Nectarines
Nectarines are a type of stone fruit that is in season from mid-May to late August. They have a bright, sweet, and aromatic taste with small hints of floral jasmine. Nectarines are similar to peaches but are smaller and firmer, and they can be either clingstone or freestone.
Use nectarines on flatbreads with prosciutto, brie or goat cheese, basil, and balsamic vinegar, or top grilled pork chops and summery salads with sliced nectarines. This stone fruit can also be included in all kinds of baked desserts, such as cobblers, pies, and cakes. Nectarines pair well with blueberries, strawberries, and most other stone fruits.
- When Are Nectarines in Season? Mid-May - late August
- How to Tell If Nectarines Are Ripe: Ripe nectarines give slightly when touched and have small, speckled areas around the fruit which hint at sweet spots. If a nectarine has any tinge of green at all, it was harvested too early.
- What Do Nectarines Taste Like? Nectarines taste sweet, bright, and aromatic with notes of floral jasmine.
2. Plums
Plums are a type of stone fruit that has an overall sweet flavor with a pleasantly acidic and astringent taste. Plums are in season from June through September and can have a clingstone or freestone pit.
Try pairings plums with other stone fruits like nectarines, peaches, cherries, pluots, and blackberries, especially when making cakes, tarts, crisps, or jams. If you want to use plums in a savory recipe, try cutting them up and cooking with chicken and pork. It also makes a great fruit for chutney!
- When Are Plums in Season? June - September
- How to Tell If Plums Are Ripe: A ripe plum should be fragrant and sweet-smelling. They also should give slightly when touched, but shouldn’t be mushy.
- What Do Plums Taste Like? Plums are overall sweet with a bit of an acidic and astringent taste.
3. Peaches
One of the most well-known types of stone fruits, peaches are a beloved summer staple with their season starting in early July and extending through September. Peaches have a heady sweetness with lingering floral notes and can be clingstone or freestone.
Since peaches have such a versatile taste, the recipe opportunities are endless. Try making a bourbon peach galette, a famous peach cobbler, grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream on top, or peaches that are poached with Reisling. Peaches are also excellent in a summery sangria and can be used in savory recipes with shrimp, duck, chicken, and quail.
- When Are Peaches in Season? Early July - September
- How to Tell If Peaches Are Ripe: Gently squeeze the peach to make sure it has a slight give to it. The peach should also smell fragrant and sweet.
- What Do Peaches Taste Like? Peaches have a heady sweetness with floral notes.
4. Apricots
Apricots are another type of stone fruit that you’ll find from mid-May through July. This fruit can be clingstone or freestone and has a bright and fiery orange hue with a sweet, floral, and tart taste.
Apricots make an amazing filling when made into a jam, especially for cookies, such as Linzer or thumbprints, and also as a topping for cheesecake tartlets. This stone fruit is a perfect swap for pineapple in an upside-down cake, too! For a savory option, use apricots in grain-based salads or as a complementary ingredient for chicken, pork, pheasant, and turkey dishes.
- When Are Apricots in Season? Mid-May - July
- How to Tell If Apricots Are Ripe: When ripe, apricots should have a strong aroma and give slightly when gently squeezed.
- What Do Apricots Taste Like? Apricots taste sweet, floral, and tart.
5. Cherries
Cherries are in the same family as peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots, so it’s no surprise that they’re on the list of stone fruits as well! Cherries are in season from mid-June to early August and can be clingstone or freestone.
When fully ripened, cherries have a sweet and slightly tart taste with hints of almonds. This flavor profile pairs well with most other stone fruits as well as blueberries, vanilla, chocolate, and almond paste. Try keeping it simple with chocolate-dipped cherries, baking a typical French dessert like cherry clafoutis, or making a Bakewell tart, the iconic British baked good. As a savory option, add cherries as a topping for pork chops or as a glaze for barbecued meats.
- When Are Cherries in Season? Mid-June - early August
- How to Tell If Cherries Are Ripe: Cherries are firm and plump when they’re fully ripened.
- What Do Cherries Taste Like? Cherries vary slightly in taste based on their type, but overall cherries are sweet and slightly tart with notes of almond.
6. Pluots
Pluots are a type of stone fruit that is a plum and apricot hybrid. They are tangy like plums with a big kick of sweetness thanks to the infusion of apricots. Pluots can be clingstone or freestone and are available in early June all the way through late August.
Not only do pluots pair well with other stone fruits, but they’re also great with hazelnuts, brown sugar, lavender, and almonds. Trying making a cake with pluots using hazelnut flour and culinary lavender, or making a brown sugar and pluot galette. For savory options, pluots are great with goat cheese, salad fixings, and pork.
- When Are Pluots in Season? Early June - late August
- How to Tell If Pluots Are Ripe: Pluots are ripe when they have a rich color, are noticeably fragrant, and are firm and plump.
- What Do Pluots Taste Like? Pluots are tangy like plums with a big kick of sweetness thanks to the infusion of apricots.
7. Mangoes
Mangoes also make the stone fruit list as this clingstone fruit has a very large pit in its center. While mangoes are available at the grocery store all year round, their peak season is from May through September.
A mango’s sweet and refreshing taste is perfect for light recipes. Use mangoes to make curd for desserts, chutney for serving savory dishes, or a marinade or glaze for meats like chicken, pork, and shrimp. While they’re best known in smoothies, mangoes are great in other drinks too like margaritas, a traditional Indian mango lassi, and frozen mangonadas.
- When Are Mangoes in Season? May - September
- How to Tell If Mangoes Are Ripe: The color should be orange, red, and/or rosy pink, have a slight give when pressed lightly, and emit a sweet fragrance.
- What Do Mangoes Taste Like? Mangoes taste sweet and refreshing.
8. Lychees
Lychees are considered both a type of stone fruit and a tropical fruit! These tiny fruits taste like a cross between a watermelon and a strawberry, can be clingstone or freestone, and are available from late May through September.
Lychees are at their best when blended into a smoothie, used in a dessert, or made into ice cream. Lychee’s sweet juice complements a savory dish, so we recommend incorporating this fruit into marinades or sauces for meats like pork and chicken.
- When Are Lychees in Season? Late May - Septemeber
- How to Tell If Lychees Are Ripe: A ripe lychee will smell fragrant and floral, give a little when pressed lightly, and have a dark red or pink hue.
- What Do Lychees Taste Like? A cross between a watermelon and a strawberry.
9. Coconuts
Another tropical fruit that also makes the stone fruit list is coconuts. Coconuts have the most sought-after flavor: nutty and creamy with notes of caramel, butter, toffee, and vanilla, making this fruit a true treat. Luckily, it’s available all year long!
Coconut milk and coconut cream make it easy to add coconuts to almost anything while also eliminating the need to crack open a coconut. Coconuts go great with other tropical fruits and are an excellent ingredient for macaroons, coconut cake, and an easy-to-sip pina colada. It also complements seafood, shrimp, and beef!
- When Are Coconuts in Season? All year long!
- How to Tell If Coconuts Are Ripe: Shake the coconut around and listen for water sloshing. If you don’t hear the water, the coconut is dried up.
- What Do Coconuts Taste Like? Coconuts taste nutty and creamy and have notes of caramel, butter, toffee, and vanilla.
10. Dates
Another type of stone fruit that may surprise you is dates! Dates have an inner pit that can be clingstone or freestone. This fruit is in season from early September through December when its rich caramel, toffee, and butterscotch flavor is at its most potent.
Dates pair well with most other winter fruits like citruses and pears and make great cakes and bars. Dates are also complemented by different types of cinnamon and other fall flavors. Stuff dates with smooth cheeses like goat cheese, blue cheese, or different types of nut butter. Dates are also famous for sticky toffee pudding!
- When Are Dates in Season? Early September - December
- How to Tell If Dates Are Ripe: Dates are ripe when they’re dark, soft, and fragrant. If you find black powder inside of your date, it has started to mold.
- What Do Dates Taste Like? Dates have rich notes of caramel, toffee, and butterscotch.
11. Olives
Olives also make the stone fruit list even though they are commonly mistaken for vegetables. Olives are found in grocery stores all year, but they’re at their best from late August through November when they’re harvested and cured. There are many types of olives that all range in flavor from sweet and floral to salty and bitter.
Besides being squeezed into different olive oil varieties, olives are lovely when left whole and set out as a snack before dinner or placed on a charcuterie board. Olives are famous in tapenades, as well as other Mediterranean dishes with ingredients like cheese, red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, pasta, and fish.
- When Are Olives in Season? Late August - November
- How to Tell If Olives Are Ripe: An olive is ripe when it’s firm and even-colored.
- What Do Olives Taste Like? Olives range in flavor from sweet and floral to salty and bitter.
12. Blackberries
Blackberries (as well as raspberries and mulberries) are also a type of stone fruit! Blackberries are at their best from early June to early August when their perfectly balanced sweet and tart flavor is in full swing.
Blackberries are ideal with different berries and other stone fruits. When using blackberries in recipes, we recommend folding them into scones and cakes or using them as a base for cobblers. If you want to incorporate blackberries into your menu’s entrees, then pair them with chicken, make blackberry-glazed salmon or ham, add them to an orzo salad, or marinate them into pork chops.
- When Are Blackberries in Season? Early July - early August
- How to Tell If Blackberries Are Ripe: A ripe blackberry should have a deep purple hue, plump look, and tender texture. If your blackberries are still red then that indicates they are unripened and bitter.
- What Do Blackberries Taste Like? Blackberries have a perfectly balanced tart and sweet flavor with small bitter notes.
Stone fruits make their grand appearance at different times of the year, each with its own unique flavors and varieties. From luscious summer peaches to succulent fall plums, there's always a stone fruit to showcase on your menu. Try out something from our stone fruit list to showcase the beauty of nature's bounty and offer a refreshing twist to your culinary creations.
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