When can babies eat apricot?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Apricot

Small, golden and sweet. Ripe, peeled and stone out, it squashes with a gentle press.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat apricot from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedNot a common allergen

How to serve apricot by age

6 months+

Ripe peeled halves, wedges or mash

Peel a ripe apricot, cut it in half and take out the stone. Offer the halves or thick wedges as finger food, or mash them and serve on a pre-loaded spoon. If it's firm, steam the halves until soft. Dried apricots need soaking and mashing first: see the FAQ below.

Size: Peeled halves or thick wedges of a ripe apricot, about 4–5 cm (1½–2 in) long, or mashed.
Check before serving: Squash a piece between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. If you have to press hard, cook it until soft.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare apricot

1
Choose an apricot that gives a little when you press it gently.
2
Rinse it under running water, gently rubbing the skin, before you peel it.
3
Peel it with a small knife or vegetable peeler. Cut it in half along the seam, twist the halves apart and take out the stone. Throw the stone away: never crack it open for the kernel inside.
4
Serve halves or wedges (6 months) or small pieces (9 months+). If they don't pass the squash test, steam them for a few minutes until soft, and let them cool. Don't add sugar.

How much to offer

Start with one or two soft pieces, or a teaspoon or two of mash. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of squashing and dropping is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Leaving the stone in

The stone is hard and a choking hazard. Take it out before serving, and check for broken bits.

Giving apricot kernels

Never give the kernel from inside the stone, or apricot kernel products. Raw apricot kernels release cyanide when they're chewed or digested, and the UK Food Standards Agency advises against eating them. If your child chews or swallows a kernel, call your emergency number, even if they seem well.

Serving dried apricots as they come

Dried apricots are sticky and chewy. The NHS says not to give whole dried fruit to babies under 1, and the CDC lists uncooked dried fruit as a choking hazard. Soak them until soft, then mash or chop them.

Serving firm, under-ripe apricot

Firm apricot is hard to gum. Wait until it's ripe, or cook it until it squashes easily.

Where US and UK guidance differ on apricot

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

For babies under 1, the AAP says that apart from mashed banana, most fruits should be cooked until soft, and it lists fruit chunks among foods to avoid under 1. If you follow US advice, steam peeled apricot halves until soft or mash them. Never serve the stone or the kernel inside it.

United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting

The NHS lists slices of soft fruit, such as peach, as a finger food from around 6 months, and says to cook harder fruits. Use raw apricot only if it's ripe, peeled and passes the squash test, and always remove the stone.

We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.

Questions parents ask

Can apricot be a choking hazard for babies?

Ripe, soft apricot is easy for babies to manage, but the stone is a choking hazard, and the CDC lists uncooked dried fruit as a choking hazard for young children. Always take out the stone, peel fresh apricot, and use only apricot that squashes easily between your fingers. Soak dried apricots until soft, then mash or chop them. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to apricot?

Apricot is not a common allergen. Dried apricots often contain sulfur dioxide (sulfites), used to keep their color. The NHS lists sulfur dioxide among foods that can trigger a reaction, so check the label if your child has reacted to sulfites before.

Is apricot healthy for babies?

Fresh apricot gives some vitamin A, potassium and fiber: about 96 µg of vitamin A, 259 mg of potassium and 2 g of fiber per 100 g. Dried apricots are more concentrated, with about 7 g of fiber and 2.7 mg of iron per 100 g, but babies eat them only a spoonful at a time.

Can babies eat dried apricots?

Yes, softened first. Dried apricots are sticky and chewy: the CDC lists uncooked dried fruit as a choking hazard, and the NHS says not to give whole dried fruit to babies under 1 and to always cut dried fruit into small pieces. Soak them in just-boiled water until very soft, then mash or blend them (6 months) or chop them finely (9 months+) and mix into a moist food.

Are apricot kernels safe for children?

No. The kernel is the almond-like seed inside the stone. Raw apricot kernels contain a substance that releases cyanide when they're chewed and digested, and the UK Food Standards Agency advises against eating them. Throw the stone away whole. If your child chews or swallows a kernel, call your emergency number right away, even if they seem well: the NHS says symptoms of poisoning can take a few hours to start.

Do I need to peel apricots for my baby?

Yes, for babies and young toddlers. The NHS says taking the skin off fruit makes it easier to swallow, especially for very young children.

If your baby refuses apricot

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Try a different form: mash instead of wedges, or apricot stirred into oatmeal.
Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
Funny faces don't mean they dislike it. They're getting used to a new taste and texture.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing apricot

Ripen firm apricots at room temperature. Once ripe, keep them in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below, and refrigerate any cut apricot.
Keep dried apricots in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard. Soaked or cooked apricot keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
Apricot mash can be frozen and used within 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours of thawing.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered apricot?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

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