Produce
Dried Apricots: Storage & Shelf Life
Pantry
6-12 months, sealed and dry
Freezer
12 months
Signs it's gone bad
- mold
- crystallized sugar on the surface with an off smell
- hardening beyond normal chewy-dry texture
Storage times and safe temperatures are general guidance from USDA FoodKeeper, USDA FSIS, and FDA sources — they are not a guarantee of safety. When in doubt, throw it out. This is not a substitute for professional food-safety advice.
Source: USDA FoodKeeper data and USDA FSIS food-safety fact sheets, checked 2026-07-12.
Dried apricots last 6-12 months sealed and dry in the pantry, and like most dried fruit on this site, freezing (12 months) extends that window further without much practical downside, given how little moisture is left to form disruptive ice crystals.
Sulfured dried apricots (the bright orange, more commonly sold variety) tend to hold their color and moisture slightly better over time than unsulfured ones, which oxidize and darken naturally during storage — a real, visible difference in how the two age, though both remain safe to eat within their stated shelf life either way.
Crystallized sugar developing on the surface of dried apricots, combined with an off smell, signals actual spoilage — distinct from the fruit's normal chewy-dry texture, which shouldn't be mistaken for a problem on its own.
Pressing the air out of the bag before sealing dried apricots limits how much ambient moisture gets trapped inside with them, slowing the clumping and hardening that can otherwise develop over time.
Apricots stored in a warm kitchen cabinet near the stove degrade faster than ones kept in a cooler pantry spot away from heat sources.
A small silica packet, the kind that comes in some packaged goods, can help absorb excess moisture in a larger storage container.
Checking for any white, powdery mold on the surface, distinct from the natural sugar crystallization that can develop, is the key spoilage sign to watch for.
Dried apricots kept in the fridge rather than the pantry last noticeably longer in a humid climate, since the cooler air slows the mold growth that humidity otherwise encourages in a sugar-rich dried fruit.
A bag that's turned unusually dark or developed a fermented, alcohol-like smell, distinct from its normal sweet-tart aroma, has begun to spoil and should be discarded rather than rinsed and used.
Sulfured dried apricots, the bright orange variety treated with sulfur dioxide during drying, resist mold slightly longer than the darker, unsulfured type, though both should still be sealed tightly to control moisture.
Can you freeze Dried Apricots?
Quick yes/no answer →
How long does Dried Apricots last?
Quick shelf-life answer →
Frequently asked questions
How long do dried apricots last?
6-12 months in a sealed container in the pantry — sulfured apricots tend to hold their color and moisture toward the longer end of that range, while unsulfured ones darken and dry out a bit sooner.
Do sulfured and unsulfured dried apricots age differently?
Yes, somewhat — sulfured (bright orange) apricots tend to hold their color and moisture slightly better over time, while unsulfured ones darken naturally through oxidation, though both remain safe within their stated shelf life.
Is dried apricots' normal chewy texture a sign they're going bad?
No — that's their normal texture; genuine spoilage shows up as crystallized sugar on the surface combined with an off smell, or visible mold, not the fruit's expected dry chewiness alone.
Does freezing meaningfully extend dried apricots' shelf life?
Somewhat, yes — like most dried fruit on this site, there's little moisture left to form disruptive ice crystals, so freezing extends usable life without much practical downside.