Choose apricots for aroma, not colour alone

Apricots can look invitingly orange while still tasting sharp and firm. For this smoothie, look for fruit that smells fragrant and gives gently when pressed. The yoghurt already supplies acidity, so very underripe apricots can make the drink more sour than refreshing. Let firm fruit ripen first instead of trying to correct it with a large amount of honey.

Almond is a natural supporting flavour, but this recipe uses almond butter rather than almond extract. Extract can quickly turn the drink towards marzipan and obscure the fruit. Smooth nut butter contributes both flavour and a little richness, making the small serving feel rounded without the need for ice cream.

Keep the nut butter in suspension

Almond butter settles in its jar, so stir it before measuring. A spoonful taken from a dry layer at the bottom behaves differently from oily butter at the top. Blending it with the liquid first makes it less likely to cling to the sides of the jug or remain in small rich pockets.

The smoothie should be a soft peach colour with a restrained nut flavour. Cinnamon is optional in spirit but included as a tiny measured accent; do not treat it as the main seasoning. If the drink tastes overly thick or chalky, add almond drink in small splashes. More yoghurt will increase acidity and may not solve the underlying texture problem.

If the apricots are a little firm

Do not blend genuinely hard or unripe apricots and expect almond butter to disguise them. A slightly firm but ripe fruit can be softened by gently cooking it with a spoonful of water, then cooling and chilling it before use. That becomes a cooked-fruit variation with a more rounded flavour, and the extra cooking and cooling time is not included in this quick raw-fruit recipe.

Never include apricot stones or their kernels in the blender. Remove and discard the stones during preparation. The almond ingredient comes from ordinary food-grade almond butter, not from anything taken out of the apricot pit. Keeping those ingredients distinct is important, even though almond and stone-fruit flavours are often discussed together.

What you'll need

  • 220 g ripe apricot flesh, stones removed
  • 140 g plain yoghurt
  • 100 ml unsweetened almond drink
  • 15 g smooth almond butter
  • 1 tsp honey, optional
  • A pinch of ground cinnamon

Let's make it

  1. Wash, halve and stone the apricots. Inspect the flesh near each stone and weigh the prepared fruit.
  2. Put the almond drink, yoghurt and almond butter in the blender. Blend briefly to distribute the nut butter before adding the fruit.
  3. Add the apricots and cinnamon, then blend until smooth. Taste before adding the optional honey; ripe apricots may not need it.
  4. Blend once more if necessary and pour into two small glasses. Serve chilled rather than over a large quantity of ice.

Make it your own

Peaches can replace apricots when the latter are out of season, but the result will be sweeter and less concentrated.

For a dairy-free adaptation, use plain almond or coconut yoghurt and check the labels; the recipe already contains tree nuts. Omit honey when preparing food for children under one year.

Keeping it fresh

Refrigerate any unserved portion promptly in a covered container at 5°C or below. Use within 24 hours, respecting earlier pack instructions. Stir well because almond ingredients can settle.

Allergen notes

Milk

Almonds

Further guidance: Food Standards Agency: safe chilling and freezing