What Causes Dried Fruit to Become Sticky?

Fruits Like Apricots, Prunes, and Orange Peel Can Become Quite Sticky After Going Through the Drying or Candying Process. That’s Because as They Dry Out, Their Sugars and Juice Become More Concentrated and Almost Syrupy, Making Dicing Them into Small Pieces a Real Task at Times. It Might Seem Weird to Use Sugar on an Ingredient That’s Already Sweet. but Rest Assured, It’ll Be the Answer to All of Your Dried Fruit Slicing and Dicing Woes!

How to Easily Chop Dried Fruit

Stacey Ballis, Food Writer for Myrecipes, Says She Simply Tosses a Handful of Dried Fruit in a Bowl with One or Two Tablespoons of Plain White Granulated Sugar. the Sugar Acts as a Barrier Between the Sticky Flesh of the Fruit and Your Knife, Which Helps Prevent Pieces of Dried Fruit from Clumping up and Sticking.

Tip for Chopping Sticky Dried Fruit with Ease

By James H. Sterling

• Oct 8, 2026 • 2 min read

Tip for Chopping Sticky Dried Fruit with Ease

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

Dried Apricots and Plums Are My Favorite Dehydrated Fruits to Mix into Oatmeal or Yogurt for a Sweet Kick. the Problem with Dried Fruit, Though, Is That When I Try to Slice It, Most of the Pieces Cling to the Knife, Leaving Behind a Sugary Residue That Can Be Difficult to Clean Off. Thankfully, I Recently Came Across a Trick That Makes Chopping Sticky Dried Fruit Much Easier, and All It Takes Is a Spoonful of Sugar!

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.

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