Quick Answer: Start with Mariani Turkish apricots and Sun-Maid Mission figs (about $4). Add Craisins for color, and raisins on the vine as a showpiece. For a crowd: Kirkland dried mango.
Our top picks
Dried fruit lasts, fills gaps and makes salty cheese taste better.
All 8 picks
Prices are store listings checked October 2026.
Best apricot
Mariani Mediterranean Apricots
- Origin
- Turkey
- Sulfured
- Yes
- Added sugar
- None
Why it's here: Turkish apricots are dried whole, so they stay thick and juicy, and Mariani is in most supermarkets.
Watch out: Sulfured, so skip it for guests sensitive to sulfites.
Why we picked it (sources)
Stop & Shop lists Turkey as the origin and sulfur dioxide as a preservative (Stop & Shop); ATK found Mediterranean apricots "juicy, plump, and sweeter than tart" (ATK).
Splurge
B&R Farms Blenheim Apricots
- Origin
- Hollister, California
- Variety
- Blenheim
- Sulfured
- Lightly
Why it's here: An endangered heirloom with a honey-like, sweet-tart flavor.
Watch out: Expensive, and supply is small.
Why we picked it (sources)
Market Hall Foods lists $18.95 (Market Hall); Tasting Table explains Blenheim's decline (Tasting Table).
Best fig
Sun-Maid California Mission Figs
- Origin
- California
- Sulfites
- None listed
- Added sugar
- None
Why it's here: Jammy with a little bitterness, made for blue cheese and salty meat.
Watch out: Whole figs can be firm; halve them for the board.
Why we picked it (sources)
Kroger lists $3.99 for 7 oz (Kroger); Valley Fig pairs Mission figs with blue cheese (Valley Fig), and ATK describes their "pleasant hint of bitterness" (ATK).
Best cranberry
Ocean Spray Craisins Original
- Size
- 6 oz
- Sweetened
- Yes
- Origin
- USA
Why it's here: Cheap, everywhere, and the red brightens any board.
Watch out: Heavily sweetened.
Best mango
Kirkland Signature Unsweetened Dried Mango
- Size
- 40 oz
- Origin
- Cambodia
- Added sugar
- None
Why it's here: A clean label, and the big bag suits party boards.
Watch out: Costco only, and it's a lot of mango.
Why we picked it (sources)
A Costco tracker lists $14.79–$15.69 and the ingredients (Warehouse Runner).
Best cherry
Traverse Bay Dried Tart Montmorency Cherries
- Pack
- 12 × 3 oz pouches
- Rating
- 4.7 / 5 at Walmart
- Pairs with
- Aged cheddar, Gouda
Why it's here: Tart dried cherries balance rich aged cheeses.
Watch out: Check the label for sugar and oil.
Why we picked it (sources)
Walmart lists it at 4.7 from 185 ratings (Walmart); The Delicious Life pairs tart cherries with an aged cheese (The Delicious Life).
Best showpiece
Melissa's Raisins on the Vine
- Origin
- Chile
- Grape
- Flame Seedless
- Use
- Grazing boards
Why it's here: Clusters that make any board look expensive.
Watch out: Pricey, and not true Muscatel.
Why we picked it (sources)
Melissa's lists $25.59 for two 7 oz packs (Melissa's); Perishable News covered the launch (Perishable News).
Best value
Philippine Brand Dried Mangoes
- Origin
- Cebu, Philippines
- Sweetened
- Yes
- Sulfites
- Yes
Why it's here: The lowest cost per ounce we found.
Watch out: Contains added sugar and sulfites.
Why we picked it (sources)
A Costco tracker lists $8.97 for 30 oz (Warehouse Runner).
Which dried fruit goes with which cheese
- Figs with blue cheese, goat cheese and salty cured meats.
- Apricots with brie, triple crème and young Manchego.
- Tart cherries with aged cheddar and aged Gouda.
- Raisins on the vine with any cheese course, as the showpiece. Mango with spicy salami and pepper Jack.
- How much: pick two or three kinds and use them to fill the gaps; about 1 to 2 oz per guest in total is plenty.
More on each in our ingredient guides: dried apricots and dried figs.
Dried fruit questions
What dried fruit goes on a charcuterie board?
Apricots, Mission or Calimyrna figs, tart cherries, cranberries, raisins on the vine and mango all work. Pick two or three for color and contrast.
Turkish or California dried apricots?
Turkish apricots are dried whole, so they're plump, juicy and sweeter. California apricots are halved before drying, so they're thinner, chewier and more intensely apricot. Both work on a board.
Sulfured or unsulfured apricots?
Sulfur dioxide keeps apricots bright orange; unsulfured ones turn brown and taste a little sweeter. Variety matters more than sulfuring, but skip sulfured fruit for guests sensitive to sulfites.
How much dried fruit per person?
Use it to fill gaps rather than as a main item: two or three kinds, about 1 to 2 oz per guest in total.
What dried fruit goes with which cheese?
Figs with blue cheese and goat cheese, apricots with brie and triple crème, tart cherries with aged cheddar and Gouda, and dates with Parmesan.
How we picked these, and sources
No single test compares dried fruit brands. We used Tasting Table's Trader Joe's dried fruit ranking (Tasting Table), America's Test Kitchen on apricots and figs, and store listings for ingredients, origin and price. Pairings from igourmet (igourmet). Sun-Maid now sells charcuterie mixes too (Sporked). Organic option: Made in Nature apricots (Made in Nature). Checked October 26, 2026.
- Tasting Table: Trader Joe's dried fruit ranked
- America's Test Kitchen: does apricot origin matter
- America's Test Kitchen: dried figs
- Tasting Table: Blenheim apricots
- Valley Fig: black and white figs
- Sporked: Sun-Maid charcuterie pairings
- Stop & Shop: Mariani Mediterranean Apricots
- Market Hall Foods: Blenheim apricots
- Kroger: Sun-Maid Mission Figs
- Target: Craisins
- Hannaford: Craisins
- Warehouse Runner: Kirkland Unsweetened Mango
- Warehouse Runner: Philippine Brand Mango
- Walmart: Traverse Bay cherries
- The Delicious Life: cheeseboard accompaniments
- Melissa's: raisins on the vine
- Perishable News: raisins on the vine
- igourmet: nuts and dried fruits for cheese
- Made in Nature: organic apricots
For dates, see the best Medjool dates; for nuts, the best nuts for a charcuterie board. Every guide is on our charcuterie buying guides page.
