How to Dry Avocado Seeds

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

Avocado seeds don’t need to be wasted the next time you are making guacamole! Save the seeds, give each a wash, and use an oven or sunlight to dry them fully. Then you can use them to make a variety of different things, like natural skincare products, a pink fabric dye, or tiny, wood-like carvings.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Removing the Seed

1
Slice the avocado in half to expose the seed. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the avocado lengthwise until it hits the seed. Keep the knife steady and rotate the avocado, and continue slicing around the seed.^{[1]
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- When you have sliced the avocado in half, gently hold each half and twist to pull them apart.
2
Use a chef's knife to remove the seed if you will be grinding it. Carefully strike the center of the seed with the heel of the chef’s knife. Twist the knife slightly, and then carefully draw both the knife and seed out from the fruit.^{[2]
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- Protect your hand with a dish towel as you cut out the seed, in case your knife slips.
- A chef's knife is safer to use than a kitchen knife in this instance, as it is less likely to slip.
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3
Scoop the seed out with a spoon if you want to preserve it. Push the spoon around the outside of the seed. Then scoop the seed away from the fruit.^{[3]
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- This way of removing the seed may not give a removal as clean as using a knife, as some of the fruit might be removed too. However, it is less risky for your fingers.
- If you are planning to use the seed to make a carving, definitely use a spoon to remove it as this will keep the seed intact.
4
Wash the avocado seed in cool water. Hold the seed under cool running water. Use your fingers to rub away any fruit that is stuck to the seed.^{[4]
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- If there are any stubborn pieces of fruit that are difficult to remove with your hands, use a damp paper towel to rub them off.
- Don’t use any soap or detergent to wash the avocado seed, as only water is necessary.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Using Heat to Dry the Seed

1
Place the avocado seed in the sun for 3 days to dry it. Put the seed on a plate or in a bowl, and choose a sunny spot in your home to let it dry. A windowsill that gets a lot of sun works well.^{[5]
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- Avoid leaving the seed in the sun for 5 or more days. This will make the seed too hard and it will be difficult to use.
- You can tell when the seed is dry because the seed coat will be papery and will start to flake away.
2
Dry the avocado seed using an oven to quicken the drying time. Place the avocado seed on an oven proof tray. Bake the seed in the oven at 200 °F (93 °C) for 2 hours.^{[6]
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- The avocado seed will be very hot when you remove it. Make sure to use oven mitts when taking it out to avoid burning yourself.
- The seed may form small cracks if it is left in the oven for too long.^{[7]
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- You will know when the seed is dry because the seed coat will begin to peel away.
3
Remove the papery seed coat. When the avocado seed is dry, the outer layer will become papery, thin, and flakey. Peel the seed coat off with your fingers to access the shiny seed.^{[8]
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- The seed coat is almost impossible to remove before the seed has dried, which is why waiting until after drying is necessary.
4
Store the seed in a dark spot until you are ready to use it. The avocado seed will store best in a sealed container that is placed in a cool, dark spot in your home. A pantry or cupboard works best.^{[9]
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- A glass jar is ideal.
- This will prevent the seed from germinating under the right conditions, or from drying out too much.

Community Q&A

Question

How do you keep an avocado seed's color? It is very beautiful when the fruit is first cut, but then the skin peels off and there is a not so pretty color left.

Community Answer

Don't peel the skin off of the avocado seed, then it will not lose the color.
Question

Are avocado seeds edible?

Community Answer

No. These are exceedingly bitter. However, oil can be extracted from an avocado pit. There are some very interesting devices that are made just to do that with most oily vegetable parts. The oil can be used in cosmetics and even as lamp oil.
Question

The definition of planting an avocado seed, what is it called?

Community Answer

The most common term is known as "sow". Avocado seeds can be propagated by being poked with three or four toothpicks about one-third the way up the flat end of the seed then suspended in a glass of warmish water. In four to six weeks, the seed should split, revealing a sprout. Unfortunately, this can only be easily done if the seeds are not dried out. If the seed doesn't split within this time period, toss it out and try your luck again with another seed. Dried avocado seeds are exceedingly hard to sprout, which is why they don't germinate after being stored in seed banks.