Persimmon Cookies
If you haven’t tried persimmon cookies, it’s time to add them to your holiday cookie rotation. This fruit and nut cookie is a fall treat that can’t be missed.
The best persimmon cookie recipe is made with fresh persimmon pulp and holiday spices. They’re soft, not too sweet, and have just the right amount of spice.
Persimmons are a short-lived fall treat here in California, and they start to get ripe in September, but November and early December are at their peak.
My neighbor has a few trees in his backyard and brought me a few at the perfect time to share this recipe.
One of our readers and a long-time family friend sent this persimmon cookie recipe to me. Denise and I met when her husband and my dad were stationed on Oahu at the same Naval base.
I was good friends with her daughter. We went to middle school and some of our high school together. During high school, we were all transferred to San Diego. Julie and I ended up at different schools but kept in touch.
One of the best things about having a substantial blended military family is that people are from all over the place. I got to try so many different foods growing up. This experience has shaped and given me a love of cooking and eating and led to a career that I love. Being able to share recipes is a dream come true.
What You’ll Need…
- Sugar
- Unsalted butter, softened
- An egg, room temperature
- Persimmon pulp
- Raisins
- Walnuts, chopped
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Ground cloves
- Ground cinnamon
Baking with Persimmons
Persimmons are a winter tree fruit. In the US, several varieties of persimmon are sold in the market. The most important thing to know about persimmons is which variety to pick for baking.
What Type of Persimmons For Baking
There are two main types of persimmon that you’ll see in the US. Fuyu persimmons and Hachiya persimmons.
Fuyu persimmons are the short, squat variety and are best for eating when they are really ripe. This type of persimmon has firmer flesh. Perfect for salads.
Hachiya persimmons are taller and acorn-shaped, and they remind me of bright orange Roma tomatoes. This persimmon variety gets very soft when ripe, and it’s easy to get pulp from them, which is why they’re perfect for baking.
How to Make Persimmon Pulp
Technically, you can get persimmon pulp from Fuyu or Hachiya persimmons. Getting pulp from ripe Hachiya persimmons is easier because it is soft and squishy when fully ripe.
To get pulp from Hachiya persimmons, use a spoon to scoop out the pulp and discard the seeds. You can press the persimmons in a ricer or through a fine sieve.
For Fuyu persimmons, make sure they are very ripe. Peel them, chop them, and remove their seeds. Use a food processor to puree the fruit.
How Many Persimmons For One Cup of Pulp
In my experience, getting one cup of pulp takes 3 to 4 Hachiya persimmons. Of course, this all depends on their size.
Freezing Persimmon Pulp
If you have ripe persimmons but aren’t ready to make cookies, you can freeze the pulp for up to six months.
You can freeze the extra puree in 8-ounce containers or ice cube trays. You can add frozen persimmon pulp to smoothies right out of the freezer. If you want to bake with it, bring it to room temperature and use it when thawed.
How To Make Persimmon Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350℉
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Cream the sugar with the butter in a mixing bowl until it’s light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and beat again.
- Mix in the persimmon pulp, nuts, and raisins.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until the flour is incorporated. Do not over-mix.
- Drop the spoonful onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. They will be soft but have a nice golden brown color. (Make sure to watch them in the oven).
- NOTE: Oven temperatures vary. Make sure to watch them closely the first time you make them.
Recipe Variations
Gluten-free Persimmon Cookies
This type of cookie works well with gluten-free flour. I like King Arthur’s (affiliate link)One-to-One Gluten-Free Blend.
Iced Cookies
You can make a simple glaze to ice these cookies by mixing confectioner sugar and orange juice.
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Storing + Freezing Tips
How To Store Persimmon Cookies
Store persimmon cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. You can freeze them for longer storage.
Can You Freeze Them?
You can freeze persimmon cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Hungry For More Cookie Recipes?
You will find a holiday cookie recipe for everyone on your nice list.
My favorite holiday cookies are the classics, like Butter Shortbread, which is even better dipped in chocolate. Ginger Molasses Cookies and Pecan Finger Cookies always remind me of holidays with my grandma.
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Some History of Grammie’s Persimmon Cookies
Denise remembers always having these cookies at Christmas in her childhood. Grammie was her mom’s stepmom. Grammie got the recipe from her mother, and while it’s unknown where either of them grew up, this is most likely a California recipe since it originated for Denise.
Grammie was funny, loving, and cranky at times but oh so special. She and Denise had a bond that came from out of the blue. Denise can’t explain precisely why they were so close; maybe kindred souls? Grammie never showed any favoritism amongst her grandchildren, but everyone just knew Denise was her favorite. They had an extraordinary bond. Grammie taught Denise to crochet, and she showered her with love.
Did you love this recipe?
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Persimmon Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheets (affiliate link)
- parchment paper (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sugar (affiliate link)
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 cup persimmon pulp
- 1 cup Raisins
- 1 cup Walnuts, chopped
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt (affiliate link)
- ½ tsp Ground cloves
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Baking powder, ¼ tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp Ground cloves, ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
- In a mixing bowl cream the sugar with the butter until it's light and fluffy.1 cup Sugar, 1 cup Unsalted butter
- Add the egg and beat again.1 egg
- Mix in the persimmon pulp, nuts, and raisins.1 cup persimmon pulp, 1 cup Raisins, 1 cup Walnuts
- Add the flour mixture and mix until the flour is combined. Do not over mix.
- Drop by the spoonful onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. NOTE: The dough will not spread as it bakes so press the dough slightly to thin out the cookies and make sure they cook more evenly.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. They will be soft but a nice golden brown color.
- NOTE: Some readers have baked these for up to 16 minutes. Exact size and oven temperatures will vary. Check the first batch. Internal temperature should be about 200℉.
Laura’s Tips + Notes
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Storing: Store persimmon cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. If you want to keep them longer you can freeze them.
- Freezing: You can freeze persimmon cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
YOUR OWN NOTES
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I made these cookies today and they are delish! I did modify the recipe a little, though. I soaked the raisins in spiced rum, subbed toasted chopped almonds (only nuts I had on hand) for the walnuts and baked them about 16 minutes (12 minutes just wasn’t enough in my oven), and added just a hint of nutmeg. Husband gave them 5 stars!!!
Thank you for the review, Emilie. I’m so happy these cookies came out great, and I appreciate your husband’s 5 stars. Ovens can be tricky. I really try to do my best to provide the correct time. But watching the first batch is always a good idea.
❤️ this persimmon cookie recipe! My persimmon tree (hachiya) gave lots of fruit this year so I’ve made it several times and the results are always delicious, light, not too sweet and the right amount of spice for me.
I used pecans instead of walnuts & convection baked @325 for 10-11 minutes and they turned out golden brown.
Tish, Thank you so much for the review. I’m happy to hear that you loved this cookie recipe. And thanks for your tips and substitution suggestions. It’s always so helpful to hear real-life feed back. love, Laura
This recipe sounded so good, but I have a diabetic husband so I had to make a few tweaks for him so he can have a couple as dessert. I used an allulose and brown sugar swerve mix, 1.5 c of flour and 0.50 c of blanched almond flour. Used hazelnuts since I was out of walnuts and they were insanely delicious!! This will be my go to for persimmon cookies. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your low-sugar tips! I’m so glad that the cookies came out great. I have a tremendous low-carb snowball recipe, too. I make them for my dad. They are like Mexican wedding cookies, and I swear they are just as good as the original. Happy Baking!
I was disappointed that mine spread/flattened. They are tasty though. (I have an idea that it might be the cookie sheet that I used. I greased and floured it instead of using parchment paper ?)
Interesting! I’m sorry to hear that. I hope you will give these cookies another shot.
I made this recipe yesterday, and some of my cookies flattened out. I was very precise in my measurements, as I was taking them to a gathering. I’ve made persimmon cookies for years. Possible add just a 1/4 cup of flour to my mixture/dough? The flavor was excellent.
I’m sorry to hear that these flattened out. Measuring flour can be tricky, depending on the humidity in your area and how you measure it. You could add a few more tablespoons of flour and ensure your baking soda and baking powder aren’t too old. It will break down over time.
I recently made these Persimmon cookies. They have such a great flavor to them. I was expecting while baking that these cookies would spread on the sheet, they did not, and I couldn’t get them to fully bake without over browning, So, I made bars instead. Turned out great. Now what to do with all the other crop of persimmon.
Thank you, Margie, for the feedback. I will put a note in the recipe card about making sure to press out the cookies a little because they do not spread.
Thank you for your reply. After I sent you a message I went back and looked at the recipe. I had doubled the recipe and realized that I forgot to double flour causing batter to flatten in oven. I made them again and they were wonderful! I took them to work and my fellow teachers loved them. The persimmons come from a tree in our school garden and were perfect for the recipe. Thank you!
Lucy, That’s great to hear. We’ve all been there. I’m so glad they came out this time, and everyone loved them. It’s such a special recipe.
I made these and they were flat. Any idea why they did not rise? All my ingredients were fresh and up to date. My fuji pulp was very ripe and wet. Could that be it?
Any suggestions?
Lucy, I’m sorry to hear that. Sometimes oven temperature can be an issue. Perhaps your oven wasn’t hot enough. The batter can melt before baking if the oven isn’t fully heated. I have had an oven that was not properly calibrated before. I used an oven thermometer to check my oven. This can often be overlooked when taking chicken of a casserole, but then with a cookie, it might be more sensitive. I will be baking these cooking again in a few weeks as I alwasy review the recipes when I’m redoing a recipe.
Could I add ginger powder to this recipe and would that be like a half a teaspoon?
Cynthia, you can add dried ginger to this persimmon cookie recipe. Depending on how much ginger flavor you like, you could add between ¼ to ½ teaspoon. I’d love to hear the results if you try it.
I baked these with 25% nut flour and used splenda, omitted the raisins, they turned out well. Thanks
Thank you for the review! I’m so glad to hear that they turned out great. Thanks for sharing your healthified version.
I enjoyed these, it was simple and they came out not too sweet which is what I prefer. I do like the brown sugar versions a bit better though.
Thank you for the review, Anne! I am glad you enjoyed these. I’m interested to know what the brown sugar version is. 😃
I boiled my Persimmion to make the purée is that ok with a pinch of salt too until they were soft was that ok?
I am sure that is fine. How did they come out?