BEST Persimmon Cookie Recipe

Old fashioned Persimmon Cookies are sweet and delicious. Baked with spices, nuts, cranberries and drizzled with white chocolate, the amazing aroma of will fill your home! These puffy cake-like cookies will be everyone's favorite this holiday season!

Next time try Chocolate Covered Cashews - this is an amazing recipe and so easy to make!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe   
• What is a persimmon?
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• How do you prepare persimmons for baking?
• FAQ's
• Equipment
• Tips
• Variations
• Storage
• Related recipes
• More persimmon recipes
• Persimmon Cookie Recipe
• Recipe backstory

Why you'll love this recipe   

Persimmons are a wonderful fruit to cook with or enjoy as a snack. This was a recipe I found in my Grandma's cookbook, it's a classic persimmon cookie recipe.

They are filled with spices, nuts and cranberries. These delicious cookies are flavorful and fragrant. If you've never tried cooking with persimmons, this is the BEST recipe to start with!

This recipe makes a soft cakey cookie.

What is a persimmon?

Persimmon is a fruit originally from China. Their popularity grew and spread to Japan and Korea. There are several different types of persimmons. The most common are the Hachiya and Fuyu.

A Hachiya is round and looks very similar to a tomato except that's it's orange. Raw, it tastes a lot like eating chalk (not that I've eaten a lot of chalk, but just saying! 🤣 ) Best for baking, jam or pudding it's ready to use when the fruit is soft and squishy.

The Fuyu is oblong and you can eat it raw. The skin is similar to an apple but the flesh is crisp and firm. It is rich and sweet like a peach, but it tastes similar to a cantaloupe.

Both are vibrant bright orange! I'm telling you - you just need to try them!

Ingredients

For the exact measurements for the persimmon cookie recipe, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• sugar - to make them extra sweet
• butter - to keep the cookies moist
• egg - to help the cookies rise and add flavor
• flour - use all-purpose flour
• allspice - a strong spice reminiscent of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves all rolled into one!
• salt - to off-set the sweet
• Hachiya persimmons or persimmon purée - ripe, fresh persimmons, they will be mushy (not firm) and super sweet.
• baking soda - keeps the cookies soft and chewy
• dried cranberries - for tartness
• walnuts - add crunch
• white chocolate chips - for richness and flavor

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions for persimmon cookies. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!

1. Cream together sugar, butter and egg until light and fluffy.
2. In a medium bowl, prepare the dry ingredients - flour, allspice and salt.
3. Take the persimmon pulp and mix it with a teaspoon of baking soda.
4. Add the persimmon mixture to the butter/sugar and cream the wet ingredients together.
5. Now mix with the dry ingredients. When this is thoroughly mixed together, add the cranberries, nuts and white chocolate.
6. Drop cookies onto a prepared baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are golden brown.
7. If desired, drizzle with some additional white chocolate when cooled.
8. Top with sprinkles to make them extra special!

How do you prepare persimmons for baking?

The fruit is ready to use when it's soft and squishy.

Begin by slicing the stem off the persimmon. Then squeeze the pulp out the end. If the pulp isn't squishy enough to squeeze out, then it isn't ripe and ready for baking.

If it's still in chunks, use a food processor or potato masher to mash it into pulp.

FAQ's

Equipment

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• electric mixer with paddle attachment
• wire racks to cool cookies
• large bowl

Tips

Here is how you'll know if your persimmons are ripe:

The Hachiya is ripe when the flesh is really soft and super squishy. When it is the pulp is easy to process. Simply cut off the stem and squeeze the pulp into a bowl, discard the peel.

If your Hachiya persimmon isn't ripe, allow to ripen on the counter a couple of days until soft and squishy or place them in a paper bag with a banana or apple. This will hasten the ripening process. Again, leave them on the counter at room temperature.

When the flesh is really soft, simply cut off the stem and squeeze the pulp into a bowl, discard the peel. You'll need a cup of persimmon puree.

The Fuyu is ripe when it's slightly soft - best when just a touch crispy!

Though I'm not an expert on persimmons, there is a ton of great information out there. If you want to learn more, click on this link - this is the most informative website I've found.

Variations

If you aren't able to find persimmons, substitute with pumpkin puree.

Storage

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter top.

Related recipes

Looking for a quick and easy sweet treat? This recipe for 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie will satisfy the peanut lovers in your family!

This Butter Cookie Recipe is another from Grandma Bertha, these dense cookies are so pretty and delicious! Perfect with coffee or tea. This recipe for Brown Sugar Cookies is another that has been handed down in our family.

This recipe for Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie is delicious! Crispy on the outside with a chewy center, this one is a winner!

One of my very favorites is this recipe for Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. It's a cake-mix cookie and just couldn't be any easier!

Still hungry for something sweet? These easy to make shortbread cookies are dunked in chocolate and then in sprinkles - they are amazing!

A simple treat that can be served as a side dish or dessert is this Fried Apples Recipe. Tender apples in a buttery brown sugar sauce. This recipe is AMAZING!

More persimmon recipes

• Fall Harvest Salad - full of fall flavors and filled with bright fresh crunch!
• Roasted Acorn Squash with Black Grapes and Cardamom Persimmons - a great savory side or delicious main dish!
• Stuffed Persimmons with Lentils - roasting the persimmons gives them a light delicate flavor!
• Persimmon Pie Recipe - the perfect fall pie, so sweet and delicious!

Whether you use them in a sweet or savory application, they are delicious!

I hope you put these cookies on your baking list for the holidays and a great after school snack! They are so good and the addition of cranberries and white chocolate takes them right over the top!

Recipe backstory

I took Grandma Bertha's and updated it just a bit. And admittedly, I haven't shared this recipe, but kept it all to myself. And that wasn't very nice, was it?!!

The first time I tried persimmons was when my friend Michelle dropped off a bag at my house. She carefully walked thru which was for baking and jam - which variety you can eat as a snack.

But of course since I was curious I took a bite from the one that was ONLY for baking.

Ewe!!! It was terrible and right about then my brother stopped by. And of course because being the rotten little sister I am, I had him try it too telling him it was delicious. Boy did he make a face! AND did I laugh and then I gave him a Fuyu to try.

What can I say, that's what siblings do, right?!!

First published: November 26, 2018... Last updated October 11, 2021 to improve instructions.