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! This persimmon cookie recipe will be everyone’s favorite this holiday season!

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Old Fashioned Persimmon Cookies

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?!!

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. The cookies are flavorful and fragrant. If you’ve never tried cooking with persimmons, this is the BEST recipe to start with!

What is a persimmon?

Persimmon is a fruit originally from China. Their popularity grew and spread to Japan and Korea. There are many different varieties. 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!

Persimmon Fruit

What kind of persimmon do I have?

Here is a picture of persimmons I took at the grocery store. The round shaped persimmons on the top (Fuyu) are eaten raw. They almost look like tomatoes except they are orange.

The oblong ones on the bottom shelf, need to be cooked before eating. The flesh is ripe when the persimmon feels very soft and super squishy.

I know, I know – it’s the opposite of what you’d think!

What do I do with a persimmon?

This Fall Harvest Salad is a great recipe for Fuyu’s. Sliced and served like an apple they provide a great crunch to a delicious big salad.

How do I ripen a persimmon?

• For Hachiya – Allow to ripen on the counter a couple of days in advance 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.

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.

The Fuyu is ripe when it’s slightly soft – best when just a touch crispy!

Can I freeze the pulp?

Absolutely! In fact you can freeze them whole until you’re ready to bake or make jam!

They are harvested in the fall so soon you’ll see them in the grocery stores and at the farmers market!

Are you supposed to eat the skin of a persimmon?

Great question and it’s really personal preference. I do not eat the skin of the baking (Hachiya) persimmons. I just don’t like the texture.

The Fuyu Persimmons (the ones that look like a tomato that you can eat raw) taste great to me and have a similar texture to an apple skin. It’s really your preference.

Ok – now that we’ve gotten the education part out of the way, let’s get to baking these yummy cookies!

BEST Persimmon Cookie Recipe

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?!!

Ingredients for Persimmon Cookies Recipe

• 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 – super sweet
• baking soda – keeps the cookies soft and chewy
• dried cranberries – for tartness
• walnuts – add crunch
• white chocolate chips – for richness and flavor

How to make Persimmon Cookie Recipe

1. Cream together sugar, butter and egg until light and fluffy.
2. 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 again.
5. Now mix with the dry ingredients. When this is thoroughly mixed together, add the cranberries, nuts and white chocolate.
6. Drop the dough onto a cookie sheet 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!

More Sweet Treats from the Blog!

Never cooked with Persimmon? Here are more Persimmon recipes to try and enjoy!

• 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!

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• Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer (orange of course!)
• Pyrex 4-Piece Glass Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons – I love the shape of these because they fit into spice jars

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Persimmon Cookies Recipe