Rich sweet persimmons are one of my favorite fruits to enjoy. They are rich in flavor, and a real decadent treat! Often overlooked, you may not know how to use this not to be missed winter fruit. I gathered some of my favorite persimmon recipes so that you’ll know exactly how to prepare and enjoy persimmons this season.
Types of Persimmons
There are three main species of persimmons, the Asian Hachiya and Fuyu, and the American (Diospyros Virginiana). Each type of persimmon looks slightly different, just as different species of apples look slightly different.
The Hachiya persimmon is elongated and heart shaped. The American persimmon has the same body shape as a Hachiya, elongated and heart shaped.
The Fuyu persimmon is rounder and flatter, resembling the shape of a squat tomato. All varieties range from pale orange to bright orange in color.
Top: Fuyu persimmon Bottom: Hachiya persimmon
Before You Prepare Your Persimmon Recipes
It’s extremely important that your persimmon is ripe before you cut it open to prepare one of these delicious persimmon recipes.
This is especially true if you are using Hachiya or American persimmons. They are highly astringent when not ripe, making them bitter and extremely unpleasant.
You’ll know a persimmon is ripe when it’s soft to the touch. When you give your persimmon a squeeze it should have the same feel as a water balloon. It should have some give and bounce back.
Hachiya persimmon
It takes quite some time for Hachiya persimmons to ripen, sometimes even several weeks depending on the ripeness of the persimmon in the grocery store. Be patient, and don’t cut it open too early!
If you need to speed up the process place the persimmons in a paper bag with a ripe banana and leave on the counter top.
Fuyu persimmons, on the other hand, don’t need to be soft and squishy before you eat them. They do not have the same astringent properties, so they will be sweet and can be used when they are firm or soft.
15 Delicious Persimmon Recipes You Must Try
Here are some of my favorite persimmon recipes! Make these delicious recipes in the fall and winter when persimmons are in season.
Spiced Persimmon Bread with Honey and Ginger
My simple quick bread is an easy introduction to cooking with persimmon. Like a zucchini or banana bread, this recipe for sweet persimmon bread makes for an excellent breakfast, or snack!
Spiced Persimmon Bread with Honey and Ginger
This persimmon bread with honey and candied ginger is moist, sweet, and spicy. The persimmons and honey give this bread a sweet rich flavor, while the candied ginger gives a bit of a kick in every bite. It’s satisfying in every way!
Check out this recipe
Persimmon Muffins
These persimmon muffins by Knead Bake Cook are also made with Hachiya persimmons. They are light and fluffy with a crunchy baked top and delicious bites of persimmon throughout.
Persimmon Muffins
These are similar to banana muffins in that you add in the mashed fruit and it blends in to be part of the batter rather than in chunks. These muffins end up with a muted persimmon taste so if you desire more, chunks of fuyu persimmon would also be good.
Persimmon Jam
Need a little something sweet to spread on top of your muffins and bread? This persimmon jam for canning from Practical Self Reliance will have you enjoying the flavor or persimmon all year long!
Persimmon Jam for Canning
Persimmon jam is an easy jam to make at home and captures the warm fresh flavor of persimmons for year-round eating. Persimmons contain pectin naturally, so this jam comes together easily with just three ingredients.
Persimmon Cookies
This versatile cooke recipe from Attainable Sustainable is made with persimmon pulp bakes into a cake like texture. Stir in nuts, chocolate chips, raisons or other dried fruit. They’re an addictive snack or dessert!
Persimmon Cookies
This recipe for persimmon cookies results in a cookie with a cake-like consistency that is somewhat addictive. Make them with chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts for a flavor-packed sweet treat.
Healthy Homemade Maple Persimmon Granola
How about having a little persimmon in your morning granola! This maple granola recipe by Attainable Sustainable uses persimmon pulp to make it extra sweet!
Healthy Homemade Maple Persimmon Granola
Love breakfast cereal but not the price of boxed cereal? This healthy homemade granola recipe with persimmons and maple syrup offers great fall flavor in your cereal bowl. It’s inexpensive and tasty!
Persimmon Cake
This moist and delicious cake by Homestead Honey uses foraged American Diospyros Virginiana persimmon.
Persimmon Cake
Deliciously moist with a light spice, this persimmon cake makes a wonderful breakfast or dessert treat.
Persimmon Upside Down Cake
This persimmon upside down cake by Cardamom and Tea uses the Fuyu persimmon to create a buttery top and a light and fluffy cake.
Persimmon Upside Down Cake
This cold weather dessert has persimmons basted in a brown sugar butter sauce, and baked under a mound of buttermilk butter cake, bringing their warmth to another level.
Easy Persimmon Pudding Cake
A pudding that’s more like a cake this persimmon dessert by Mom’s Kitchen Handbook uses Hachiya persimmon puree to create a cross between a cake and a pudding.
Easy Persimmon Pudding Cake
This takes an old-fashioned holiday dessert and gives it a modern update, notably, healthier ingredients and a simplified method of baking. Be sure to use very ripe, very soft persimmons to make this cake. When topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream, it’s just right for the holiday table.
Persimmon Pie
This persimmon pie from Forest and Fauna is vegan and paleo. Using Fuyu persimmons it bakes into a beautiful dessert. A great change from pumpkin or sweet potato pie.
Persimmon Pie
This persimmon pie is paleo and vegan and it is such a nice seasonal treat to enjoy in the fall. Persimmons are naturally high in pectin, and they gel up really nicely when pureed and used as a base in the pie. There is absolutely no need to add any eggs or gelatin as pectin in the persimmons will do all the magic for you.
Vanilla Bean Pear Persimmon Pie
Vanilla, pears, and persimmon collide in this delicately sweet gluten-free pie by Snixy Kitchen.
Vanilla Bean Pear Persimmon Pie
This vanilla bean pear persimmon pie deserves a feature on your holiday dessert table. Warm spiced pear and fuyu persimmon slices flecked with vanilla bean nestled into a buttery flakey vanilla gluten-free pie crust.
Persimmon Tart
This simple tart by Honestly Yum is a reimagined take on the traditional apple tart using fuyu persimmons.
Persimmon Tart
An easy dessert that's half made for you already! Using puff pastry and sliced persimmon topped with butter and brushed with apricot jam.
Persimmon Galette
This persimmon galette from Adventures in Cooking makes for an impressive dessert at a dinner party, but nobody would know it’s a super simple dessert!
Persimmon Galette
This persimmon galette contains layers of persimmons soaked in a cinnamon syrup, with a vanilla mascarpone filling underneath, wrapped in a flakey crust. It's beautiful, delicious, and best of all, is very fast and easy to make!
Roasted Persimmon Ice Cream
Persimmon ice cream! Yes, please! This Persimmon Ice Cream from Cafe Johnsonia starts with slow roasted persimmons. No sugar added, 100% fruit-sweetened.
Roasted Persimmon Ice Cream
This persimmon ice cream starts with slow roasted persimmons, is 100% fruit-sweetened, and incredibly delicious. For an extra special dessert, infuse the milk and cream with fresh rosemary, vanilla bean, and bay leaf. The flavor is exquisite!
Spiced Persimmon Bourbon Old Fashioned
This Spiced Persimmon Bourbon Old Fashioned from Half Baked Harvest is a warm and comforting cocktail for cold winter nights.
Spiced Persimmon Bourbon Old Fashioned
Made with a spiced maple persimmon puree, bourbon, sweet clementine juice, and a couple dashes of bitters, this is the perfect warming cocktail for cold fall or winter nights.
Persimmon Champagne Cocktail with Cinnamon and Sage
My Persimmon Champagne Cocktail is fruity and herbal at the same time. A refreshing wintertime or holiday drink!
Persimmon Champagne Cocktail
This persimmon cocktail made with cinnamon, sage, and honey simple syrup is combined with champagne for a refreshing and herbal drink.
Check out this recipe
Hope you enjoy these delicious persimmon recipes and don’t shy away from picking one up when you see it in the grocery store!
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