Persimmon Bread Recipe - | Sweet Bread Recipes (2024)

This persimmon bread recipe is perfect for using up persimmon pulp and making delicious gifts this season!

Persimmon bread is a delicious sweet bread that you can enjoy for breakfast or dessert. It makes a wonderful gift during the fall and winter holidays as well.

Persimmon Fruit

Believe it or not, persimmons are a berry. They come in a few varieties and range in size and color.

The two main types of persimmons are Fuyu and Hachiya.

Fuyu persimmons are the less astringent of the two types of persimmons. They can be eaten like an apple and taste better while still on the firmer side (but not rock hard).

Hachiya persimmons are the more astringent of the two types. You know they are ready to eat when they are overly soft. Think of an over-ripe avocado or tomato.

For a recipe like this, I have found that Fuyu persimmons cook into an apple sauce-like consistency the best.

If all you have are Hachiya persimmons, let them get very soft and simply mash or blend them into something similar to apple sauce. No cooking is required.

What Do Persimmons Taste Like?

A good persimmon at its peak will taste sweet, mild, and rich. Many people have described its flavor as “honey-like.” It’s texture is similar to that of an apricot and its skin is a bit tougher than an apple’s.

Source: MyRecipes

How To Ripen Persimmons

Never eat an unripened Hachiya persimmon. It won’t be a pleasant experience.

The best way to ripen a Hachiya persimmon quickly is to put it in a paper bag with an apple or banana. It can take up to 6 days for them to fully ripen. And once they are ripe, you should eat them immediately.

Fuyu persimmons can be eaten at almost any stage. However, you don’t want to try and eat one if it’s rock-hard. But they are very similar to apples both in firmness and in how you usually eat them or cook with them.

What To Do With Persimmons

Depending on the type of persimmon you have, there are different things you can do with them. While there is some crossover, certain types of persimmons are better for some recipes than others. So pay attention to the type of persimmon called for in a recipe and do not switch types.

Uses for persimmons include:

• Jam
• Fruit butter
• Breakfast casseroles
• Smoothies
• Parfaits
• Persimmon bars
• Persimmon candy
• Fruit leather
• Salsa
• Roasted persimmons (great over ice cream)
• Cooked with meats such as chicken
• Mixed into grain salads
• In pasta
• Fresh salads
• In sorbet
• Baked into sweet bread
• Used in tarts

When Are Persimmons Ripe?

Fuyu persimmons can be eaten at pretty much any stage of ripeness. So pick a nice one off the tree and dig in, just like you would with an apple.

Hachiya persimmons, however, are ripe when they are very soft, like an over-ripe tomato. My mom used to leave them to ripen on the windowsill over the kitchen sink. But setting them on the counter until they are super soft is what most folks do. It can take about six days for them to get soft, so be patient.

How To Eat Persimmons

As mentioned above, that depends on the type you have.

Fuyus can be cooked, baked, or eaten like an apple.

Hachiyas are best cooked or baked. They make great fruit leather or persimmon candy.

How To Serve Persimmons

Pretty much any way you see fit.

Fuyus are great sliced and served fresh like other fruits while Hachiyas are usually best served as part of a dish or turned into something else. Hachiyas are wonderful to eat raw, but messy to serve if you are serving guests.

What You’ll Need

Persimmon pulp – This is best made out of Hichaya persimmons but can be made out of Fuyu’s as well if they get cooked enough to break down the fruit. If you’d like to make pulp in your slow cooker, try this recipe for slow cooker persimmon pulp. It’s easy!

Unsweetened milk– I say unsweetened because I used almond milk. You can use dairy milk if you wish or any other non-dairy milk.

Egg whites – I used egg whites to cut down on the general fat content, but you can use 1 whole egg if that’s not your goal.

Oil– You’ll want a light-flavored oil. Grapeseed oil is a good choice.

Honey – Use your favorite kind. Any type of honey will work. You can also try maple syrup, but the bread won’t be as sweet, and it will miss that distinct honey flavor.

Pure vanilla extract – I used bourbon vanilla, but you can use any vanilla as long as it’s the real stuff.

Whole wheat pastry flour – Some folks have a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour. If this is the case, look for white whole wheat flour. It’s the next best thing. Regular whole wheat flour will work, but it will give you a much coarser and stiffer bread.

Salt – I used Himalayan pink salt, but any salt you have on hand should do the trick.

Baking soda – Ensure you have fresh baking soda, or your bread won’t rise properly. Not sure if yours is fresh? Scroll down on this page for a way to test it on Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Baking powder – The same rule applies here. Make sure it’s fresh, or it won’t work. And if you need to test it, click the link I just mentioned above for a way to do that.

Ground cinnamon – This adds wonderful flavor. Don’t skip it!

How To Make Persimmon Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Oil and flour two small loaf pans. Mix all wet ingredients in a large bowl. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.

Pour into loaf pans. Bake for 60 – 75 minutes, or until a knife poked into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

Turn over onto a cooling rack, and continue to cool. Slice and serve.

Need Supplies?

More Sweet Bread Recipes

• Zucchini Bread
• Irish Spice Bread
• Raspberry Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Banana Bread

Recipes Used

• Persimmon Pulp

Persimmon Bread Recipe Card

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 12/26/2009.