There is nothing like the first cool wave of fall after a long, hot summer. The day you actually get to wear a sweater or pull out that corduroy jacket is the best!
God I love and miss those days! We don’t get fall until mid to late November here and that means about six trees in southern California turn red or orange. But they sure do look great when they turn. I make a point to go for a walk down the one street I know that has autumnal foliage and always kick through the leaves.
I live in an area where persimmons are very popular and I love them, but only after they’ve totally ripened. Some people like the Hachiya ones, that are short and fat. You don’t have to wait for them to totally ripen, but I always do. You can eat them like an apple before they ripen or put them in salads, etc. The type I prefer are the Fuyu’s, the more slender elongated ones that have to be squishy before you can eat them. Check out Fuyu vs. Hachiya for more information on the subject. I think theFuyu’s flavor is better.
I remember buying some persimmons at Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles, and bringing them home to my mom because she loved them. Unfortunately, they were very, very ripe. I caught her blissfully happy with a little juice running down her chin. My dad must be trying to get her to focus on me taking the picture and not the persimmon on her plate because he’s pointing to the camera. 
Anyway, due to the plethora of persimmons in Glendale, I always buy too many and then am forced to make persimmon cookies because God forbid anything goes to waste. These cookies are very autumnal and wonderful with cream cheese frosting. (Is there anything that isn’t wonderful with cream cheese frosting?)
So, get yourself some persimmons, then go for a walk in the nice crisp air, come home and make these cookies. They freeze really well too, so you can save them for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Persimmons are only around for a little while in the fall, back east, so buy them when you see them. Then let them ripen to the point where they’re squishy. Then you can just cut them in half and scoop out the insides. You need about a cup of pulp for these cookies, but if you have extra, they’ll be more moist, which is never a bad thing. Enjoy!
Persimmon Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
[cooked-recipe id=”19725″]
7 Comments
Diana Diekmann
December 22, 2018 at 10:13 amHi Fran, I love persimmons and always have a persimmon “connection” so I have many, many persimmons at my disposal so I make persimmon bread that everyone loves. I give them away to clients and friends for the holidays. My question is this. In your cookie recipe, do you let the persimmon puree (btw, I puree skins and all) sit with the baking soda for about 15 minutes before you add it to the rest of the ingredients? My recipe calls for that because it causes the persimmon puree to gel and not be so liquidy. What do you do?
Fran Tunno
December 23, 2018 at 9:28 amHi Diana, I don’t use the skins, but since they’re so thin it probably doesn’t make a difference – I may have to try that. As for the gelling, I don’t usually wait. I just give it another stir to loosen it up a bit and mix it in. My recipe doesn’t say anything about the gel factor.
lafriday
October 19, 2018 at 9:42 pmI have never had a persimmon because I was never sure what to do with one. I’m back on low-carb, so no cookies (although they sound divine). I might follow in your mom’s footsteps and just eat a nice ripe drippy persimmon.
Fran Tunno
September 25, 2018 at 9:46 amMine too, I love fall. No Olympics though. I can’t really think of a fruit they’re similar to. Maybe a very liquidy, sweet pumpkin. Thanks for always reading Chas! You da man.
Nicol
September 25, 2018 at 7:50 amAs an early taste-tester if this batch release, I can affirm everything that Fran has said in this blog post!!! Happy Fall, Fran and All. Fran, thank you for being such a part of the flavor of all of our lives xoxo
Fran Tunno
September 25, 2018 at 9:47 amLove you to bits NIcol. Glad you got to taste test them. xoxox
Chas Madonio
September 25, 2018 at 7:21 amFuyu vs. Hachiya? Sounds like the final match-up for the Olympic Gold Medal in sumo wrestling. I’ve never had persimmons, but these cookies sound tasty. Do they taste similar to dates or figs? Fall has arrived in NE Ohio -finally. We went from 90 degrees to 50 overnight last week and the leaves are just starting to turn. It’s my favorites season.