By: Erin Walgamuth
These delicious cookies are perfect for fall and the holiday season. They are tender, slightly sweet and a bit spicy. I must say that they are wonderful with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
You can find persimmons in the grocery store usually until late December. The most common varieties are Fuyu and Hychia. I like to buy Fuyu persimmons, which are orange in color, slightly square in shape and have little green leaves on their tops. You can eat this variety of persimmon whether they are firm or soft. If the persimmons you buy for this recipe are very firm, just put them on the kitchen counter to ripen before you make the cookies.
You might be familiar with another recipe from Grandma Walgamuth that I shared during holiday time two years ago, Grandma Walgamuth’s Sandtorte. Well, I’m sure you will be happy to know that this recipe comes to you free of any family controversy! Grandma Walgamuth allowed everyone in the family to have this recipe! Enjoy
You will need:
Sharp knife
Spoon
Fork or potato masher to mash pulp
Flour sifter
Measuring cups and spoons
Small mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bow
Greased baking sheet
Spatula
Wire cooling rack
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Prep time is about 15 minutes
Cook time is about 13-15 minutes
Makes approximately 3 dozen
Click here to get the weekly Your SCV Home & Wellness Newsletter delivered right to your inbox!
1 cup of persimmon pulp (about 2 very ripe persimmons)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins
½ cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Note-Slice off the top of the persimmon (where the leaves are) and scoop out flesh.
Smash persimmon flesh into pulp in a small bowl, measure out 1 cup. Put 1 cup persimmon pulp into medium mixing bowl and add baking soda. Mix soda into pulp until the soda dissolves, set aside.
Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg into medium bowl. Add raisins and nuts to flour mixture and toss with a fork to incorporate, set aside.
Cream the shortening and sugar in large bowl until fluffy, then beat in egg to combine. Add persimmon and mix well to combine.
Mix flour mixture into persimmon mixture and combine well.
Drop batter onto greased cookie sheet using a teaspoon. Bake cookies in the pre-heated oven for approximately 13-15 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven and let sit for a few minutes. Use the spatula to place cookies on a cooling rack.
Erin Walgamuth has been an assistant Food Stylist for television and print for the past 26 years and writes this column using her own recipes. Check out her other creations in our Hometown Recipe section.