Persimmon Cookies

[red_trillium]

I posted this at my gardening journal, pinepigs_garden and thought I would post it here. It's a scrumptuous recipe and since it's persimmon season here it's perfect! You can probably also use tinned pumpkin if you want too, that would be tasty. If you were really experimental in the kitchen it would probably be nice with a nectarine or peach puree or possibly applesauce.

It's great for eating yourself, but would also be a good Christmas cookie to make for gifts, for fundraising bake sales or just having family/friends over for coffee.

My changes are either in itallics or strikethrough.

original recipe at this link

Moist Persimmon Cookie
By: ANGELZ
"This is a soft moist spicy cookie. The persimmon fruit lends its sweetness and color to this simple cookie. Any type if nuts may be used for this and you may prefer to leave out the raisins."

Recipe details under the cut.

Prep Time:
10 Min
Cook Time:
12 Min
Ready In:
30 Min


Servings 36

Ingredients
1-2 persimmons (approx 1 cup pulp)
1/2 cup shortening butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ to ½ cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Peel and de-stem the persimmons and process them in a food processor or blender. I didn't process the pulp, just scooped the very ripe pulp out and used a fork & knife to cut any biggish pieces. You will want enough pulp to equal 1 cup. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Put baking paper on cookie sheets.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and shortening butter. Beat in the egg and persimmon pulp Beat the egg separately for a few minutes, add to sugar/butter mixture & mix well. Add persimmons to this and mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg all spices, stir into the persimmon mixture. Finally, stir in the chopped nuts and raisins (if used). Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Comments

[monanotlisa]

Oh, bless you for having the taste to use butter. ;)

This does look lovely! ::memorises::

[red_trillium]

LOL, I don't have shortening in the house. I had some about 6 months ago but don't have any now. I usually bake with butter. I know, not as healthy perhaps but tasty!

[monanotlisa]

Oh, no worries, the unhealthiness of butter has been exaggerated - you should enjoy it, in moderation! :)

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_062106.htm#art1

[red_trillium]

Ah, thank you for that link! I do try to use butter fairly sparingly but do use it in baking (and lately have been baking more). LOL, I realised I baked last week (lemon soda cupcakes for a work thing), baked this week because the persimmons were ripe, and want to make a lemon icing & molasses-ginger cookie recipe that I used to make a lot but haven't made in ages so that's probably next week.

And there's gonna be butter in that one too!

[killing_rose]

Out of curiosity, what type of persimmon? Because while I could see this being fantastic with the American persimmon, I am unconvinced of the Japanese persimmon's ability to work with this.

Mind you, I am relatively certain that's what you used, so, you know, I am aware that I'm probably making you look at me oddly. But the Japanese persimmon is usually very bitter-tasting to me, whereas the American persimmon and the Mexican persimmons are not.

Hence my questioning.

[red_trillium]

Hmmmmm, I'm not sure what variety we get here in NZ. I picked up a few at the supermarket a week or 2 ago, don't remember if the sign said what kind they were or where they were grown. I usually pay attention to these things but was caught up in the YUMMM PERSIMMON GOTTA HAVE!! attitude that I neglected to check the details!

The one I ate yesterday was pretty sweet and not bitter, perhaps the same variety as is grown in the US/Mexico??

[used_songs]

I'm not a very good baker, but I think I'm going to have to give this recipe a try. It sounds delicious! Thank you for posting it.

[red_trillium]

Even if you don't consider yourself a good baker it's a fairly easy recipe. I use electric beaters usually to cream the sugar and butter. And if you aren't sure if they are done you can sacrifice one and cut it open. Because the dough is an orangish-brown before it bakes you don't want to let it get very brown before you know it's done. I ended up baking mine for 10 minutes.

It's a tasty recipe :)