Persimmon Cookies

Click here to print the recipe

I don't have Hachiya persimmon tree in my yard, but one of my neighbors does. Every year, around this time, that tree produces tons of fruits. So many of them, it looks like a big giant flaming orange blob from the distance.

And the owner(s) of the tree, I imagine, are getting really tired of persimmons, so they filled a big card board box with persimmons and placed the box outside of their house, right on the driveway, free for anybody who wants them.

And then there was me.

Who certainly can't pass on the opportunity to bake some persimmon bread and cookies. So I took about 8 persimmons, kept them for about a week until they're ripe and ready to use.

Now I have cookies. Lots of yummy cookies.

Ingredients:

• Pulp from 2 medium Hachiya persimmons (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachio

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Sift all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add persimmon pulp and egg, mix until well blended.
• Add dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix. Fold dried cranberries and pistachio into the batter. 
• Drop a tablespoon of batter onto a greased cookie sheet, place them about 2-inches apart from each other. Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool down. Store in airtight container if not consumed immediately.

Recipe is adapted from White on Rice Couple's lovely persimmon cookie recipe.