There’s nothing quite like the aroma of persimmon bread baking in your oven on a crisp autumn morning. This beloved classic has been a staple in American kitchens for generations, and for good reason – it’s moist, flavorful, and absolutely irresistible. Whether you’re new to baking or a seasoned pro, this persimmon bread recipe will become your go-to favorite.
Persimmons are a special fruit that deserve the spotlight. Their natural sweetness and subtle spice-like flavor make them absolutely perfect for baking. When you use ripe persimmons in this recipe, you’ll create a bread that’s so tender and moist, you’ll never need to add extra oil or butter. The result? A show-stopping loaf that’s perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting to friends and family.
What makes this persimmon bread recipe truly the best? It’s all about using quality ingredients and following a few simple techniques. Fresh, ripe persimmons are essential – they should be so soft they’re almost falling apart. You’ll also want to use real spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for that warm, wonderful flavor that makes this bread so special. Check out this spiced bread guide for more flavor inspiration.
I love making this bread during persimmon season, which typically runs from September through November. It’s the perfect way to celebrate fall and create something truly memorable in your kitchen. The best part? This recipe is forgiving and flexible. You can add nuts, dried fruit, or even a cream cheese glaze if you want to dress it up. For more creative bread ideas, visit this quick bread collection.
This persimmon bread is incredibly versatile. Serve it warm with a cup of coffee, toast it for breakfast with butter and jam, or enjoy a slice as an afternoon treat. It also makes an absolutely stunning gift when wrapped up with a pretty ribbon and a handwritten label. Your friends and family will be so impressed when you tell them you made it from scratch!
Let me walk you through this recipe step by step, sharing all my favorite tips and tricks along the way. You’ll discover how to select the perfect persimmons, prepare them properly, and combine all your ingredients to create the most delicious persimmon bread you’ve ever tasted. I promise this will be a recipe you make again and again, and I can’t wait to hear how much you love it!
For more baking inspiration, check out this fall dessert collection and this loaf cake guide. You might also enjoy exploring Bon Appétit’s persimmon recipes, Serious Eats’ persimmon collection, and New York Times persimmon bread ideas for additional inspiration and techniques.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh persimmon puree (about 4-5 very ripe Fuyu persimmons)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup golden raisins or chopped dried cranberries (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Prepare your persimmons by washing them thoroughly under cool running water. Select very ripe persimmons that are soft to the touch – they should feel almost jelly-like. If your persimmons aren’t quite ripe enough, place them on the counter for a few days until they reach perfect ripeness.
- Cut the persimmons in half and scoop out the soft flesh into a blender or food processor. Discard the skin and any seeds. Blend or process the persimmons until you have a smooth puree. You should have approximately 2 cups of puree.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Set this dry mixture aside, making sure the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil until well combined. The mixture should look like wet sand. This helps distribute the fat evenly throughout the batter.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar and oil mixture, whisking well after each addition. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. This creates a more stable batter.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and the persimmon puree into the egg mixture, whisking until everything is smooth and well combined. The batter will look quite wet at this stage – that’s exactly what you want!
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula or wooden spoon. Stir just until combined – don’t overmix, as this can lead to a tough, dense bread. A few small lumps are perfectly fine.
- If you’re using nuts and dried fruit, fold them in gently at this point. Make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown and a bit cracked, which is totally normal and adds to the rustic charm!
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. This allows it to set slightly while still warm.
- Turn the bread out onto a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing. This prevents the bread from falling apart and ensures clean, beautiful slices.
- Once completely cooled, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil for storage. It will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Pro Tips
- **Selecting Persimmons**: Use Fuyu persimmons for this recipe, as they’re sweeter and have fewer seeds than Hachiya varieties. The persimmons should be extremely ripe – almost uncomfortably soft. If they’re still firm, they’ll taste astringent and bitter.
- **Making Persimmon Puree**: If your persimmons are perfectly ripe, you can simply scoop out the flesh with a spoon without needing a blender. For slightly less ripe fruits, a food processor makes quick work of creating a smooth puree. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer an extra-smooth texture.
- **Oil vs. Butter**: This recipe uses oil instead of butter because it creates an incredibly moist, tender crumb. If you prefer to use butter, use melted butter and slightly reduce the amount to 2/3 cup, as butter contains water which can affect the texture.
- **Spice Adjustments**: Feel free to adjust the spice quantities to suit your preferences. If you love warm spices, increase the cinnamon to 2 teaspoons. If you prefer a more subtle spice flavor, reduce the cloves and ginger by half.
- **Add-Ins**: Chopped walnuts, pecans, or even chocolate chips work beautifully in this bread. Dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots add bursts of flavor and texture. Add no more than 3/4 cup total of add-ins, or the bread may not bake evenly.
- **Oven Temperature**: Every oven is different! If your bread is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil after 30 minutes. If it’s not browning enough, increase the temperature slightly.
- **Toothpick Test**: The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Overbaking will result in a dry, dense loaf, so check early and often.
- **Cooling Completely**: This is crucial! Slicing the bread while it’s still warm will cause it to crumble. Let it cool completely on the wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
- **Storage**: Store the cooled bread wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap well and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen bread at room temperature for several hours before serving.
- **Serving Suggestions**: Serve slices warm with a dollop of whipped cream or cream cheese frosting. Toast day-old slices and serve with butter and jam for breakfast, or enjoy plain as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea.
- **Gifting**: This bread makes a wonderful gift! Wrap individual slices in parchment paper and place them in a pretty box or jar. Include a label with the ingredients for anyone with allergies.