Persimmon Cookies

This is my Mother’s recipe but not as I remember it. After baking, these were not Bon Bon shaped nor as dry as the original recipe she used. As she would say, they’re better the next day, and sure enough the dryness disappeared in those Bon Bon’s. The newer recipe here is quite good. And doesn’t take a day for the moistness to be noticed. The spices even seem a bit different to me. It is a mystery … the origin of this recipe. But if you like moist, spicy, nutty, full of raisin cookies you’ll love these.

I’m not sure anyone in our family was broken-hearted if our annual persimmons didn’t arrive. No one ate them except in cookies or pudding. Well, not until my sister-in-law Linda. She loved persimmons, spooning the mushy pulp from inside the skin. I thought her so brave. My brother went on to plant a whole grove of Fuyu (the squatter version of the traditional fruit) when few in the San Joaquin Valley considered this a marketable product. Or maybe that was just my thought!

Here you go. Here’s the recipe. Hope you enjoy.

Recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

One cube butter (8 tablespoons) + 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) Total: 13 & 1/3 T-room temperature
1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 Egg
1/2 Cup persimmon pulp (about 2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons)
1 Cup all purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Dashes ground pepper
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 Teaspoon ginger
1/8 Teaspoon cloves
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts
3/4 Cup raisins-plumped in hot water for 15 minutes then drained

To remove pulp from the persimmon: Cut or pull off top. Slice the fruit in quarters and remove any seeds or core with a spoon. Use the spoon and remove the pulp leaving only the skin. Place the pulp in a blender and whirl until smooth. Pour blended pulp into a sieve and push the fruit through with the back of a spoon. No blender? Not to worry. Skip that step and press pulp through sieve. It may take a bit longer.

In a large bowl using a mixer blend the first four ingredients until light and creamy.

Whisk together all dry ingredients except nuts and raisins. Add whisked flour mixture to the creamed mixture mixing until blended.

Stir in nuts and drained raisins.

Drop teaspoonful of batter onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. These do spread when baked. Allow 2 inches between cookies.

Bake 20 minutes in preheated oven until lightly brown. No over baking please. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.