Mrs. Jost's Persimmon Cookies

If you’ve got a tree dropping ripe persimmons faster than you can eat them, these spiced cookies are exactly where that fruit should go. The pureed persimmon pulp makes each cookie incredibly soft and cake-like, almost more like a spiced drop cake than a crispy cookie.

The baking soda gets stirred directly into the persimmon puree before it goes into the batter. This is intentional. The natural acidity of the persimmon reacts with the soda immediately, and that reaction is what gives these cookies their lift. Mix it in right before you’re ready to combine everything, then work quickly.

Alternating the dry ingredients and the persimmon mixture into the creamed butter keeps the batter smooth and prevents the flour from clumping up. Walnuts add crunch to every bite, and the raisins plump up during baking into sweet, juicy pockets throughout.

Chef Tips

• Use Hachiya persimmons, not Fuyu. Hachiyas are the soft, acorn-shaped variety that purees into a smooth, almost jam-like consistency when fully ripe. Fuyus stay firm and won’t give you the right texture.
• A ripe Hachiya feels like a water balloon. If it’s still firm, let it ripen on the counter (or freeze and thaw it to speed things up).
• These cookies spread very little, so you can place them close together on the baking sheet.
• They stay soft for days stored in an airtight container. The persimmon keeps them moist.

Variations

• Chocolate chip addition: Fold in dark chocolate chips along with the walnuts for a richer cookie.
• Spice swap: Replace the cloves with allspice for a slightly different warm spice profile.