With over 300 5-star reviews, this persimmon bread recipe has become a long-time reader favorite. The texture is super moist and fluffy, it’s the perfect combination of spices, and not too sweet.

Here’s what people are saying about the best persimmon bread they’ve ever had:

  • “This is the most delicious bread I’ve ever made!”
  • “Super moist, not too sweet, perfect combination of spices!”
  • “The texture of this bread is amazing.”
  • “Fluffy, moist, and super duper delicious!”
  • “…the smell was absolutely heavenly while it baked.”
Baked quickbread loaf decorated with sliced persimmon next to a striped kitchen towel.

Want the complete scoop on baking with this fruit? Read my thorough persimmon guide.

🌟Why You’ll Love This Persimmon Bread Recipe

  • Easy for beginners – I have tested this recipe thoroughly to make sure it’s accessible for beginner bakers and provided easy-to-follow instructions for every step.
  • Over 250 5-star reviews – Ratings don’t like, and this persimmon bread recipe is has won the hearts of many readers.
  • Persimmon flavor is the star of the show – Persimmons are my favorite winter fruit. They’ve got all the fall and winter spice flavors, and overripe persimmons are irresistibly sweet and delicious.
  • Moist texture – This bread has the texture of the best banana bread, moist and scrumptious. You’ll never have a dry, cakey bread with this recipe!
  • Great way to use ripe persimmons – Persimmon lovers can always eat these lovely fruits as they are, but I think they really shine in baked goods like this bread, these persimmon cookies, or these persimmon muffins.

🧾Ingredients for Persimmon Bread

  • Persimmon pulp – I prefer to use Hachiya persimmons because they have a better yield, but Fuyu and American also both work. Your persimmons must be really ripe and mushy (think a super squishy and soft texture) for this recipe to work best. To ripen persimmons, leave them on the counter at room temp. Then pulse them into a puree.
  • All-purpose flour – Some readers have tried using gluten-free flour substitutes with success, but I haven’t tested it myself.
  • Unsalted butter – It’s better to use unsalted butter in baking so that you can control the salt content yourself.
  • White sugar – Use white granulated or white cane sugar.
  • Spice mix – I use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to spice this bread with fall flavors. You can also substitute with pumpkin spice.
  • Vanilla extract – Try to use a high-quality vanilla extract for this recipe.
  • Eggs – These act as the binder for the mix.
  • Salt – I usually use kosher or sea salt in this recipe.
  • Baking soda – This is the raising agent that helps the persimmon bread rise. Baking soda uses the acidity from the fruit to activate.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

🧡 Pro Tip 🧡

Use very ripe and mushy persimmons for your puree. The riper they are, the sweeter they taste. Also, the mushiness of the ripe persimmon makes it so the persimmon can be evenly distributed throughout the batter. Discard as much of the persimmon skins as possible when baking for the smoothest texture.

👩‍🍳How to Make Persimmon Bread

Before starting, you will need to have three bowls ready: 1 large, 1 medium, and 1 small. You will also need your pureed Hachiya persimmon pulp.

Orange pulp being processed in a food processor next to a window.
  • Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease the surface of a 9x5x3 loaf pan with butter or a non-stick baking spray. I like to use a non-stick loaf pan for easy results.
  • Peel your overripe persimmon and pulse them in a food processor.
Sifting flour into a glass bowl.
  • In your medium bowl, sift the dry ingredients together (flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves). If you don’t want to sift them, you can also whisk them together to break down any clumps.
  • In your large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well incorporated and they have a light, fluffy texture.
  • In the small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract with a whisk.
  • With a hand mixer or standing mixer, slowly pour the egg mixture into the creamed butter and sugar and mix them together well.
Scraping the sides of a metal bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Next, add in the persimmon puree. Mix until just incorporated.
Pouring flour into a metal stand mixer bowl.
  • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients one-third at a time. Mix until just incorporated. It will be a very wet batter.
Pouring batter into a loaf pan from a stand mixer bowl.
  • Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. I sometimes like to top the batter with very thinly sliced Fuyu persimmons for decoration.
Quickbread being released from a metal loaf pan.
  • Cook the bread for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted into the bread center just barely comes out clean. Take care not to overbake it as the texture will not be as moist.

🧡 Pro Tip 🧡

To make sure your bread retains its moist texture, let the bread cool completely in a sealed environment. Use a plastic bag or large resealable container. Then, leave the bread overnight and enjoy it in the morning.

📋Persimmon FAQs

When are persimmons in season?

Fuyu persimmons come into season around September and can linger into December. Hachiya persimmons tend to arrive later, usually from October through late December.

Are persimmons good for baking?

Persimmons are wonderful for baking. When they ripen to become mushy and sweet, they’re so easy to incorporate into different batters from persimmon cookies to persimmon pancakes.

What’s the difference between Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons?

Fuyu persimmons are small, squat, and can be enjoyed like apples – skin and all. When ripe, they’re sweet, slightly tangy, and perfect for snacking on.
Hachiya persimmons are longer and heart-shaped with a bright orange color. They’re incredibly astringent when not fully ripe. You must wait until they’re soft and ripe to eat them, or else they’ll taste sharp.

Can persimmons be eaten raw?

Absolutely! Persimmons can be enjoyed raw, and are extra delicious when ripe. Simply peel the skin (if it’s an astringent Fuyu) and slice it into wedges. You can also use them in salads, baked desserts, or even as a topping for yogurt.

Do persimmons taste like apples?

They are not that similar. Apples are sweet and often have a tart edge, whereas persimmons are sweet with more of a honeyed flavor with warm spice, Unripe Hachiya persimmons are super astringent and sour, so wait until they ripen for a sweet taste.

A loaf of quickbread on a white countertop.

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other creative ways to use persimmon in savory recipes and sweets!

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Persimmon Bread

4.96 from 315 votes
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With over 250 5-star reviews, this persimmon bread recipe has become a long-time reader favorite. The texture is super moist and fluffy, it's the perfect combination of spices, and not too sweet.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, plus more for greasing your loaf pan
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup persimmon puree Hachiya preferred

Instructions

  • Preheat to 350F. Lightly grease your 9x5x3 loaf pan.
  • In a medium bowl sift the dry ingredients. Flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  • In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
  • In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla extract.
  • With a hand mixer or standing mixer slowly pour the egg mixture into the creamed butter and sugar. Mix well.
  • Add the persimmon. Remove from mixer.
  • With a spoon or rubber spatula, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients 1/3 at a time. Mix with a rubber spatula until just incorporated.
  • Pour into loaf pan*. Optional to top with thinly sliced persimmons.**
  • Cook 48-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely. I let it cool overnight and have it for breakfast!

Video

Notes

* Usually when baking in a glass pan, the temperature should be 25 degrees lower, and will take up to 10 minutes longer – this recipe has not been tested in a glass pan, but in a non-stick pan (see photos).
**If you plan to decorate the top of the loaf with persimmon, know that it keeps the center from cooking evenly with the sides of the loaf. The center of the loaf will need longer to cook than the sides. For best results, do not top the loaf with persimmon. If you do, slice them VERY thinly.
Additional Notes
  • Use very ripe and mushy persimmons. The riper, the sweeter. Also, the mushiness of the ripe persimmon makes it so the persimmon can be evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Note that the batter is very wet, so don’t be concerned with this texture.
  • For zero sticking when baking, I use a non-stick loaf pan.
  • Fuyu or Hichaya? Although I prefer to eat slightly under-ripe Fuyu persimmons for snacks on the go, the over-ripe hachiya works best in the batter of this recipe. I use sliced Fuyu persimmons for the top of the bread.
  • Discard as much of the persimmon skins as possible when baking for the smoothest texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 399mg | Potassium: 127mg | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 19.6mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

340 Comments

  1. Unfortunately the metric conversion is not correct. 1/2 cup butter is not 115 grams. It’s about 230. So double the quantity in one recipe or the other. Please clarify 🩷

  2. 5 stars
    Has great texture. I think there’s something missing though. Perhaps it’s my sweet tooth. Maybe an icing of some sorts.
    I do believe the glass pan bakes more quickly and I should have turned the temp down 25 degrees and cooked longer. The edge was overrated. NOT burnt but almost there. Great inside.

  3. Amazing recipe! I did use baking powder instead of soda. Also, instead od sliced persimmons, I added some cinnamon sugar on top. It made the top shiny, sticky and delicious!

    Also used less sugar in the batter and the reicpe is very forgiving.

  4. 3 stars
    Flavor was great, smells amazing, and the color was a deep brown.

    I feel there was too much butter as the loaf was very greasy coming out and resting on a rack. Also the total yield was half of my normal bread loaf in my Nordic Ware bread pan. Lastly I didn’t have any nutmeg so I’m not sure how it affected the flavor. The loaf only stayed fresh tightly wrapped in plastic wrap stored in a plastic container for about 2 days.

    I’ll try to sub some of the butter with Greek yogurt and add some more persimmon pulp and also may double the batch so I get a taller loaf.

    I also might use a tangzhong method that precooks some of the flour to further extend the shelf life.

  5. I read all the comments & plan to add or substitute ingredients suggested. A Vietnamese friend gave me the persimmons from her tree & advised letting them ripen til soft & they will be sweeter. I’ll let you know what I use & how this delicious-sounding loaf turns out.

  6. The flavor is delicious, however it turned out dry. Was careful not to over stir or over bake. Followed directions. Used a Pampered Chef loaf baking dish.

    1. Hi Tina, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t come out as expected! This sounds like an oven that might be a little too hot. I recommend using an oven thermometer to check if it’s running too hot or cool, and to check if there are hot spots in your oven. You can do this by moving the thermometer around the oven. This will help with more consistent baking.
      If you don’t want to check your oven, you can always pull the loaf out of the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean, so I recommend checking 5-10 minutes earlier than the directed time if you don’t have time to get an oven thermometer. I hope this helps for future baking!

  7. 5 stars
    This recipe is really fantastic. I left out cloves since I generally don’t like the flavor, but may try it next time. I’m going to try it with banana too since we won’t have persimmons again until fall.

  8. 5 stars
    Thank you for this delicious recipe! It turned out great! I used what was left in the cabinet… I only spiced it up with cinnamon, added nuts, dehydrated berries, candied orange peel and lemon zest. Also, I used half butter and half coconut oil. It’s a keeper and I can’t wait to try it with bananas instead.

  9. 5 stars
    I made this yesterday for the first time using very ripe persimmons in Spain (caquis maduros) that I received in a surprise box from my green grocer (fruteria). I also tried your persimmon cookie recipe which we also thought was very good, but this cake was another level – we all LOVED it! I followed the recipe exactly except for the cloves and it turned out perfectly. It is a definite keeper! Thanks

  10. 5 stars
    This was absolutely fantastic. Everyone loved it (especially the kids). We let it cool slightly, then served slices with vanilla ice cream for dessert. The texture and flavors were delicious and it was really easy to make.

  11. 5 stars
    I just made this today – I am working my way through cooking with new ingredients & I’ve never made anything with Persimmons before. This turned out absolutely amazing, I followed the recipe exactly. 4 ripe persimmons made roughly 1 cup of purée!! Thank you so much for this recipe, will definitely be making again soon!

    1. Hello! I have made this before following your recipe and it was great! This time, I would like to use maple syrup instead of sugar. Do I use the same amount? Thank you!

      1. So glad you like it! I’ve never tried/tested it, but the general rule is that yes, you can substitute it at a 1:1, but add 1 tablespoon of flour for every ¼ cup of maple syrup. If you give it a try, please report back and let us know if it worked.

  12. 5 stars
    I have made this a few times now and each time it turns out delicious! Such an easy recipe too. I’m going to make another loaf today.
    I have been using Fuyu persimmons and wait till they are very mushy and they work great.
    Everyone , I have given some to, love it! Even people who don’t like persimmons or maybe just think they don’t. (Wink)
    If you haven’t tried this recipe, I strongly recommend you do.
    It’s very moist and has a great flavor.

4.96 from 315 votes (198 ratings without comment)

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