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!

I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m up to.

Persimmon Bread

4.96 from 315 votes
Print Recipe Save
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. Thank you for the recipe. I have been given a bunch of persimmon so will make this cake tonight!

    I just wanted to let you know that you refer to hachiya persimmon as “hochaya” in your ingredient list and as “hichaya” in your instructions.

  2. 5 stars
    The smell was delicious, my 3 year old absolutely had to have a piece fresh out of the oven.
    I did make some changes because I am both wheat and lactose intolerant. Used 180 g of spelt flour with baking powder and used a plant based butter.
    Also used an unrefined sugar, that is similar in colour to brown sugar, giving the bread a beautiful dark brown colour.
    It did turn out quite oily, so next time I’ll use less butter.
    It was heavenly, I have no idea how you manage to wait until the next morning.
    This was my first time baking with persimmon, a great recipe.
    Many thanks from the Netherlands!

    1. I’m so glad to hear you both enjoyed it, Nanda! I’ve never baked with spelt flour… and I’m curious how it will turn out when you reduce the butter… please report back, I’d love to give it a try!

  3. I’m inspired by the comments and will make this bread. I distinctly bought overripe persimmons. Was going to add it to a protein shake, but like the sound of this bread. I love persimmons and wish I had a tree as well Candice. Where do these trees grow?

    1. I can’t wait to hear what you think, Carol! They are native to Japan, China, and North America, depending on the species. I do see them all over Portland!

  4. 5 stars
    So yummy and easy. I subbed butter with bananas due to dairy allergies. I also cut the sugar to 1/4 cup sugar. The sweetness of the bananas and persimmons made up for the sugar. My students loved it!

  5. 5 stars
    Absolutely amazing!! My first time making persimmon bread and i am so glad i chose this recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    My friends and family loved it. But instead of sliced fuyu on top, i used the left over hachiya which eventually jellied and made a perfect topping! great for my morning coffee too.

  7. 5 stars
    This is excellent recipe ! We have about 4 Khaki Persimmons Trees . It was a great tree to have lots of fruits we harvest every year we give it away to our friends and family . But this year is not that really much fruits because of strong storms we had few months ago ! Some of the fruits were shaken to the ground . I was able to purée some of ripe ones . I definitely make some more and give it away for Christmas to friends and family . I add some chopped pecan nuts and chocolate chips for toppings and used Bundt cake pan . It did not take long it was gone the next day . Thank you for the excellent recipe and sharing it to us ! I give you thumbs up 👍

  8. I’m not sure what happened, but the bread collapsed after I took it out the oven. My toothpick was dry when I checked it, but when I cut a slice of the bread, it didn’t seem to be ready even though I baked it for 1 hour. I’m also not sure what the inside is meant to look like since there’s no photo. It still tasted great though! Any insight as to where I went wrong?

    1. Hi Elaine, I’m so sorry to hear it collapsed! My guess is that you could have used maybe a tad bit more flour, or it could have baked another few minutes. The inside should look like banana bread, and the texture should be the same. It sounds like I should test the recipe weighing out the flour. I’ll test it this weekend and add it to the recipe… my plan was to make it again anyways 🙂

  9. 5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! I had been wanting to try to bake persimmon bread for a while now not really knowing what to expect. I substituted with all oatmeal flour (1 3/4 cup; found conversion online) and added chia seeds. We all just ate it up. I had to make more to share with my parents who gave me the persimmons. I also used the flatter tomato like persimmons that my dad grows on his tree. So good!! This will be a staple every fall.

    1. That sounds like such a good addition and love the idea to use oatmeal flour! Never added chia seeds before. I’m so glad you loved it, Luna… and I’m so jealous they have a fuyu persimmon tree! Enjoy!

  10. 5 stars
    You have educated me on persimmons. I made the persimmon muffins and I was sold. Now the bread. I think I like it even more. It’s so moist and I love slicing it and warming it up on a hot griddle with a little butter to get it crispy. Excellent!!!

  11. 5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe. I toyed with it by adding 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts and by using two shots of bourbon: one added to the mix after the persimmon pulp and the other sipped from a glass as I baked. It turned out great. There is just a hint of bourbon, not an overpowering taste as in some holiday breads. I also placed a rectangle of parchment at the bottom of the baking dish before adding the batter, and, after baking, the loaf was very easy to remove from the pan.

  12. 5 stars
    Moved to an acre almost 3 years ago with several neglected and half dead trees. We were excited to see that this fall one of the trees starting producing almost a dozen little fruits. It took awhile to find out we had Fuyu persimmon tree. I harvested my 10 persimmons 2 weeks ago and used them for thanksgiving decorations and today 4 are pretty soft so went in search of bread recipes. So glad I found yours. It was easy and delicious! I added about 1 1/2 cup pulp because that’s what the 4 persimmons yielded. I had to bake mine 60 mins to brown under the slices. Definitely will make again! Now to decide do I make cookies or what with my remaining 5 persimmons? ☺️

4.96 from 315 votes (198 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.