This persimmon pudding is the kind of nostalgic, spoon-soft dessert that instantly transports you to crisp fall evenings and cozy gatherings.
Why You’ll Love This Persimmon Pudding
You’ll adore this persimmon pudding because it’s deeply spiced, ultrasoft, and naturally sweet thanks to ripe Hachiya persimmons. It stays incredibly moist and gets even better as it rests—making persimmon pudding perfect for potlucks or make-ahead holiday desserts. And since persimmon pudding uses everyday pantry staples, it feels both rustic and special.
Because persimmon pudding bakes low and slow until it’s plush and custardy, it delivers major comfort with minimal fuss. If you love classic American puddings or vintage holiday desserts, this persimmon pudding will become a new seasonal staple.
Persimmon pudding isn’t really a pudding — well, in the British sense, yes, but to us Yankees it can be misleading. It’s like a boozed and spiced persimmon cake bar concoction, which, semantics aside, is one of my favorite ways to bake with persimmons.
Persimmons in dessert are one of the most underappreciated food preparations out there in our opinion. Here we right that wrong by combining ripe Hachiya persimmons with spices and baking it up for a not-too-sweet sophisticated but super simple Spiced Persimmon Pudding recipe dessert.
Persimmon Pudding Recipe Ingredients
To make this persimmon pudding, you’ll start with super-ripe Hachiya persimmons, which give the dessert its signature texture and sweetness. The batter is built from flour, baking powder, warm spices, brown sugar, eggs, butter, and a splash of brandy, all of which create the custardy structure of persimmon pudding. For serving, toppings like vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or chopped toasted hazelnuts add a welcome contrast to the soft texture of persimmon pudding.
How To Make This Persimmon Pudding Recipe
Begin by pureeing your persimmons—this step is essential because the silky texture is what defines persimmon pudding. Next, whisk together the dry ingredients, combine the wet ingredients, and slowly fold everything together until you have a smooth persimmon pudding batter. Finally, bake until the persimmon pudding is just set, sliceable at the edges, and soft and spoonable in the center.
What To Serve With This
Serve persimmon pudding warm with ice cream for something melty and indulgent, or top it with whipped cream or yogurt for a lighter finish. Toasted hazelnuts scattered over the top add crunch and balance the richness of the persimmon pudding. It also pairs beautifully with spiced tea, espresso, or a small glass of dessert wine.
Variations On This Persimmon Pudding Recipe
Add minced crystallized ginger for extra zing or swap brandy for bourbon to give your persimmon pudding a deeper caramel note. Stir in chopped dark chocolate or toasted nuts to introduce texture to the silky base of persimmon pudding. You can even bake individual ramekins of persimmon pudding for elegant dinner-party plating.
More Dessert Recipes
If you love this persimmon pudding, you’ll also enjoy these other Salt & Wind Travel readers’ favorites:
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Spiced Persimmon Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
For The Persimmon Puree:
- 6 to 7 medium very ripe Hachiya persimmons
For The Persimmon Pudding:
- 1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon packed orange zest
- 2 cups persimmon puree
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and briefly cooled plus more for coating the baking dish
- 1/4 cup brandy
For Serving:
- Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, or Yogurt for optional garnish
- Roughly Chopped Toasted Hazelnuts for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make The Persimmon Purée: Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. With a paring knife, trim away and discard the stem from one persimmon. Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp and discard the skin. Place the pulp in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, being careful not to include any of the tannic skin. Repeat with the remaining persimmons. Process the pulp until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure and set aside 2 cups of puréed pulp. Discard or reserve any extra pulp for another use.
- Prepare The Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large bowl to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Make The Persimmon Pudding Batter: Combine the persimmon pulp, half-and-half, brown sugar, and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until evenly blended. Add the melted butter and brandy and whisk until just incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture in four parts, letting the flour incorporate before adding the next part and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary until the flour is totally incorporated.
- Bake The Persimmon Pudding: Turn the batter into the prepared dish and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with toasted hazelnuts and ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream.
