Persimmon Bars with Citrus Glaze

These persimmon bars are a beautiful dessert (or perfect breakfast treat) to capture the flavor of fall.

Today Was The Day

This is the first time that I’ve truly felt that fall was in the air.

I walked outside and didn’t instantly break out in a sticky sweat. The pumpkins and corn stalks that have graced my porch for a month no longer look out of place.

Fall is upon us friends, and we shall bake to celebrate.

Eating Seasonally

We try to stick to a diet that utilizes seasonal ingredients. This doesn’t always happen, but we try our best. This means that certain foods are only on our menu during a very short window of time each year. So when I finally saw the persimmon fruit on the ground from the persimmon trees, I knew it was time to whip up this utterly autumn treat with this yummy fall fruit.

They are best when nibbled in the fresh, crisp fall air, wrapped in a flannel blanket, and sipping a good cup of coffee. Maybe while leisurely reading a good book and watching your husband through the window as he washes dishes and mops the floors.

Ahhh, doesn’t that just sound dreamy? 

The reality is that I threw this together with frozen persimmon pulp from last year, I stepped on no less than 6 Legos while trying to bake this and squeezed in a feeew minutes of a podcast to motivate me to be a contributing member of society this week, and I ate a good third of it before I told anyone else it was ready.

I don’t get to bake often, so even though my three-year-old is giving me a hard time for not playing the never-ending game of police with him, I’m hoping I’ll be forgiven when I give him a rare sweet treat.

Where’s the podcast on Mom guilt?

I hope you love this perfectly autumn concoction, dear friends. It’s one of my favorite things about fall. Maybe you’ll even get to enjoy it in a Pinterest-worthy fashion that I mentioned earlier. Maybe you’ll just sneak bites when nobody’s watching, then look at them all like they’re crazy when they ask where the dessert went, you do you.

What is a persimmon?

Persimmons are beautiful orange sweet fruits that almost look like a tomato. They have a unique flavor that is a mild and sweet that can be described as honey with a hint of cinnamon. There are a few different types of persimmons, and it is important to know which one you are working with. They are in season from about early October to January and the taste of persimmons always reminds me of my favorite time of year! 

How to tell if a persimmon is ripe

Eating persimmons when they are ripe is crucial. Unripe persimmons are very astringent or have strong tannins that are not pleasant depending on the type of persimmon. However, the ripening process turns the persimmons from an astringent fruit into a beautiful, sweet fruit that is so delicious to snack on or add to baked goods. If you harvest persimmons off of their tree, you can let them sit on the counter until they are ready. You’ll know they are ripe when they are soft to the touch. Each variety is slightly different so I’ll break it down for you, but you will absolutely love this ripe fruit! 

Fuyu persimmons

Fuyu persimmons are short and round, similar to the shape of a tomato. They are ripe when they are a bright orange color and can be eaten like an apple, skin and all. They are a non-astringent variety, which means they can be eaten when they are still hard, but they sweeten as they become softer to the touch. 

Hachiya persimmons

The Hachiya variety is more of an acorn shape and slightly larger than Fuyu. This variety is extremely astringent and very unpleasant until they are soft and ripe. Ripe hachiya persimmons are super sweet, soft, and almost like the texture of soft custard. You’ll know when they are ripe when they feel squishy when you squeeze them. 

Wild persimmons

Wild persimmons, also known as American persimmons are a type that you likely will not find at the grocery store. American persimmon trees grow well in the eastern side of the United States and the fruit is much smaller in size, about the size of a date. Similar to the astringent Hachiya persimmons, they must be ripe to eat them. They will not ripen off of the tree, so you have to wait until they are ready to be picked. Or you can wait for them to fall on the ground to know they are ready to eat. They do not need to be peeled to eat, however, they do have large seeds inside. 

How to freeze persimmon pulp

Freezing persimmon pulp is the best way to extend the shelf life and enjoy this fruit year-round! The fresh fruit is really hard to find out of season, so I love to stock my freezer during the fall. Fresh persimmons will keep for a pretty long time, but I like to process it and freeze them to enjoy them even longer.  All you need to do is take a whole persimmon, scoop out the persimmon flesh, and remove any persimmon seeds. I like to leave out the skin so that the puree has a smooth texture. Add the fruit to a food processor or blender, and blend until it is a smooth consistency. Then you can add it directly to a freezer container and freeze it, or add it to ice cube trays to freeze. Then remove the cubes and add them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for freezing. 

Using persimmon puree is the easiest way to whip up persimmon recipes. It’s so delicious in sweet persimmon bread, persimmon cookies, or this wonderful persimmon bar recipe. When you are ready to use the frozen pulp, let it defrost in the fridge, and then use the pulp in your favorite baking recipes. 

Persimmon Bar with Citrus Gaze

This recipe combines the sweet persimmon flavor with cinnamon and a sweet and tangy citrus glaze. The bars are naturally sweetened with maple syrup and are so delicious. The glaze uses confectioner sugar, and if you are limiting added sugar, you could enjoy the bars by themselves and they would still be just as good. You can use freshly made or frozen wild persimmon pulp, or pulp from store-bought persimmons. 

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Ingredients for Persimmon Bars with Citrus Glaze

Bars

• 1 cup persimmon pulp
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg, unbeaten
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, or 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 drops wild orange essential oil

Instructions to bake

Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Lightly grease 9×14 inch baking dish with coconut oil.
3. Stir pulp and baking soda together in a small bowl, set aside.
4. In another medium bowl, stir together egg, maple syrup, applesauce, and raisins.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Then combine with the pulp.
6. Fold in walnuts, then pour batter into the greased baking dish.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. If desired, cool on a wire rack. 

Glaze

1. Combine confectioners sugar, lemon juice, and essential oil.
2. Drizzle over slightly cooled bars and enjoy. 

How to store the Persimmon bars

To store, cover the bars with plastic wrap or add to an air-tight container. You can leave them on the counter for a couple of days, or add to the fridge for longer storage.