Healthy Persimmon Bread

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This an adapted version of Persimmon Bread inspired by Melissa's Produce. 
an overhead view of sliced bread

Persimmon Bread is a moist and cake-like spiced bread made with fresh persimmons, dried cranberries and walnuts for some crunch. It has all of the flavors of winter and tastes great with breakfast or as a dessert after dinner.

I was sent a box of Melissa’s Produce which I used to make this recipe, but as always all opinions are my own.

cooked persimmon bread on a white plate

I am participating in Melissa’s Produce Family Baking Challenge this month, and it’s a challenge that anyone can join. All that you have to do is share what you have been baking using suggested recipes that are made with seasonal produce, You can get all of the details about the contest right here.

Recipe Highlights

  • It’s perfect for breakfast or dessert.
  • It’s made with wholesome ingredients
three persimmons

What is a Persimmon?

Persimmons are a fruit that looks similar to an orange tomato. They have thick skin which is edible, but most people peel persimmons before eating them. Ripe Persimmons are sweet tasting and can be eaten as it or used in baking.

Persimmons are in season from October through February. When choosing a persimmon look for ones that are smooth, and have a little bit of give to them when they are gently squeezed.

an overhead shot of persimmon bread sliced on a cutting board

A Healthier Quick Bread

When I saw the recipe for persimmon bread in the Family Baking Challenge, I knew it was going to be the first recipe to try and it’s just perfect for the holiday season.

After reading through the ingredients, I thought the bread would be a little too sweet for me so I made a few adjustments, here is what I did to make this recipe healthier:

  • Reduced the amount of sugar by half and replaced refined sugar with coconut sugar which is not as processed. If you can’t find coconut sugar, you can also use date sugar, sucanat sugar, or refined sugar if that’s your preference.
  • Replaced one cup of white flour with one cup of whole wheat flour.
  • 1 tablespoon of baking soda instead of 4 teaspoons.
  • Replaced the raisins with dried cranberries which aren’t healthier than raisins, I just thought they would taste better.
  • The original persimmon bread recipe has icing, I left that it, I thought it would be too sweet.

Here is a link to the original recipe for Persimmon Bread.

an overhead view of the ingredients: vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda sea salt, butter, persimmon pulp, dried cranberries, coconut sugar, eggs, flour, walnuts

Here is What You Will Need

Unsalted Butter
Coconut Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Whole Wheat Flour
White Flour
Cinnamon
Sea Salt
Pulp from Ripe Persimmons
Dried cranberries
Walnuts
Stand Mixer
Loaf Pan

Here is How to Make Persimmon Bread

Make the persimmon pulp and set it aside. Use a stand mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until it becomes smooth.

The  butter and sugar combined in a mixing bowl

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.

the dough formed with butter sugar eggs and flour

Add the persimmon pulp and mix again, stir in the dried cranberries and nuts.

the dough step 3  with persimmons, nuts and cranberries

Pour the batter into a loaf pan.

the batter in a pan ready for the oven

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

the baked loaf of persimmon bread

How to Store Persimmon Bread

After the persimmon bread has cooled off, wrap it in parchment paper and again with a layer of foil. You can also store it in a sealable container like this loaf pan with a lid.

This bread is naturally moist, it will help to minimize the moisture if you wrap the bread in a paper towel before placing it into a sealable or reusable container which is more airtight than wrapping in parchment and foil.

The bread will keep at room temperature for up to four days. If it’s longer than four days, place the wrapped bread into the freezer. It will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

Tip! Slice the bread into individual portions and freeze the slices on a cookie tray. Once the slices are frozen, stack them in a reusable bag and place them in the freezer.

a close up of sliced persimmon bread.

You Might Also Like These Recipes

an overhead view of sliced bread

Healthy Persimmon Bread

This an adapted version of Persimmon Bread inspired by Melissa’s Produce. 
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour

Click on serving size to scale this recipe

Course: Bread Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: persimmon, persimmon bread, persimmon bread recipe
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Anne
Scale this Recipe 12 slices

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 cup white flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups persimmon pulp made from about 3 to 4 persimmons
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • Prepare the persimmon pulp: remove the skin and chip it into small pieces.
  • Use a paper towel or pastry brush to lightly coat the baking pan with oil or melted butter
  • Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl using a stand mixer or a hand mixer
  • Add the 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of  vanilla, and mix until blended
  • Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the mixture and mix well
  • Stir in the persimmon pulp, 1 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup nuts one ingredient at a time
  • Turn the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 50  to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 418mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 38g

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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