These cookies are a winter tradition for me and I have made them almost every year without fail for the past 17 years. The recipe is from my Great-Aunt, via my Grandmother, and is a family favorite. I adapted the recipe to be grain and dairy free and they are just as delicious as the ones I grew up loving.
Note: The recipe calls for Hachiya persimmons, which are the tear-dropped shaped variety that is used mostly for baking. Hachiya persimmons are extremely astringent until they are VERY ripe and they will usually need to ripen on the counter for 1 to 2 weeks before they are ready to use. Don’t worry if they develop small black spots on the outer skin, this is common while they are ripening.
Makes 2.5 dozen cookies
- 2 very ripe Hachiya persimmons
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare the persimmons by removing the stems and peeling them. Place the inner persimmon flesh in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the persimmon pulp to a small bowl (you should have 1 cup of pulp) and mix in the baking soda; let stand. In a large bowl, mix together the flours, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, blend the coconut oil and sweetener using a hand mixer. Mix in the eggs and persimmon pulp mixture. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the pecans and raisins. Oil two cookie sheets and spoon the cookie dough onto the sheets. Bake the cookies for 35-40 minutes, or until done.
Dr. Cori Burke 