This Spiced Fuyu Persimmon Cobbler is a unique and comforting autumn dessert that highlights one of the season’s most underrated fruits. Sweet Fuyu persimmons are tossed with warm spices like cloves and nutmeg, then baked under a fluffy, golden biscuit topping.
With a jammy, honey-like filling and a crisp cinnamon-sugar crust, this cobbler is a delightful alternative to traditional apple or pear desserts.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The natural honey and apricot notes of the persimmons are enhanced by lemon juice and a trio of warm spices cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Texture: The fruit bakes down into a soft, tender filling, contrasting with the buttery, biscuit-style topping that is soft on the inside and crunchy on top.
- Time: 20 minutes prep, 60 minutes total cook time.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. It involves making a simple biscuit dough using the cut-in butter method.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a 13×9 baking dish for the cobbler and a large bowl for mixing the fruit filling. A pastry cutter or two forks are essential for incorporating the cold butter into the flour to create a flaky topping. You will also need a pastry brush for the egg wash.
Ingredient Notes
- Fuyu Persimmons – This recipe calls for 4 lbs of Fuyu persimmons. Fuyus are the squat, tomato-shaped variety that can be eaten while firm. They hold their shape well when baked. (Do not use Hachiya persimmons, which are acorn-shaped and astringent until extremely soft).
- Buttermilk – Used in the biscuit dough and the egg wash, buttermilk creates a tender crumb and a slight tang that balances the sugar.
- Spices – A blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves gives the filling a deep, spiced flavor profile perfect for fall.
- Corn Starch – This thickens the juices released by the persimmons so the cobbler isn’t too watery.
- Unsalted Butter – It is crucial that the butter is cold and cubed for the biscuit topping. This creates pockets of steam, resulting in a flaky texture.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice adds acidity to brighten the sweet fruit.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Fruit Blend – If you are short on persimmons, you can substitute half the amount with firm pears or apples, as they have similar textures when baked.
- Nuts – Chopped walnuts or pecans can be added to the biscuit dough for an extra crunch.
- Zest – Adding orange zest to the filling would complement the persimmon flavor beautifully.
How to Make Spiced Fuyu Persimmon Cobbler
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Lightly grease a 13×9 baking dish.
- Make Filling: Combine all the ingredients for the persimmon filling (persimmons, light brown sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt) in a large bowl. Mix well and spread it evenly in the baking dish.
- Pre-Bake Fruit: Bake the fruit mixture for 10 minutes. Set aside. Leave the oven on.
- Make Biscuit Dough: In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ½ cup of granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the ½ cup of cold, cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut the butter into pea-sized pieces. Pour in the ½ cup of buttermilk and mix until combined.
- Assemble: Take handfuls of the dough, flatten them slightly, and place them over the pre-baked persimmon filling. It does not need to cover every inch perfectly; a rustic look is great.
- Egg Wash: In a small bowl, mix the egg and 1 tbsp of buttermilk. Brush this egg wash over the top of the dough.
- Cinnamon Sugar Top: Mix the 1 tbsp of granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle this cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the egg-washed dough.
- Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes until the dough becomes a golden brown. To test if it is done, poke the topping with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, the dish is done.
- Serve: Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Pro Tip: Pre-baking the fruit for 10 minutes gives the persimmons a head start. Since Fuyu persimmons are quite firm, this ensures they are perfectly tender by the time the biscuit topping is golden brown.
Recipe Tips
- Identify Your Persimmons: Double-check that you bought Fuyu persimmons. Hachiya persimmons are very astringent (mouth-drying) unless they are essentially liquid mush, which would not work for this sliced fruit filling.
- Cold Butter: Keep your butter in the fridge until the very last second. If the butter melts before baking, you will lose the flaky texture of the biscuits.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Mix the buttermilk in just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing can lead to tough, chewy biscuits instead of light, fluffy ones.
FAQs
- Do I need to peel the persimmons? Yes, the skin of a persimmon can be tough and slightly waxy even when cooked. Peeling them ensures a smooth, pleasant texture in the filling.
- How do I store leftovers? Store the cobbler covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or place the dish in the oven to warm through.
- Can I use regular milk? If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes, though real buttermilk yields the best flavor.
Serving Suggestions
- Ice Cream: Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean or butter pecan ice cream.
- Whipped Cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon is a lighter topping option.
- Breakfast: Leftovers make for a delicious sweet breakfast with coffee or tea.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Dry Mix: You can whisk together the dry ingredients for the biscuit topping a day ahead and store them in a jar.
- Fruit Prep: You can peel and cube the persimmons earlier in the day, but toss them with the lemon juice immediately to prevent browning. Assemble and bake just before serving.
Spiced Fuyu Persimmon Cobbler
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Spiced Fuyu Persimmon Cobbler is a unique and comforting autumn dessert that highlights one of the season’s most underrated fruits. Sweet Fuyu persimmons are tossed with warm spices like cloves and nutmeg, then baked under a fluffy, golden biscuit topping. With a jammy, honey-like filling and a crisp cinnamon-sugar crust, this cobbler is a delightful alternative to traditional apple or pear desserts.
Ingredients
The Persimmon Filling
- 4 lbs Fuyu persimmons, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
The Biscuit Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
The Finish (Egg Wash & Cinnamon Sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Make Filling
In a large bowl, toss the cubed persimmons with brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, spices, and salt. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
Pre-Bake Fruit
Bake the fruit mixture for 10 minutes to soften it slightly. Remove from oven but keep oven on.
Make Dough
While fruit bakes, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Cut Butter
Add the cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or forks to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs (pea-sized pieces).
Mix
Stir in the buttermilk just until combined. Do not overmix.
Assemble
Take handfuls of dough, flatten slightly, and place them over the warm fruit. A rustic, patchy look is perfect.
Glaze
Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Brush over the dough. Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over the egg-washed dough.
Bake
Bake for 45–50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the dough comes out clean.
Serve
Let cool for 5 minutes before serving warm.
Notes
Know Your Persimmons: Use Fuyu (squat, tomato-shaped) persimmons, which remain firm when ripe. Do not use Hachiya (acorn-shaped) unless they are completely mushy/ripe, which won’t work for this texture.
Pre-Baking: Don’t skip step 3! Fuyus are harder than apples or peaches. Pre-baking ensures the fruit becomes tender by the time the biscuit crust is done.
Cold Butter: Keep the butter in the fridge until the moment you need it. Cold butter creates steam pockets in the dough, resulting in a flaky biscuit topping.
Peeling: Yes, you should peel them. Persimmon skin can be tough and waxy even after baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of Recipe
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: persimmon cobbler, fuyu persimmon recipes, fall fruit desserts, spiced cobbler, biscuit topping recipe, autumn baking, unique fruit desserts
