Ginger Persimmon Bread (Gluten-Free Option)

This Ginger Persimmon Bread Recipe is packed with soul-warming spices. Whether you serve this quick bread as part of a Christmas breakfast or as an afternoon snack, it will become one of your favorite persimmon recipes!

The fall and winter months are an invitation to bake. Are you with me?

Comforting and cozy treats, delicious aromas of warming spices making their way through the house, the oven heating the kitchen . . .

I love quick breads, which are really dessert breads -- cakes, if you will. 😉 There's no yeast or kneading involved -- you can throw this recipe together and get it in the oven inside of 30 minutes.

Ginger Persimmon Bread is full of the quintessential flavors of fall. It's like gingerbread with the sweet flavor of persimmon running through it.

The Ingredients

• Fuyu persimmons - Persimmon season is approximately October through January. During that time, you should be able to find them in almost all major grocery stores and at Farmers Markets. They should be on the firm side with a deep orange color.
• brown sugar - The slight maple-y flavor is delicious with the ginger and brown sugar helps create a softer texture. Both of these things are subtly, so white sugar is okay, too.
• olive oil - I love using olive oil in baked goods, as it creates super moist products.
• eggs
• pure vanilla extract
• fresh ginger - Fresh ginger adds a bit of a kick to the flavor.
• crystalized ginger - This will add delightful tiny chewy, sweet bites of ginger. You can likely find crystalized ginger in the baking section of grocery stores. Or you can get it here.
• ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground ginger - These are all warming spices that greatly enhance the overall flavor profile.
• all-purpose flour - See gluten-free option below.
• baking soda - If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking soda is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking soda. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
• Kosher salt - I bake (and cook) with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)

Substitutions

• Crystalized ginger. If you don't have crystalized ginger, you can substitute it with golden raisins and an additional ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.

Can you make Gluten-Free Persimmon Bread?

Yes, you can substitute the flour in the recipe for Cup4Cup All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour. Please note that although still delicious, the texture of gluten-free persimmon bread might be slightly different than the one with regular all-purpose flour.

Recipe Tips

• Don't substitute the Fuyu persimmons with the Hachiya variety. You will not be able to grate them as they'll be way too soft when they're ripe.
• Be sure not to skip the step of adding the baking soda directly to the grated persimmons. It will help thicken the liquid derived from grating the fruit.
• Generally, baking times will vary from pan to pan, oven to oven, etc. It's more about how the bread looks and feels, than how long it bakes. It should be golden, beginning to crack, and if you touch it, it should feel sponge-like.

How to Make it

- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease an approximately 12-inch loaf pan with a light coating of olive oil. (It's easiest to do this with a spray, pastry brush -- or dab the oil on a paper towel to spread it around.) Set aside.

- Slice the stem ends off of the persimmons (just a ½-inch or so), then use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to peel them. Use either a hand held grater or a food processor with the grater attachment, to grate them. (You will need 1½ cups.)

- Now add the grated persimmon to a bowl and add the baking soda. Mix to blend and set aside.

- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar with the olive oil and mix to blend. Add the eggs and egg yolk and mix again. Once it's smooth, stir in the fresh ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ground ginger, and salt. Fold in the flour and mix just until it's fully incorporated.

- Then fold in the grated persimmon and crystallized ginger.

- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the 350°F preheated oven until it's golden brown, set, and beginning to crack on top, about 50 minutes.

- Let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Storing Persimmon Bread

Persimmon Bread and be made the day before you want to serve it. Cover it lightly with foil overnight, at room temperature and it'll be ideal the next morning.

• Room temperature. In a tightly sealed container, Persimmon Bread can be kept at room temperature for about two days.
• Refrigerator. Wrapped tightly, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Freezer. Wrapped tightly, you can store it for about a month in the freezer.

More Amazing Quick Bread Recipes

• Butternut Squash Bread
• Almond Butter Bread
• Chocolate Breakfast Bread
• Macadamia Honey Bread
• Glazed Pineapple Guava Bread
• Zucchini Avocado Bread Recipe

This is one of my favorite persimmon recipes so I hope you'll try it to share with your family and friends. Maybe even make an extra loaf or two for gifts.

I hope you love every last crumb!

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