Jack Daniels Whiskey Persimmon Bread (Easy quick bread recipe)

Have you come across a persimmon and wondered what in the world to do with it? Well, here’s a great recipe for persimmon bread that is perfect for the fall season! This easy quick bread is moist and flavorful, and it’s studded with chunks of fresh persimmon. It’s a delicious way to enjoy this unique fruit!

I remember the first time I had a persimmon. My great-aunt had a persimmon tree in her yard. She handed me this mushy orange and brown orb that gushed like a water balloon when I squeezed it. It almost looked rotten. I was afraid to take a bite, but my aunt insisted that I try it. And I’m so glad I did! I cut it open and scooped out the flesh inside. OH MY GOODNESS! It was as sweet as candy! From then on, I was hooked.

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Since then, I’ve been enjoying persimmons every chance I get. And this persimmon bread is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them! I know you’ll enjoy them too!

What Does a Persimmon Taste Like?

If you’ve never had a persimmon before, they are a bit of a quirky fruit. There are actually two types of persimmon fruits: fuyu and hachiya. Fuyu persimmons are the type that you’ll want to use for this recipe. This fruit has a sweet and slightly tart flavor something like a cross between an apricot and a peach. The texture is similar to a really ripe peach.

Fuyu persimmons are squat and round, and they can be eaten while they are still firm. They have a crisp, crunchy texture with a sweet, slightly tangy flavor. The flesh ranges in color from light yellow to orange. These are the variety you will most likely see in stores.

Hachiya persimmons, on the other hand, are long and oval-shaped with pointy ends. They must be incredibly ripe (to the point of being almost mushy) before they can be eaten. If you try to eat a hachiya persimmon when it’s not ripe, it will be incredibly astringent and leave your mouth feeling dry. Yuck! So, just make sure to get fuyu persimmons for this recipe.

How to Eat a Persimmon?

Persimmons have a short season in the fall, so they can be a bit hard to come by. But when you do find them, they are definitely worth seeking out! You can eat Fuyu persimmons like you would an apple or a peach. Just wash them under cool water and cut them into slices or bite into them like you would an apple.

Hachiya persimmons are best eaten when they are VERY ripe and soft. The skin is edible, but many people prefer to remove it. To eat, simply cut the persimmon in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon.

Persimmons can also be used in baking, like this whiskey persimmon bread. They add a lovely sweetness and moistness to quick breads, cookies, and cakes.

How Long Do Persimmons Last?

Persimmons will last for about 2-3 weeks after harvest when stored at room temperature. After that, they will begin to soften and become perfect for cookies, puddings, and quick bread. If you need them to last longer, you can store them in the fridge.

Can You Freeze Persimmons?

Yes! You can freeze persimmons whole, sliced, or pureed. To freeze whole persimmons, wash them and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and let the persimmons freeze for several hours. Once they are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container.

To freeze sliced or pureed persimmons, simply place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and store them in the freezer.

How to Make Persimmon Pulp

For this recipe, you’ll be using persimmon pulp. To make pulp, you’ll cut the ripe persimmons in half and scoop out the insides, leaving the skin and any black seeds you find.  Place the fruit in a food processor and pulse until pureed.

How to Make Boozy Persimmon Bread

This quick bread recipe uses Jack Daniels whiskey. Now, I am not a big whiskey drinker, but I like to bake specifically with Jack Daniels whiskey.  I find that it has a nice, subtle flavor that doesn’t take over the recipe. And it pairs so well with the sweetness of the persimmons! If you don’t want to use whiskey, you can substitute rum, brandy, or even hard apple cider.

Alcohol substitution – If you want to omit the alcohol altogether, you can substitute equal amounts of apple juice or melted butter.

Dried Fruit – I like to make this Persimmon bread recipe filled with dried fruit. My older pictures like the one above show the bread with the fruit and nuts. The new pictures have the fruit omitted.

I like to use a mix of raisins, dried cranberries, and chopped apricots. But you can really use any dried fruit that you like. One trick I learned to prevent the dried fruit from sinking to the bottom of the bread is to toss it in a bit of flour before adding it to the batter. This will help it to distribute more evenly throughout the bread.

Nuts – I also like to add chopped pecans or walnuts to my quick breads. They add a lovely crunch and pair so well with the dried fruit.

This bread will keep for about a week at room temperature, if well-wrapped and be frozen for several months.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup persimmon puree
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc.), chopped
• 1/4 cup whiskey or other liquor

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and sugar.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the melted butter, eggs, persimmon puree, pecans, dried fruit, and whiskey.
5. Stir until just combined. Do not over stir.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve warm or at room temperature. I like to add a pat or two of butter to my slice. But then again, I like butter on just about everything. This bread is also delicious toasted. Just pop it in the toaster or under the broiler for a minute or two until warmed through.

Store remaining bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Bread can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this quick bread recipe! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. And if you made the recipe, I would love to hear how it turned out!

Happy baking!