How to Make a Sweet Southern Persimmon Pie

This persimmon pie recipe will be a new fall favorite for your family!

---

One of my fondest childhood memories is walking the fencerow with my parents and my grandmother in the fall to pick persimmons. Picking this sweet fruit was a treat that I looked forward to each and every year. Making a southern persimmon pie or some persimmon pudding would have been fun, but we always ate them all before we could make it back to the house.A couple of weeks ago my husband found a few persimmon trees in the “picnic spot” on our new farm. I was so excited to have the opportunity to recreate some of my childhood memories with my own children!

We decided to go on our first persimmon picking adventure last Sunday after church. The deer had already snagged most of the fruit that had fallen to the ground and the branches loaded with ripe fruit were higher than we could reach on foot. Gathering no persimmons wasn’t an option so I went up in the tractor bucket to harvest. *Now don’t worry, we took precautions and I wasn’t high enough to cause any concern. I just needed a little boost.* The kids stayed on the ground with a bucket as I tossed the persimmons down to them. We left the picnic spot with a bucket full of sweet fruit and sweet memories. Since we were able to summon up a little self-control, we had enough persimmons left the next day to make my sweet Southern Persimmon Pie recipe.

Persimmon pie favors pumpkin pie in texture and spices, but it has its own distinct floral fruity flavor.  You can make your own persimmon pie with locally harvested persimmons or, if you don’t have any trees nearby, store-bought whole persimmons or persimmon pulp.

Gathering Southern Persimmons in Fall

If you are gathering local persimmons, make sure that you pick them when they are ripe. You will typically find the most ripe fruit after the first hard frost, but you can find some (maybe enough for this pie) a couple of weeks before the frost. Look for persimmons that are soft and almost jelly like. These will be the sweetest. If you pick them before they are soft enough, you can leave them on your countertop to ripen.

If you need to purchase persimmons, you can look at your local grocery store or grab these Fuyu persimmons on Amazon. It is easier to find Fuyu persimmons in the store than southern persimmons. Fuyu persimmons are a little larger, but the taste should be very similar.

Sweet Southern Persimmon Pie Recipe

Southern Persimmon Pie Ingredients:

• 1 cup persimmon pulp
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar or local honey
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 pie crust (I use this homemade recipe)

Persimmon Pie Directions:

STEP 1. Gather your ingredients, tools, and equipment.

You will need a spoon, a sharp knife, a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a blender or food processor.

STEP 2. Prepare your crust.

If you use a store-bought crust, be sure that it is thawed out and ready for baking. If you make your own homemade pie crust, have it made and pressed into your pie pan or cast iron skillet before starting on the pie filling.

STEP 3. Preheat oven and prep persimmons.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the persimmons well and cut the stems off with a sharp knife. Use a spoon to separate the skin from the pulp and then squeeze the pulp out using your thumb and forefinger. 

STEP 4. Combine and blend the pulp & the ingredients.

Remove the seeds and place the pulp into a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 cup of milk to the pulp to help it blend.

Move the pureed pulp to a mixing bowl and add the spices and sugar. Mix until all of these ingredients are combined thoroughly. Whisk in one egg at a time and then whisk in the heavy whipping cream. Add the entire mixture back into the blender or food processor to puree once more. This ensures that you will have a silky smooth filling for your sweet southern persimmon pie. 

STEP 5. Add persimmon mixture to the crust.

Slowly pour your pureed persimmon mixture into the prepared pie crust.

STEP 6. Bake, Cool, and Enjoy!

Bake the persimmon pie for 30 minutes or until set (not sloppy wet, just a little jiggly). Let it cool completely (I suggest leaving it overnight) and then slice it up and serve topped with whipped cream. 

Other Southern-Style Dessert Recipes that You Might Like:

Southern Sugar Cream Pie

Sugar Cream Pie is my favorite dessert to make and it is the simplest recipe!

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

Here is a delicious mash-up of two traditional southern dessert favorites: apple pie and bread pudding.

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies with Coconut

These Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies require no-bake time, they set quickly (especially if you put them in the refrigerator), and they have oats so they are healthy…right? You can also use this recipe to make a Star Wars themed Wookie Cookie for a birthday party or event.

>>More Recipes You Might Like<<

• Salted Milk & Honey Ice Cream Recipe
• Simple Homemade Heavy Cream 
• 5 Marshmallow Recipes You Need in Your Life 

---

Pin “Sweet Southern Persimmon Pie Recipe” for later!