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This easy Persimmon Muffins recipe combines honey-like persimmons with warm cinnamon and (optional) vegan chocolate chips for sweet, moist, flavorful muffins perfect for fall breakfast, snacking, and dessert. + They’re egg-free, dairy-free, & optionally GF!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Persimmon season is short (boo!), but these muffins are here to spice things up while it lasts! With warm cinnamon, optional vegan choc chips, and the natural honey-like sweetness of persimmons, these easy-to-make muffins are tender, moist, delicious (of course!), and the perfect cozy treat for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
Unlike other recipes, I only lightly mash Fuyu persimmons, leaving chunks of the sweet fruit in every bite. Egg-free and dairy-free (not that you can tell), they’re a simple, delicious way to celebrate fall flavors—and get in some Vitamin A, B6, C, potassium, and fiber while you’re at it! You can even freeze them for out-of-season.
Love this simple persimmon dessert? You might also enjoy this vegan persimmon bread.
Looking for even more muffin recipes? Try out these sweet potato muffins, pumpkin oatmeal muffins, easy vegan zucchini muffins, easy vegan apple muffins, vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, and carrot cake muffins.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, substitutes, and quantities.
I don’t recommend using astringent Hachiya persimmons, which have a super soft, pulpy texture when ripe and MUST be very ripe to taste sweet.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 swap of gluten-free flour blend like King Arthur/Bob’s red mill.
- Apples: Add about ½ cup of finely diced apple for more texture and flavor.
- Nuts/seeds: Add about ½ cup of toasted pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pepitas.
- Dried fruit: Add about ½ cup of raisins or cranberries.
- Other spices: Add a pinch of nutmeg and optionally cloves and/or ground ginger.
- Crystallized ginger: Finely chopped for some sweet and spicy flavor.
- Citrus zest: Add 1 tsp of orange or lemon zest.
- Streusel topping: Like the one I use for this vegan plum crisp – it’s sweet, ‘buttery’, and crunchy.
- Citrus glaze: Mix orange juice + powdered sugar, for a touch of decadence.
How to Make Persimmon Muffins
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 375F/190C and add 12 muffin liners to a muffin tin. Meanwhile, remove the leaves from the top of the persimmons, finely dice them, and transfer them to a small bowl with the sugar. Toss well and set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the plant milk and apple cider vinegar until it thickens (becoming ‘buttermilk’). Then, stir in the applesauce and persimmon-sugar mixture, including any juices at the bottom of the bowl. Smash the persimmons slightly while mixing.
Step 3: Stir in the dry ingredients, then fold in the veganchocolate chips, careful not to overmix the batter.
Step 4: Divide the batter between the muffin liners, filling them to the top, sprinkle each with a little brown sugar, then bake the persimmon muffins for 20-25 minutes. Transfer the muffin tray to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely. Enjoy!
Enjoy a muffin alone, with lashings of vegan butter, a dollop of vegan whipped cream, vegan cream cheese, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or banana ice cream, and/or a warm cup of tea/coffee.
FAQs
Sure, just store the prepared batter in a plastic-wrapped bowl in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Because I’m not using persimmon puree, I don’t recommend Hachiya persimmons, which have a jelly-like consistency when ripe (and have to be VERY ripe and very soft to have a sweet flavor).
Sure! Just make sure to reduce the baking time accordingly, using a toothpick to test for doneness.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use the right type of persimmons: It’s important to select Fuyu persimmons, which will be crisp and sweet. Hachiya persimmons only become sweet when at a water-balloon-like softness and will be incredibly astringent (BITTER!!) otherwise.
- Use the spoon-and-level method for flour: This ensures you don’t use too much and yields dense, dry muffins.
- Don’t overwork the batter: Or it can affect the gluten, leading to dense, gummy muffins. Mix until only just combined.
- Let them cool completely: This helps them properly ‘set,’ so they don’t crumble.
Storage Instructions
Room temperature: Store the cooled persimmon muffins in an airtight container lined with paper towels for 3-4 days.
Fridge: Store this persimmon dessert in a paper towel-lined container for 1 week.
Freezer: In plastic wrap, in a Ziplock/Stasher, for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.
Reheat: Optionally gently warm for 40-60 seconds in a microwave or several in the oven at 350F for several minutes until warm.
Easy Persimmon Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 large persimmons diced
- ⅓ cup of brown sugar plus more for topping
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 ½ cups of plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup of neutral oil
- ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup of dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 12 muffin cups with liners.
- In a small bowl, combine the diced persimmons and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar until it thickens and becomes vegan buttermilk. Mix in the oil and apple sauce until well mixed. Add in the persimmons-sugar mixture. Using a spatula, scrape the juices left in the bowl into the plant milk mixture. Mix well and smash the persimmons while mixing.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix well but do not overmix.
- Spoon batter into muffin pan filling to the top. Sprinkle some brown sugar on each muffin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean and the top is golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and place the tray on a cooling rack.
- Allow them to cool completely before enjoying them.
Notes
- Use the right type of persimmons: It’s important to select Fuyu persimmons, which will be crisp and sweet. Hachiya persimmons only become sweet when at a water-balloon-like softness and will be incredibly astringent (BITTER!!) otherwise.
- Use the spoon-and-level method for flour: This ensures you don’t use too much and yields dense, dry muffins.
- Don’t overwork the batter: Or it can affect the gluten, leading to dense, gummy muffins. Mix until only just combined.
- Let them cool completely: This helps them properly ‘set,’ so they don’t crumble.
