These hearty muffins call for firmer Fuyu persimmons, not the softer Hachiya variety that is used most often in baking. These delicious, lightly spiced muffins are akin to carrot cake, using grated Fuyus instead of carrots and pecans instead of walnuts.
Pecan-Persimmon Muffins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1½ cups nondairy milk
- 8 ounces pitted dates (12 to 14 Medjool or 24 to 28 Deglet Noor)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup dry/uncooked millet
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1½ cups grated (firm but ripe) Fuyu persimmon
- 2 ounces chopped pecans (about ½ cup)
- 3 tablespoons nondairy milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the pitted dates, non-dairy milk, and vanilla into a medium bowl, and set aside.
- Place the oats and millet into a blender (a high-speed blender will do a finer job), and blend until it resembles flour (grind a little longer than you think, as millet is hard; 30 to 40 seconds). Pour into a mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and mix with a fork or whisk.
- Transfer the dates, non-dairy milk, and vanilla to the blender, and blend until very smooth. Pour this into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients have been folded in.
- Add the persimmon and pecans, as well as the 3 tablespoons nondairy milk, and stir well. Spoon the batter evenly into a 12-well silicone muffin pan, or use parchment paper liners in a metal muffin pan. (The batter will come to the top or a bit higher.)
- Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. The muffins will be done when the tops have begun to lightly brown and crack. Remove the muffins from the pan after 10 minutes and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely (or nearly) before eating.
Equipment
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
Above: You can grate your persimmons with a traditional hand grater (at left) or use your grating blade in your food processor (at right). In the center is a Fuyu persimmon, and shown at bottom is half of a persimmon after I cut out the hard middle section and leafy top.
Above: This is the consistency of the batter before spooning it into your muffin liners. I use a soup spoon to do this.
Above: My method for spooning the batter into the liners is to put a spoonful in each liner, then go back and fill each one evenly. You might think you have too much batter, but it will all fit. Use parchment paper liners (or a silicone muffin pan); if you use regular paper liners, the muffins will stick to the paper.
Above: You can see how nicely the muffins cooked up inside; they are not gooey or undercooked at the bottom. Tip: Be sure you aren't using old baking powder, as this can inhibit rising in heavier baked goods like this (after 6 months to a year, it should be thrown out. You can check by putting a little in hot water to see if it fizzes, which means it's still active).
Can you use millet flour instead of whole millet?
I haven't tried it, but I would think so. 🙂 If you do, let me know how it turns out. Thanks!
Can we swap amaranth or quinoa for the millet? I have both of these in flour and whole grain form. I'm also curious if we could swap out some yogurt for the milk.
Flours are pretty interchangeable, so I think that would work. Hmm, not sure about the yogurt, it might be a bit too thick, but maybe a portion. 🙂
Thanks so much, Cathy. I so appreciate your offerings!
Thank you Judy! 😉
These muffins are wonderful! I made one change to the recipe and used yogurt instead of milk and it was great. Thank you for sharing!
Did you use the same amount of yogurt as milk? What kind of yogurt? Thanks Albertina! 🙂
How lovely! These look so delicious. I've never cooked with persimmons before but just saw some in the local market - so looking forward to making these:)
Thanks Mary! 🙂 Make sure you get Fuyus (and not the soft kind).
So I probably can't use the kind of persimmons that are from a nearby tree. ??
If they are the flatter Fuyu variety, you can. 🙂
11-07-2020 Boston, MA. Hi Cathy, Saw from your November 2020 cooking show email these muffins coming up next (enjoyed watching lentil loaf show this week), so when husband brought home a persimmon a co-worker had given him, I got your recipe surprisingly and easily from a "holiday" keyword search on your site. So far, an indicator of how much I have learned since the pandemic set in March 2020 is that the assembled ingredients are mise en place on my counter, and I have them all, and the oven is preheating. Now, waiting on hot water to see if baking soda fizzles (enjoy your sidebar tips) and cutting into persimmon. The idea is since I have the big parchment paper muffin liners is to make six big ones, cooking them a bit longer as need be, and having a couple between us today, Saturday, and tomorrow, freezing two for next weekend, and leaving two for the workmate on Monday. Onward, as laundry and cleaning get bumped for a bit. I'm hungry. Bye for now, Marguerite
Thanks Marguerite! 🙂 The "Large" parchment liners are more regular size to me; not sure why they call them large. But glad it worked out!
Yes, we have a fizzle on the baking powder (not soda, in case I said that earlier by mistake).
Well, they are in the oven now, heated to the 350. You are right: the batter looked like it was too much, but it did come to the top of the liners, as you said.
Cathy, Well, the results are your directions are on point; glad you were an elementary school teacher with simple steps and an editor-photograher with clear text and pictures to go with them. Texture-wise, what a hearty muffin, an on-the-go breakfast I'm guessing as lasting as a bowl of oatmeal but with more crunch factor from millet and from pecans. Taste had a warm, not temperature warm, but warm as in homey taste from days gone by for those of us who enjoy such. Will try out as breakfast starch some days this week rather than give or freeze any of four of six left. Turns out the persimmon came from fruit gift basket at work that working-from-home-recipient welcomed eight onsite workers to share. Best, Marguerite
Glad they turned out well for you! 🙂 They are hearty! Thanks again!
Thanks for this recipe, Cathy. It is a staple. I ALWAYS have some of these in my freezer or fridge. I even make a batch to put in my carry-on to take with me when I travel. These are THE BEST!!! The first batch I made was exactly according to your recipe. But, now that I make a batch just about every week, I really mix things up. Since persimmons are expensive and not always in season, I substitute all kinds of things. In general, I follow your recipe as written but in place of the 1 1/2 c persimmon and 1/2 c pecans, I substitute about 2 cups of whatever I want...shredded carrots and walnuts; blueberries and nuts; raisins, craisins, dried apricots and nuts; trail mix; and, when I want a special treat, some carob-coated raisins or nuts. Two other notes: I never need to add that extra 3 Tbsp of "milk" and I always bake in a silicon muffin tin (which I bought specifically to make these muffins) for exactly 28 minutes. I've made many of your recipes and must say this is my all time favorite!!! Keep up the good work!
Thanks Keli! 🙂 Great subs and tips! I haven't made these in a while; I'll have to revisit them!
I have a ton of persimmon pulp in my freezer from my persimmon tree. Anyone know what would happen if I used it?