Picture of single persimmon on a branch - backlit

Persimmon Pudding Recipes

(Diospyros virginiana: common, or American persimmon)

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 Picture of branch with persimmons
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"The best things are those you have to work at a little harder to get, and that definitely is true for the Southern classic persimmon pudding.  

There’s nothing quite like it. It’s a rich, satisfying dessert with a dense texture and a twangy, old-fashioned flavor."      - Holly Kozelsky, from her article entitled, Persimmon Pudding: A Southern Tradition Worth Preserving" in the Martinsville Bulletin Accent, September 26, 2007 Issue.

Persimmons are widespread and were used over the entirety of their range as long as people have been in the current day USA.  What constitutes "true", or "the best" persimmon pudding and what areas constitute the persimmon center of the universe have been commonly debated across the entirety of the range of the common persimmon.  There are as many varieties of persimmon pudding recipes as there are stars.  While there are a good many similarities among most persimmon pudding recipes.   They vary from all time periods to all regions.   The differences are enough to challenge persimmon lovers to try all types and decide for themselves which versions they like.  As far as I'm concerned, there is room for all persimmon pudding recipes and hopefully enough people willing to savor the delights of persimmons and continue experimenting.  I've been as pleased by some very old recipes as I have with those which are newer.  I hope you enjoy some below.  

Persimmon Pudding Recipes: 

Barry's Wild Persimmon Pudding (1979 version) 

Barry's Wild Persimmon Pudding II (lower sugar and spice version, October 2008)

Aunt Cleo's Persimmon Pudding (c.1930s)

Barb Lehman's Persimmon Pudding (Barb Lehman via the Indiana Nut Grower's Association)

Bayou Bill's Persimmon Pudding with My Mother's Vanilla Sauce (Bayou Bill Scifres)

Becky's Best Persimmon Pudding (Becky Hankins, French Lick, IN, 2007)

Bottorff Family Persimmon Pudding (Steve Batdorf, Morgantown, PA, 2007) --passed down from family in Charlestown, IN)

Carrie Hamby's Persimmon Pudding with Caramel Sauce (passed down from her grandmother, Maxine Largent)

Crook's Corner Persimmon Pudding (Chef Bill Neal via Chef Bill Smith, Charlotte, NC)

Elaine's Persimmon Pudding with Rum Sauce (from Elaine, 2007) 

Euell Gibbons' Christmas Pudding (Euell Gibbons, 1962)

Grace Farrar's "Hickory Holler" Persimmon Pudding (from Grace Farrar, 2007)

Grandma Bertha's Persimmon Pudding (from a relative of Grandma Bertha)

Jung's Persimmon Pudding (from Jim & Ruby Jung of The Waterman & Hill -Travellers Companion, A Natural Almanac)

Marcille's No-Cook Persimmon Pudding (Marcille Rose Dobbins, Louisville, KY.)

Marilyn Brewer's Special Persimmon Pudding (from Marilyn Brewer near Campbellsburg, IN - sugar-free and with an eye on food allergies)

Mitchell Family Persimmon Pudding (a Mitchell Family Recipe, c. mid-1800s submitted by Kerry Trout, November 2007)

Persimmon/Date Pudding (Becky Hankins, French Lick, IN, 2007)

Persimmon Pudding #002 (Minn-Ell Mandeville, 1940)

Persimmon Pudding #003 (Becky Hankins, French Lick, IN, 2007)

Persimmon Pudding #004 (Indiana Nut Grower's Association)

Persimmon Pudding #005 (Indiana Nut Grower's Association)

Persimmon Pudding #006 (Indiana Nut Grower's Association)

Persimmon Pudding Cake or Pone (Troop & Hadley, 1896)

Roudebush's Best Ever Persimmon Pudding (Sandra Roudebush, Worthington, IN, 2007)

Spicy, Rich Persimmon Pudding (Bob Kelly, Aberdeen, MS, 2007)

Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Silky Persimmon Puree (Deborah Madison, 2008)