Persimmon Cookies

These are perfect fall/winter cookies. They have a lovely spice flavor and beautiful with flecks of orange persimmon pulp running through them.

This is the beautiful persimmon cookie dough. It’s more like cake batter!

Ready to bake. Look at that chunk of persimmon pulp!

 

These were disappearing off the cooling rack as quickly as I could get them out of the oven. A big hit with my husband and kids.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

Pulp from 2 ripe persimmons (about a cup)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare cookie sheets by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl mix dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer blend shortening and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until combined.
5. Add raisins and nuts, mix until combined.
6. Drop cookie dough onto greased sheets using a small to medium scoop.
7. Bake for 25-20 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Tips:

• Use very ripe Hachiya persimmons (the heart-shaped kind, not the flat type). Carefully peel off the skin and remove the calyx (the stem). Don’t worry about the very tiny seeds in the pulp, they are edible.
• Greasing the cookie sheets is recommended to ensure the cookies come off easily.
• You can make bigger cookies using a big scoop, but increase cooking time to 25 minutes. It may also be necessary to reduce oven temperature to 325°.

 

Cocoa Crispy Treats With Nutella & Reese’s Pieces

These crispy rice squares are packed with chocolate and peanut butter flavor. I scored big boxes of Cocoa Krispies last week at Savemart for $1.88 each. When I needed a quick dessert to take to a family get-together I decided to get creative with some rice krispie treats. This recipe comes together quickly and is super rich and chocolatey.

Ingredients

8 cups Cocoa Krispies cereal

1 bag (16 oz) marshmallows

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1/2 cup Nutella

1 cup Reese’s Pieces, divided

 

Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 9 x 13″ pan.
2. In a large pot melt the butter and marshmallows over medium-low heat.
3. When marshmallows are mostly melted add Nutella.
4. Stir until well combined and completely melted.
5. Remove from heat and stir in cereal.
6. Wait a few minutes and add 3/4 cup of the candy.
7. Spread into prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon or spatula coated with cooking spray to press into place.
8. Add reserved candy to the top while still warm.