I have a manuscript and cookies on the brain. Two somewhat related but also conflicting subjects. I’m feeling the holiday cookie fever and just want to play around with cookie cutters and royal icing all day. I had grand visions of finally designing and building an A-frame Lake Tahoe inspired gingerbread house too… but I also have the final edits of my manuscript to turn in this week. You can probably assume which one is taking priority these days. Maybe my gingerbread house architecture career will blossom next year.

Thankfully, I got some cookie baking squeezed into the schedule before the manuscript hit my inbox last week! These Persimmon Thumbprints are just so lovely! I might be biased because the compote just so happens to be exactly my favorite color and made with my favorite fruit. And I physically can’t resist anything that includes cream cheese (there’s some in the dough!!!). I made a batch of these cookies for us and Reuben’s parents last week and they only lasted maaaaaybeeee 12 hours.

The Easiest Persimmon compote

First, let’s talk about this dreamy persimmon compote! I originally planned to patiently wait until my Hachiya persimmons were perfectly soft and jammy, so I could simply scoop out the flesh, mash them a little and top my thumbprints with them. Naturally made jam, you know? Waiting for hachiya persimmons to ripen until mushy is the only practical way of eating them, because if they aren’t ripe your mouth will feel like you just ate clay from all the tannins in the fruit. It’s a really unfortunate experience.

Well, I bought hachiya persimmons about a month ago and even lugged them across the country so I could bake with them in New Jersey and they are still not ripe… I got impatient and picked some Fuyu Persimmons instead. This variety you can eat at any stage which is a lot more practical. I love them while they are still crisp like an apple, all the way until they are silky and jammy.

My persimmons were at a medium ripeness. At this stage they are still plenty sweet but still on the firm side with a slight give on the surface (like a good avocado). I cut them into small chunks, leaving the peel on, about 1/2” in size. A compote is a little different than a jam because it’s less smooth, with chunks of fruit still visible. The persimmons are simply cooked low and slow with a little bit of sugar and then salt for balance. The fruit will caramelize and continue to breakdown until it’s thick and jammy. I also like to smash the tender fruit with the back of a wooden spoon to help with the breakdown process. Give it a taste and see if it needs any more sugar.

Persimmons inherently have a lot of vanilla and cinnamon notes, so I don’t add any of that into the compote. But if you think it needs it, then by all means add a little!

The recipe makes just enough compote for the cookies, so if you want extra for toast or yogurt, make sure to double or even triple the recipe!

Let’s talk Dough

The cookie dough comes together very effortlessly and is mixed by hand. No standmixer clean up! It’s enriched with butter and cream cheese, which gives it amazing flavor and a tender, chewy crumb texture. The cream cheese gives the cookies a slightly tang and there’s also a little bit of cinnamon mixed in to compliment the natural flavor of the persimmons.

The dough is quite sturdy, which makes it very easy to form and create indents to hold the compote. I also think this dough would be wonderful rolled out and stamped with cookie cutters. If you try it will you tell me how it goes?

A coating of sanding sugar (mine is tinted orange because I couldn’t help myself), gives them a nice crunch and much needed festive cheer. Don’t we all need a little sparkle in our lives? They catch the bright winter light so beautifully!

happy holiday baking!

Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden brown! The cookies don’t spread much in the oven, but they get a little crisp and the compote gets a final caramelization. Like most cookies, I think these are best still warm from the oven with a glass of cold milk! Store them on the counter at room temperature for a day and if there are any left, store in an airtight container in the fridge since there’s some fruit involved .

Why are thumbprints only made during the holidays? They are so cute and fun to make, I would love to see more seasonal varieties throughout the year! I’m dreaming of passionfruit thumbprints…

Happy baking, friends!

Persimmon Thumbprints

Makes 18 small cookies

Dough:

250g (2 cups) Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coarse salt
113g (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
113g (4 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
100g (1/2 cup) sugar
1/2 cup decorative sanding or coarse sugar, for coating
Persimmon compote, see recipe below

Steps:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, cinnamon, and salt.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and cream cheese with a flexible spatula until smooth. Add vanilla, egg, and sugar and mix until combined. Add the dry flour mixture and mix until nearly combined. Knead with your hands until smooth and just combined. Pat the dough into a thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and line 1 to 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place decorative sugar in a shallow dish.

4. Divide the dough into 18 equal pieces (with a digital scale if you have one) or about 1 1/2 tablespoon scoops. Roll into balls and press in the sugar to coat. Arrange dough balls n the baking sheet(s) spacing at least 2” apart. Press down on the dough with the palm of your hand until it’s about 1/2” thick. With your thumb or the back of a teaspoon make an indent in the center of each cookie. Fill with persimmon compote.

5. Bake until lightly golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Persimmon Compote

materials:

3 (about 1 1/2 cups) ripe persimmons, peeled and cut into small chunks

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine persimmons, sugar, and salt. Continue to simmer, while pressing on the persimmons with the back of wooden spoon and stirring, until thick and jammy, about 20 minutes.

2. Transfer the compote to a heat-proof container and cool until room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Thank you, Bob’s Red Mill, for sponsoring this post!

I’ve been so thankful to work with them all year! They are truly my favorite baking products and continue to make all my baking experiments a dream!