Vegan Persimmon Cookies with chocolate chips are oil-free and easy to make with only 11 ingredients! This is the perfect Autumn-themed treat to use up sweet and squishy persimmons.

This fluffy vegan persimmon cookie is delicious and perfectly sweet thanks to nature’s amazing ability to make the persimmon. It is important to use very ripe persimmons for this recipe to get the most out of nature’s sweetness.

How to pick a ripe persimmon

There are a variety of types of persimmons, and the most common I’ve seen (on the West Coast of the USA) are Fuyu and Hachiya. Both work in this recipe, as long as they are very ripe. When choosing a persimmon for this cookie recipe, look for two things:

The persimmon should be very soft to the touch, so soft that you may think it is over-ripe.
The skin of the persimmon should still be intact, without excess bruising or mold spots.

Ingredients for vegan persimmon cookies

Persimmons that are super ripe. Look for Hachiya or extra squishy Fuyu persimmons.
Flaxmeal acts as an egg replacer in vegan baked goods. When it is soaked in water, it becomes a thick and sticky binder. Plus, it has the perfect ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for cardiovascular health!
Flour – I’ve made these cookies with regular all-purpose flour and 1:1 gluten free flour and they have both worked well.
Rolled Oats add some texture and fiber to these healthy vegan cookies.
Baking soda helps the cookies rise to be fluffy, almost like a muffin top.
Baking powder also helps the cookies rise and stay risen so the cookies don’t flatten out after being taken out of the oven. Try to find aluminum free versions.
Cinnamon elevates the flavor and is so delicious when paired with persimmons in baked goods!
Maple Syrup pairs with the persimmon and cinnamon for the perfectly sweet Fall-themed cookie.
Organic cane sugar – surprisingly not all sugar is vegan because some is processed with bone meal. Choosing organic cane sugar or any beet sugar or coconut sugar is the easiest way to know it is vegan.
Vegan chocolate chips are an optional addition, but who doesn’t love a chocolate chip in their cookie?
Unsweetened applesauce adds moisture to the cookie batter and reacts with the baking soda and baking powder to help make the cookies fluffy.

How to make vegan persimmon cookies

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate mixing bowls to make sure everything combines evenly.
Peel the persimmons and mash them in a medium mixing bowl. You can also blend them in a food processor for a smoother texture. Then mix in the flax “egg,” maple syrup, sugar and applesauce.
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
Add the persimmon mix to the dry ingredients in the large bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.
Spoon the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or baking paper. Make each cookie about 2-inches.
Bake at 375F (190C) for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are mostly firm.
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Once all the ingredients are mixed, the dough will be a little wet, it should look like the above photo. If you don’t want persimmon chunks, you can blend the persimmons in a blender or food processor instead of mashing with a fork. I like the chunks. It’s like a sweet gooey surprise in my cookie.

Equipment needed

Since these cookies are oil-free, they may stick to the pan. If you don’t want to oil the pan, you have a couple options. I always use silicone baking mats. You can also use baking paper or oil the pan.

Storage tips

These persimmon cookies can be kept on the counter in a sealed container for up to 4 days, or up to 7 days in the fridge.
For longer storage, they can be frozen in a reusable freezer bag. I like to add a frozen cookie to banana nice cream for an extra special dessert. They last one month in the freezer.

I love to make vegan oil-free persimmon cookies in the Fall, during peak persimmon season. Unfortunately, it is not always Fall. For more vegan desserts that you can make year-round, I think you’ll love these: