Acorn Persimmon Bread

Long before wheat fields stitched the American landscape into tidy rows, the forests offered their own flour and fruit. Acorns—carefully gathered, leached, and ground—sustained whole communities, while wild persimmons ripened in autumn thickets, sweetening after the first frost. This bread brings those two native ingredients together in a way that feels both old and new: earthy acorn flour balanced by the honeyed depth of American persimmons. It is not a recreation of any single tribal preparation, but rather a respectful nod to the flavors that once defined this continent’s fall harvest.

Recipe makes 1 loaf (8 servings)

Whatcha Need

• Corn oil (for greasing the pan)
• 1 cup persimmon puree
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1½ cups acorn flour
• ½ cup wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Whatcha Do

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Coat the bottom and sides of one 8” x 4” loaf pan with the corn oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, persimmon puree, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, acorn flour and wheat flour.
4. Stir the baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the dry mixture.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until well combined. The batter will be thick.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Then remove from the pan and let cool for an additional 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
   

   Note

   • Pumpkin puree can be substituted for the persimmon if desired.
   • Acorn flour can be purchased from specialty producers such as Forestopia L3C in Brattleboro, Vermont. Look specifically for finely milled, fully leached acorn flour intended for baking. It should not be confused with acorn powder or raw ground acorns, which have not had the tannins removed and are not interchangeable in recipes.