Persimmon Simple Syrup Recipe (with Fuyu Persimmons)

This persimmon simple syrup recipe is an inventive way to use the seasonal, sweet, and tropical flavor of persimmons in your drinks! It’s made with only three ingredients: fresh Fuyu persimmons, granulated sugar, and filtered water!

I first learned how to make and use simple syrups when I was in baking and pastry school. After over 10 years of making simple syrups at home, I’ve learned that pretty much any flavor can be transformed into a liquid sweetener!

This light orange syrup is perfect for use in persimmon-flavored beverages, like a persimmon sour cocktail or a homemade persimmon soda pop! The best part is that it’s super easy to make this syrup.

💕 💕 why you’ll love this persimmon simple syrup recipe

🍯 sweet and mellow. The flavor of persimmons is described as honey-like, with hints of melon or mango. Their mellow fruity sweet flavor makes them perfect for pairing, because they complement many flavors very well!

🍹beverage ready. This homemade fruity sweetener is an easy way to add a burst of flavor to all of your drinks during the fall and winter when persimmons are in peak season!

🤌 unique and unexpected. Making persimmons into a simple syrup is a great way to infuse the flavor of the fruit into all of your beverages! It’s also a low-stakes way to allow people to try new-to-them foods, which is especially helpful with kids!

🛒 ingredients

• fuyu persimmons – use the flatter, pancake-round variety of persimmons for this recipe. They are versatile because you can use the whole fruit without peeling them, and you don’t need to worry about them being astringent, bitter, or sour.
• granulated sugar – plain white sugar is perfect for simple syrups because it’s a blank slate for flavor while also providing ample sweetness. Persimmon has a mellow flavor, so it’s important to use regular granulated sugar if you want to make persimmon the top note of this syrup.
• filtered water – filtered water is a necessary ingredient for any simple syrup. Make sure to use filtered water so you get the more pure taste without any added minerals or impurities. This ensures that the persimmon flavor is front and center in this syrup recipe.

See the recipe card for exact quantities.

🍳 instructions

Step 1: Wash and dry your persimmons, making sure to remove any dirt or impurities from the surface of the fruit. Remove the leaves and core from the top of the persimmon, and remove the seeds.

Step 2: Chop the persimmons into rough cubes to help more of the surface area of the fruit come into contact with the syrup base.

Step 3: Pour water into a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat.

Step 4: Add the sugar to the water and stir it until it dissolves.

Step 5: Add the persimmon pieces, allowing the mix to come to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Infuse in the syrup at a low simmer for up to 15 minutes.

Step 6: Turn the heat off and allow the syrup to continue to infuse for up to an hour. This also allows the syrup to cool to room temperature.

Step 7: Add the lemon juice, if you are using it, to help the persimmon flavor pop.

Step 8: Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pulp. Store your finished syrup in an airtight storage container for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Hint: Persimmons are naturally delicate in flavor, so make sure to taste the syrup several times as it infuses to make sure the flavor is pronounced enough for your liking.

💡tips and tricks for getting it right

🍽️ serving tips

How and when to serve your persimmon simple syrup:

Simple syrups are best used in beverages because they are so thin in consistency. This makes them perfect for using in both hot and cold drinks! Since this syrup is so thin, it doesn’t work well for topping desserts like ice cream or on breakfast foods like waffles and pancakes. You can still use it on food, but just be aware that it may soak into porous foods quickly, causing you to use a lot of the syrup.

cocktails:

Using your simple syrup to make cocktails is the perfect way to add a bit of persimmon flavor to your next happy hour! Try using your syrup in the following drinks:

• persimmon sour – a sour is a popular type of cocktail that involved using liquor, simple syrup, and citrus juice. This Persimmon Sour recipe is a perfect new take on an old classic!
• persimmon old fashioned – an old fashioned is a classic cocktail that can easily be made into so many flavors by swapping out the simple syrup. This Persimmon Old Fashioned makes use of the sweet and delicate flavor of this persimmon simple syrup!
• persimmon daiquiri – Impress your family and friends with an unexpected twist on a classic daiquiri by using this simple syrup to impart the flavor of persimmon with lime juice and rum!

mocktails:

Cocktails aren’t the only drinks that benefit from simple syrup! Try a non-alcoholic beverage sweetened with your persimmon syrup like one of the following recipes:

• persimmon soda – homemade sodas are so easy to make! This recipe for a Persimmon Soda is a great way to enjoy the flavor of persimmon with the whole family!
• persimmon lemonade – try making your favorite homemade lemonade recipe using this syrup in place of sugar for a tropical twist on a refreshing classic.
• zero-proof persimmon margaritas – this syrup is perfect for making a seasonal variation on a classic mocktail: the margarita!

ℹ️ troubleshooting tips

Even though homemade syrup recipes are quite simple, things can still go wrong! Try these troubleshooting tips if your syrup didn’t turn out quite right.

• too thick – persimmons are high in pectin, which means they can gel up easily. If you cooked your syrup at too high of a temperature for too long, you could end up with a very thick syrup once it cools. If this happened to you, just reheat your syrup and add a bit more water, 1-2 ounces at a time, until the syrup thins out.
• not enough persimmon flavor – persimmons are mild in flavor, especially if you are using Fuyu persimmons that aren’t fully ripened. You can add in more persimmons to amp up the flavor! You can also blend up the persimmons with an immersion blender. You’ll want to strain the persimmon pulp out to strain the mixture, because otherwise you’ll end up with a much thicker syrup that will not blend easily into drinks.
• bitter or sour – if you used Hachiya persimmons that weren’t fully ripe, your syrup could be very bitter or sour to taste. You can try adding in some salt or saline solution to cut the bitterness, or try adding in an additional 50 g of sugar at a time until your syrup balances out. Cooking persimmons also helps to lessen the acidic or astringent taste, so that will help reduce the bitterness.

🔆 top tip

Be sure to use Fuyu persimmons in this recipe, because you can use the whole fruit without needing them to be softly ripened. Otherwise, make sure your Hachiya persimmons are fully ripened before using to avoid a bitter flavor.

If you want to make the flavor more intense, muddle or blend your persimmons into the syrup!

♻️ substitutions & variations

♻️ substitutions

Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!

• Hachiya persimmons – if you can only find Hachiya persimmons, you can use them in this recipe. You will need to make sure they are fully soft and ripened to use them. You will also want to peel your persimmons before making the syrup.
• swap your sugar – you can use another type of sugar instead of white cane sugar, like brown sugar or demerara sugar. If you use a darker or less refined sugar, it will impact the final flavor of your persimmon syrup with a more caramelized taste.
• honey, maple syrup, or agave – you can also make a homemade simple syrup out of honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. If you are using one of these liquid sweeteners, make sure to use 1/8th to 1/4 less of the sweetener. Honey and maple syrup are much sweeter by volume than regular granulated sugar, so if you use the same measurements cup for cup, your final syrup could be too sweet.

🎛️ variations

Feeling like a rebel?! 😈 Feel free to stray from the recipe card using these variations, or leave me a comment with your own!

• citrus-persimmon syrup – Add in citrus juice and zest like orange juice for a zesty twist! You can also use other citrus fruits, like lemons or limes, too.
• add spices – persimmon blends wonderfully with warming flavors, like baking spices. Add in half a vanilla bean, a cinnamon stick, or star anise, and steep them for 15-20 minutes in this syrup to add a layer of spice and warmth to the syrup.
• tropical fruit syrup – combine multiple fruits, like pineapple or mango and persimmon, to make a seriously special tropical infused syrup!

🧰 equipment needed & storage tips

🧰 tools needed

Check out this post here for the ultimate guide on tools you’ll need for making your own simple syrups!

• non-reactive heavy-bottomed saucepan – you can use whatever saucepan you have on hand, I love this 1.5-quart saucepan from All-Clad. The heavy bottom ensures even heating throughout the cooking time, and non-reactive metal ensures that your pan doesn’t impart a metallic flavor to your syrup.
  
• stainless steel mesh strainer – a fine mesh strainer helps you to separate the persimmon pieces zest from the liquid after simmering the mixture. Make sure your fine-mesh sieve is made of a non-reactive material, like stainless steel.
  
• kitchen scale – using a kitchen scale has so many benefits, from being more precise to helping you do less dishes! If you use a scale, you can simply put everything right in the pot as you measure it, no need to dirty up a bunch of extra dishes! I have and love this OXO kitchen scale.
  
• airtight storage – you can use any airtight container you like. These OXO squeeze bottles are a favorite of mine for storing symple syrups because you can also stash them in the freezer. These glass bottles are great for gifting simple syrups to friends and family. You can also use a mason jar!
  
• heat-proof measuring cups – For glass measuring cups, I love using Anchor-Hocking brand cups. They stand up to temperature changes without shattering, and I never have issues with the pour spout.
  
• silicone spatula –  a silicone spatula is a great tool to use for making simple syrups because it doesn’t absorb or give off flavor while heat-cooking. It also stays cool to the touch, so you don’t need to worry about it getting too hot to hold. I love using spatulas like this one from GIR. Another bonus? It doesn’t absorb flavors (unlike a wooden spoon).

🫙 how to store homemade persimmon simple syrup

Your finished persimmon simple syrup will last for two weeks when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze it for longer-term storage.

💬 q+a

How can I fix bitter persimmons?

Fuyu persimmons are usually not bitter or astringent, unlike Hachiya persimmons which can be extremely sour when not ripe. To quickly ripen your persimmons, stick them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. You can also put them in a paper bag with a ripe banana to speed up the ripening process.

What do persimmons taste like?

Persimmons have a unique, mellow, sweet flavor that is sometimes described as a cross between a melon and mango. They have an almost honey-like and tropical taste.

Do I need to peel persimmons?

Fuyu persimmons do not need to be peeled to use in recipes, especially in recipes like this simple syrup that will have the pulp strained out of the final product. In recipes where the peel may be distracting to the final texture, like with baked goods, you may want to peel them. If you are using Hachiya persimmons, you will want to peel them.