Glazed Persimmon Cookies

Hachiya persimmons are best for this recipe. They need to ripen completely. When the Hachiya persimmon behaves like a seriously overripe tomato (completely soft to the touch all around) and its insides are a slurry, that's when they can be opened, and the sweet pulp spooned out and eaten.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• Cookies

• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  eggs
• 3⁄4 cup  persimmon, puree
• 2 3⁄4 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon clove
• 1  cup  chopped walnuts

• Glaze

• 1 1⁄4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1  tablespoon  persimmon, puree
• 1  teaspoon orange zest

Directions

1. Cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl. Add persimmon puree, stirring until blended.
2. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to persimmon mixture a third at a time, stirring just until flour is incorporated. Stir in nuts.
3. Lay out plastic wrap on a large smooth surface. Place the cookie dough on the plastic wrap and form into a long cylindrical log, wrapping the dough completely with the plastic wrap. Place in freezer. Chill at least a couple of hours, until frozen or almost frozen.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F When dough is fairly solid, unwrap from plastic wrap and slice with a sharp knife, 1/4" thick rounds. Lay out cookie dough rounds on stick-free cookie sheets, leaving at least an inch between the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched in center. Let cool on baking racks before frosting.
5. When cookies have cooled, lay out over a sheet of wax paper. Sift confectioner's sugar and then whisk with 2 Tbsp of milk until smooth. Add 1 Tbsp of persimmon puree and 1 tsp of grated orange peel and mix until smooth. Dip spoon into glaze mixture and dribble over cookies. Let harden and serve.