How to Make Easy Dried Persimmons (Oven or Dehydrator)

When you’re blessed with an abundance, I highly recommend making dried persimmons! Dehydrated persimmon slices are a tasty little snack on their own, or can be incorporated into homemade trail mix, granola, and more. Plus they’re loaded with Vitamin C, A, antioxidants, manganese, and fiber! Making dried persimmons is an easy way to preserve them, and takes up very little storage space once they’re done.

Follow along with this quick and easy step-by-step guide on how to make dried persimmons. We’ll discuss the two types of persimmons you can use (Fuyu vs Hachiya), how to dry them in either a food dehydrator (preferred) or the oven, storage tips, and briefly touch on drying persimmons whole (the not-so-easy way).

Different types of persimmons

The two main types of persimmons are Hachiya and Fuyu. Hachiya, also known as baking persimmons, are perhaps the most common. Fuyu are my personal favorites, and are actually remarkably different from Hachiyas! The easiest way to tell them apart is their shape. Hachiya fruit are oblong with a pointed end, while Fuyu persimmons are round and squatty with a flat bottom (like a tomato). Yet the most notable difference between the two is their mouthfeel and how you eat them.

Hachiya persimmons tend to be very astringent and offer an unpleasant “fuzzy” feeling in your mouth when consumed raw or slightly underripe. Therefore, Hachiya persimmons to need to fully ripen (nearly overripe) and become very, very soft before enjoying them fresh. Then, the pulp can be enjoyed like custard, spooned into yogurt or smoothies, or other ooey-gooey applications. Otherwise, they’re usually reserved for baking or preserves. 

On the other hand, Fuyu persimmons can be eaten fresh while they’re still crisp and firm like an apple – skin and all! Even when firm they’re plenty sweet, though their maple-cinnamon sweet persimmon flavor intensified as they soften too. Fuyu persimmons are delicious on their own, added to salads, in oatmeal or yogurt, desserts, and more. Like Hachiya, Fuyu’s can also be used in baked goods or preserves. 

What kind of persimmons should I use to make dried persimmons?

Both Hachiya and Fuyu make delicious dried persimmon slices! However, keep in mind that the fruit needs to be firm enough to cut into thin slices. So if you’re using Hachiya persimmons, use ones that are fully orange but not yet soft (less ripe than you’d choose for eating fresh).  I prefer Fuyu persimmons, which is what we used for this tutorial.

Supplies Needed

You can make dried persimmons in either a food dehydrator or the oven. I like using a food dehydrator because it requires less oversight and is impossible to accidentally burn them. We use our favorite Excalibur food dehydrator. Between it’s timer, precise temperature settings, and fan in the back of the machine (rather than top or bottom), we just set it and forget it! I don’t even have to rotate the trays.

• Ripe but firm persimmons
• A food dehydrator or oven 
• A wire baking rack and baking sheets (if using the oven)
• A mandolin slicer (recommended but not required)
• Air tight storage containers
• Optional: cinnamon for sprinkling on top

HOW TO DRY PERSIMMONS

Step 1: Wash and Slice the Persimmons

First, wash the persimmons with warm water. Next, cut them into thin even slices – about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. The thinner you cut them, the faster and easier they’ll dry. Thinner slices may result in more brittle or chip-like dried persimmons. Slightly thicker slices will take longer to dry, but will be more reminiscent of chewy fruit leather. Either way, try to keep all the slices about the same thickness so they dry evenly.

A mandolin slicer makes this task exceptionally easy! I like to cut the tops off first and then slice them across their “equator”, revealing a beautiful sunburst shape inside. I set my mandolin to 3/16 inch (halfway between 1/8″ and 1/4″, or about 4.5 mm). Always be very careful and use the provided hand guard when working with mandolins – they’re sharp!

Step 2: Dehydrate

Spread out the cut persimmon slices in a single layer on food dehydrator trays, OR on oven-safe wire baking racks set on top of baking sheets. Using wire racks helps persimmons dry best in the oven, allowing airflow around the entire slice. If you don’t have wire baking racks, you can put them directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper instead. However, you’ll need to turn and flip the slices every hour this way, and it will take longer to dry.

In a food dehydrator, dry the persimmons on 135°F (medium heat or fruit setting) for approximately 7 to 8 hours.

In the oven, use the lowest temperature setting possible (170-200°F) until the centers are fully dry – about 3 to 6 hours. Start routinely checking on the dried persimmons after the first 1.5 hours. If you’re drying more than one tray, rotate them every couple of hours.

See more notes about assessing doneness below.

When are dried persimmons done?

The persimmons are done drying once they’re no longer sticky, have become leathery, and the edges start to curl. You can dry them extra long to get crispy dry persimmon “chips”, or stop them sooner for softer chewy dried persimmons.

However, keep in mind that the more moisture that remains, the shorter their shelf life will be. Too much leftover moisture can lead to mold growth in storage. I like to dry mine until they’re no longer wet, but still have a slight bend and chewiness to them.

The time it takes to dry persimmons will vary depending on your machine, method, fruit slices and moisture content – and your personal preference! Expect it to take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours in a decent food dehydrator, and 3 to 8 hours in the oven.

Storing dried persimmons

Once the dried persimmons have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight storage container of choice. Good examples include zip lock bags or a large glass container with tight-fitting lid. Store the dried persimmons in a cool, dark, dry location. If properly dried, persimmon slices should stay good in dry storage for several months or longer. Storing them in the refrigerator will help prevent mold and extend their lifespan even further (though not required).

Ways to use dried persimmons

Dried persimmons are fantastic to eat on their own as a snack or healthy dessert. You can also add dried persimmons to salads, homemade granola or trail mix, on top of plain yogurt, in oatmeal, or paired with cheese and crackers or bread. You may want to cut the dried persimmon slices into smaller bite-size pieces, depending on what you’re using them for. I love mixing dried persimmons with a handful of walnuts or almonds for a well-balanced snack. Dried persimmons pair really well with chocolate too. Consider dipping some in melted chocolate, or adding chocolate chips to your homemade trail mix as an extra decadent treat!

Can you dry persimmons whole?

Yes! Have you ever seen images of whole persimmons hanging to dry? It’s really quite beautiful. A traditional Japanese method called Hoshigaki (or gotham in Korea) involves skinning and thoroughly massaging whole persimmons before hanging them to dry in the sun. It takes about a month for them to dry, during which the fruit shrivels, develops a white sugar bloom coating on the outside, and becomes thick and gooey on the inside – reminiscent of a fudgey date. But did I mention you have to massage the persimmons daily as they hang? They’re a true labor of love.

Hachiya persimmons are traditionally used for Hoshigaki, serving a dual purpose: to preserve the fruit, as well as make the otherwise astringent Hachiya persimmons more sweet and enjoyable to eat. Fuyu persimmons are already delicious to consume as-is, so they don’t require special treatment to enjoy. Though it’s possible, Fuyu persimmons can be more tricky to use in Hoshigaki. Their higher sugar content easily attracts fruit flies and mold. 

We considered drying some of our persimmon abundance Hoshigaki-style, but after chatting with our good friend who routinely makes Hoshigaki persimmons with her homegrown Fuyu’s, we decided it wasn’t the best option with this batch of ripe Fuyus. She explained the key is to use firm, barely-ripe fruit for Hoshigaki – for both Fuyu or Hachiya alike. Otherwise, they easily mold and turn to mush. Our friend Nicole enjoys her Hoshigaki fuyu persimmons, but also makes them out of necessity. As her fruit ripens on the tree, the raccoons eat it all! So she’s forced to harvest them very early (before they’re sweet enough to enjoy raw) and preserve them with Hoshigaki instead. Thanks for the tips Nicole! 

And that’s how to make easy dried persimmon slices!

I hope you enjoy your new snack! Please consider sharing this post and/or leave a review if you found it useful.

I truly love persimmons. They’re absolutely delicious, and remind me of a very special time in my life too. You see, Aaron introduced me to Fuyu persimmons on our very first date, back when I was just 19. I thought I knew a lot about fruit and veggies, so I was really impressed… like, who is this healthy, happy, produce-savvy guy?! (Especially boys that age, ya know). So our little inside joke has always been: you had me at persimmons.

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