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Italian Peach Cookies (Pesche Dolci) Recipe

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4.4 from 59 reviews

These Italian Peach Cookies (Pesche Dolci) are soft, cakey cookies filled with creamy filling, dipped in peach-colored liqueur syrup, and rolled in sugar to resemble real peaches. Beautiful and tender, they make an enchanting dessert perfect for celebrations and holidays.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract traditional & highly recommended

Cream Filling

Mix and match or choose one

  • Classic Pastry Cream Filling:
    1 1/2 cups pastry cream or vanilla pudding
    1/2 cup ricotta or mascarpone
  • Chocolate Nut Filling also traditional:
    1/2 cup mascarpone or ricotta
    3 tbsp cocoa powder
    3 tbsp sugar
    1/4 cup crushed toasted nuts almonds or hazelnuts
    2 -3 tbsp cookie crumbs from hollowed-out centers

Peach Dipping Syrup

  • 1/2 cup peach liqueur OR Alchermes traditional
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Red + yellow food coloring

Finishing

  • 1 cup granulated sugar for coating
  • Fresh mint leaves or edible leaves optional but beautiful

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough
    Whisk together:
    flour
    baking powder
    baking soda
    salt
    In another bowl, cream:
    butter
    sugar
    Beat until fluffy.
    Add:
    eggs
    milk
    vanilla
    almond extract
    Mix until combined.
    Add dry ingredients and mix until thick, soft dough forms (like cakey cookie dough).
    Chill 20 minutes for easier rolling.
  2. Step 2: Shape & Bake
    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
    Line baking sheets with parchment.
    Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into balls.
    Place 2 inches apart.
    Bake 10–12 minutes — tops should be pale, bottoms lightly golden.
    Cool completely.
  3. Step 3: Hollow the Cookies
    Once cooled, use a small knife or melon baller to gently scoop a cavity from the bottom of each cookie.
    Save the crumbs — they’ll be used in the filling.
    Each cookie will be filled and joined with another to form a “peach.”
  4. Step 4: Make the Filling
    Choose one:
    A) Classic Cream Filling
    Mix pastry cream + ricotta until smooth.
    B) Chocolate Nut Filling
    Mix mascarpone/ricotta with:
    cocoa
    sugar
    crushed nuts
    cookie crumbs
    Adjust texture with more crumbs or mascarpone.
  5. Step 5: Fill & Assemble
    Fill each cookie cavity with about 1 teaspoon filling.
    Gently press two filled cookies together to form a peach shape.
    Repeat with all cookies.
  6. Step 6: Make the Peach Dipping Syrup
    Mix:
    peach liqueur (or Alchermes)
    water
    Add food coloring to achieve a natural peach color:
    A few drops yellow
    A tiny touch of red
    Stir well.
  7. Step 7: Dip, Roll & Decorate
    Dip each assembled cookie lightly — do NOT soak — just enough to tint them.
    Roll cookies immediately in granulated sugar.
    Place on rack to dry.
    (optional) Insert a small mint leaf at the top of each to look like a stem.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/italian-peach-cookies-pesche-dolci-recipe/