Description
Italian Peach Cookies, or Pesche Dolci, are delightful filled cookies resembling peaches. These traditional Italian treats feature soft, tender cookie dough sandwiched with a luscious peach jam and pastry cream filling, then dipped in Alchermes liqueur and rolled in sugar to achieve a shimmering, fruity finish. Perfect for holidays or special occasions, they combine a delicate crumb with sweet, creamy flavors and a hint of almond-like liqueur.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk, as needed
Filling
- 1 cup pastry cream or thick vanilla pudding
- 1/2 cup peach jam or apricot jam
Finishing
- 1/3 cup Alchermes liqueur or peach syrup diluted with water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
- Red and yellow food coloring (optional)
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly blended.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar using a mixer or by hand until light and fluffy, which incorporates air for a tender cookie.
- Incorporate eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently. Add small amounts of whole milk as needed to form a soft, pliable dough that is not too sticky or dry.
- Shape the cookies: Roll the dough into 1-inch diameter balls and place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the bottoms turn lightly golden while the tops remain pale, ensuring a delicate texture.
- Cool and hollow: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Using a small knife or spoon, gently hollow out the flat side of each cookie to create space for the filling.
- Prepare filling mixture: Combine cookie crumbs from hollowed sections with peach jam and pastry cream until a thick, even filling forms.
- Assemble cookies: Sandwich two cookies together with the prepared filling to create a peach-like shape.
- Dip and coat cookies: Quickly dip each sandwich cookie into Alchermes liqueur (or peach syrup mixture), then roll them in granulated sugar to give a sparkly, flavorful coating.
- Decorate and serve: Optionally, lightly tint the cookies with red and yellow food coloring to mimic peach hues and garnish with fresh mint leaves before serving to enhance appearance and aroma.
Notes
- If Alchermes liqueur is unavailable, substitute with peach nectar or simple syrup mixed with a splash of grenadine for color and flavor.
- Allow the assembled cookies to rest for several hours so the flavors meld and the texture softens beautifully.
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for longer freshness.
