Description

Italian Peach Cookies, or Pesche Dolci, are soft, cakey cookies filled with creamy filling, dipped in a peach-colored liqueur syrup, and rolled in sugar to resemble real peaches. These tender, moist treats are 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

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Instructions

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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.