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Traditional Italian Peach Cookies (Pesche Dolci)

Cross-section of two Italian Peach Cookies showing the soft cake texture and jam filling, coated in sugar.
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Make classic Italian Peach Cookies, or Pesche Dolci. These soft cookies are shaped like peaches, filled with pastry cream, and dipped in liqueur and sugar for a realistic look.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup white wine or milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • Pastry cream or apricot jam, for filling
  • 1/2 cup clear liqueur (like limoncello or vodka)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, for coating
  • Red food coloring (optional, for blush effect)

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the white wine or milk, mixing until just combined into a soft dough.
  5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Roll the chilled dough into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place them on the prepared sheets, leaving space between them.
  8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. They should remain soft. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
  9. Once cool, use a small spoon or melon baller to gently scoop out a small hollow from the flat bottom of half of the cookies.
  10. Prepare the filling. If using pastry cream, ensure it is thick. If using jam, warm it slightly.
  11. Fill the hollowed-out cookie bottoms generously with your chosen filling.
  12. Place a non-hollowed cookie half on top of the filled half to form a sphere shape. Gently press together.
  13. In a shallow dish, mix the liqueur and water. In a second dish, place the 1 cup of coating sugar.
  14. Dip each assembled cookie sphere first into the liqueur mixture, letting excess drip off, then immediately roll it in the coating sugar until fully covered.
  15. If desired, lightly brush a small amount of red food coloring onto one side of the coated cookie to mimic a peach blush.
  16. Allow the cookies to set before serving or storing.

Notes

  • For a more authentic look, use apricot jam as the filling instead of pastry cream.
  • If the dough is too sticky after chilling, add a small amount of flour, one teaspoon at a time.
  • Store assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Nutrition

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