Italian Peach Cookies (Printable)
Peach-shaped Italian sandwich cookies filled with chocolate and jam, colored and rolled in sugar.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/4 cup whole milk
06 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
07 - Pinch of salt
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Filling
10 - 1/3 cup peach or apricot jam
11 - 1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped
12 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream
→ Decoration
13 - Red and yellow food coloring
14 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
15 - Fresh mint leaves
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
03 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk, until a soft dough forms.
06 - Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough per ball and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 15-18 minutes until just set and lightly golden on the bottom. Do not overbake.
08 - Cool cookies completely. Carefully scoop out a small cavity from the flat side of each cookie using a small knife or spoon. Reserve crumbs.
09 - Melt the chocolate with heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Mix in reserved cookie crumbs and jam to form a thick paste.
10 - Fill the cavity of one cookie half with the chocolate-jam mixture, then sandwich with another half, pressing gently together to form a peach shape.
11 - Mix small bowls of water with a few drops of red and yellow food coloring. Lightly brush each peach with the colors to mimic a real peach, blending as desired.
12 - Roll the colored cookies in granulated sugar to coat evenly.
13 - Insert a mint leaf into the top of each cookie for a realistic touch, if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- These cookies are like edible little works of art that impress everyone who sees them
- The combination of chocolate and jam creates this perfect balance between rich and fruity
- They look impressive but are actually quite forgiving to make
02 -
- Overbaking makes it hard to create the cavity without crumbling the cookies
- The food coloring works best when the cookies are still slightly damp from the brush
- Let the assembled cookies sit for a few hours before serving for easier handling
03 -
- Use a small melon baller to create perfect uniform cavities in the cookie halves
- Warm the jam slightly in the microwave before mixing it makes combining easier