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Yields:
4 dz.
Prep Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
2 hrs 15 mins
Italian peach cookies, also known as pesche dolci, are traditionally made for celebrations like weddings or baptisms, but these pastel-colored beauties are just as perfect as an Italian Christmas dessert.
This simple recipe calls for ingredients that are easily found in grocery stores. The soft, round vanilla cookies are hollowed out to make room for fluffy buttercream flavored with peach preserves. If buttercream isn’t your favorite, you can choose any kind of filling! Try a combination of pastry cream, nuts, chocolate, other fruit preserves, or keep things simple and just use peach preserves.
The most enchanting part of these cookies is the swirl of pastel colors that make them look “peachy.” Traditional recipes call for dunking the cookies in a spicy, citrusy, bright red liqueur known as Alkermes. For a more approachable and kid-friendly dip, just dye milk light yellow and red. Don’t worry, the milk won't make the cookies fall apart; it will make them soft and delightful! After the dip, immediately roll the peach cookies in sugar—it's like shimmery peach fuzz! As a final, optional touch, stick a mint or basil leaf into the sandwich cookie to complete the peach look!
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Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature and divided
- Red food coloring
- Yellow food coloring
- Mint or basil leaves, optional
For the peach buttercream:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp. peach preserves
Directions
- Step 1For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 1 baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Step 3In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. With a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium, beating until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Step 4With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with ¼ cup of milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
- Step 5Using a 1-teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop scant teaspoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 ½ inches of space between each cookie. Roll each scoop with your palms until a smooth ball forms and place it back on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press each cookie ball so the tops are smooth and form a rounded disk. Cover any remaining dough in the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Step 6Bake until lightly golden on the bottom and the cookie springs back when poked, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly, 5 minutes. Repeat rolling and baking with any remaining dough.
- Step 7While the cookies are still slightly warm, use a small knife to cut a ¼ teaspoon-sized circle into the underside of each cookie. Use a ¼-teaspoon measuring spoon to hollow out a small hole in the bottom of each cookie.
- Step 8For the peach buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, vanilla, and salt on medium speed until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and add the peach preserves. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Step 9Use a small offset or rubber spatula to spread a small amount of the peach buttercream into each hollowed out hole on the underside of the cookies. Spread a thin layer on the bottoms of the cookies just so that the sandwich cookies stick together. Press cookie bottoms together to form sandwiches.
- Step 10Divide the remaining ½ cup of milk between 2 small bowls. Add 1 or 2 drops of red food coloring to 1 bowl of milk to dye it pink. Add 1 or 2 drops of yellow food coloring to the second bowl of milk to dye it yellow. Place the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar into a medium bowl.
- Step 11Quickly dip one side of a sandwich cookie in the yellow milk and the other side into the pink milk, allowing excess milk to drip off the cookie; this is just a brief dip. Roll the cookie in the granulated sugar until well coated. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Step 12Place mint or basil leaves between the sandwich cookies to resemble a peach stem. Or, use a plastic leaf and warn your guests!
- Step 13The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, and in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Tip: When pressing the cookies down in step 5, do not completely flatten the cookie. This step is just to ensure the cookies don’t bake up too round.
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