Italian Peach Cookies (Pesche Dolci)

Sugared Italian peach-shaped cookies with a pink and orange hue, decorated with green mint leaves, closely arranged together.

5 from 2 votes

Italian Peach Cookies (Pesche Dolci)

Italian Peach Cookies (Pesche Dolci) are soft, pillowy peach-shaped cookies filled with creamy ricotta filling & decorated to look like real fruit.

Prep Time40

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: cookies

Calories: 283kcal

Ingredients

For the cookies:

3 Eggs large
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Butter melted
⅓ cup Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
4 cups All-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
zest of one lemon

For the filling:

10.6 oz Ricotta read recipe notes
¼ cup Peach jam
1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
Orange zest from one orange (optional)

For decoration:

½ cup Peach liqueur or peach juice (read notes)
Red food coloring
Yellow food coloring
½ cup Sugar for coating
Mint leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream Eggs & Sugar: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and slightly frothy (about 2 minutes).
Combine Wet Ingredients: Whisk in melted butter (ensure it’s not hot), milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth.
Incorporate Dry: Sift in flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually fold into the wet mixture. Switch to a spatula or hands as it thickens. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
Shape and Bake: Roll into 1 oz (30g) balls. Flatten slightly on the tray. Leave about 1 inch (2–3 cm) between each cookie. Bake 10–12 mins. The cookies should remain fairly pale on top, with the bottoms lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool slightly.
Hollow the cookies: While still warm, using a small paring knife or a small teaspoon, carefully scoop out a small cavity on the flat side of each cookie.
Set the crumbs aside (you can mix them into the filling if desired).
Make the filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta, peach jam, vanilla bean paste, and optional orange zest. Mix until smooth and well combined. At this stage, you can also add the reserved crumbs (read notes). Transfer the filling to a piping bag.
Fill and assemble: Pipe the filling into the hollow center of one cookie and gently press another cookie on top to form a peach shape. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Prepare the coloring mixture: Pour the peach liqueur (or peach juice) into two small bowls. Add red food coloring to one bowl and yellow food coloring to the other bowl. Place the sugar for coating in a separate bowl.
Color the cookies: Lightly dip one side of each cookie in the yellow mixture, then dip the other side in the red mixture. Dip the cookie briefly (about 1 second). Do not soak it. Alternatively, you can brush the colors onto the cookies for better control.
Coat with sugar: Immediately roll the colored cookies in granulated sugar until evenly coated.
Chill: Place the cookies in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This resting time allows the cookies to soften slightly and absorb the flavors.
Decorate and serve: Before serving, decorate the cookies with fresh mint leaves to resemble peach stems.

Video

Notes

Ricotta: Use well-drained ricotta. If your ricotta is very wet, drain it for 30 minutes before making the filling.
Cookies should stay pale: Avoid overbaking the cookies. They should remain light in color so they resemble peaches once colored.
Liqueur options: Traditionally, these cookies are dipped in Alchermes or peach liqueur, which gives them their signature aroma, classic red color ,and subtle spice flavor.
If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute peach juice or peach nectar.
You can also use a combination of peach liqueur and peach juice for a milder flavor.
Some bakers also use rum, limoncello, or amaretto for a different twist.
Filling: Traditional Pesche Dolci are often filled with Italian pastry cream (crema pasticcera), sometimes mixed with peach jam for extra flavor. Another traditional filling uses leftover cookie crumbs mixed with peach jam or liqueur, creating a soft and flavorful paste. After testing several variations, I personally love this ricotta filling. It’s lighter, refreshing, and incredibly easy to prepare while still pairing beautifully with the cookies.
Other delicious filling options include:
- Mascarpone cream
- Nutella
- Whipped cream cheese filling
Leftover cookie crumbs: When hollowing the cookies, you’ll end up with small pieces of cookie crumbs. Don’t throw them away! These crumbs can be mixed into the filling to add extra flavor and texture. Traditionally, some Italian bakers mix the crumbs with peach jam or liqueur to create part of the filling. This step is completely optional, but it’s a great way to reduce waste and add richness to the filling.
Food Coloring: For best results, use liquid or gel food coloring that dissolves easily in liquids.
Make ahead: These cookies actually taste better the next day, once the flavors have fully developed.

Nutrition