Italian Peach Cookies (Printable)
Peach-shaped sandwich cookies with chocolate and jam filling, colored and sugar-coated for a realistic, festive appearance.
# 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 for rolling
15 - Fresh mint leaves for garnish
# How-To:
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.
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 small portions of dough into balls about 1 tablespoon each. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until just set and lightly golden on the bottom. Do not overbake.
08 - Cool cookies completely. Using a small knife or spoon, carefully scoop out a little from the flat side of each cookie to create a cavity for the filling. Reserve crumbs.
09 - Melt the chocolate with heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Mix in the 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.
13 - Insert a mint leaf into the top of each cookie for a realistic touch, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Theyre absolutely stunning on a dessert table and always start conversations
- The combination of chocolate and jam filling creates this perfect balance of sweet and fruity
- They actually look like tiny peaches which makes them magical for both kids and adults
02 -
- Overbaking makes the cookies too hard to hollow out so pull them when theyre just barely set
- The filling needs to be thick or it will ooze out when you sandwich the cookies together
- Food coloring can stain your hands so wear gloves or use a pastry brush for application
03 -
- Reserve all those cookie crumbs you scoop out because theyre crucial for the filling texture
- Work quickly when brushing with food coloring so the sugar adheres while the cookies are still slightly damp