Italian Peach Cookies (Printable Version)

Peach-shaped Italian sandwich cookies filled with chocolate and jam, colored and rolled in sugar for a realistic appearance.

# What You'll 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 - 1 pinch 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy using electric mixer.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest.
04 - In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, alternating with milk, until soft dough forms.
06 - Roll dough into 1 tablespoon balls. Place on prepared sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 15-18 minutes until set and lightly golden on bottom.
07 - Cool completely. Scoop small cavity from flat side of each cookie using small knife, reserving crumbs.
08 - Melt chocolate with heavy cream until smooth. Stir in reserved crumbs and jam to form thick paste.
09 - Fill cavity of one cookie with chocolate mixture. Sandwich with another cookie, pressing gently to form peach shape.
10 - Mix water with drops of red and yellow food coloring. Lightly brush each cookie to blend colors, mimicking real peaches.
11 - Roll colored cookies in granulated sugar until evenly coated.
12 - Insert mint leaf into top of each cookie for realistic appearance, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of rich chocolate and tart jam creates an incredibly sophisticated filling that surprises everyone who takes a bite
  • Watching guests do a double take when they realize these beautiful peaches are actually cookies is the best kind of kitchen magic
02 -
  • Overbaking even by two minutes makes these cookies too crisp to hollow out properly, so watch them closely and pull them when just set
  • The sugar coating needs to be applied while the coloring is still slightly damp or it will not adhere evenly to the peach surface
03 -
  • Chill the dough for thirty minutes if it feels too soft to handle, this prevents the balls from flattening too much while baking
  • Warm the chocolate mixture slightly if it becomes too stiff to spread, it should have the consistency of soft peanut butter

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