Description
Peach Italian Cookies are soft, delicate cookies filled with peach curd and soaked in a peach-flavored syrup, then coated in sugar to resemble the fuzzy skin of real peaches. Inspired by the traditional Italian Peschi Dolci, these charming cookies are bursting with peach flavor and perfect for a delightful dessert or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup olive oil (extra virgin or light)
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Syrup
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 lemon (juiced and zested)
- ¼ cup peach liquor or peach soju
- Yellow food coloring (as needed)
- Red and/or pink food coloring (as needed)
Filling and Decoration
- 1 cup peach curd or jam
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 12 fresh basil leaves or mint leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, eggs, olive oil, milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Whisk until smooth and well incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder, then gradually add to the wet mixture. Stir until a soft but workable dough forms.
- Shape Cookies: Divide the dough into small portions and shape each into a small ball to form the base of the peach cookies.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden and set. Allow them to cool completely.
- Make the Syrup: In a saucepan, bring sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and peach liquor or soju to a gentle boil. Add yellow and red/pink food coloring to create a peach color. Simmer for a few minutes until syrup slightly thickens, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble the Cookies: Carefully slice each cookie ball horizontally. Spread peach curd or jam on one half and sandwich with the other half.
- Soak in Syrup: Dip the assembled cookies into the peach syrup briefly to absorb the flavor and moisture.
- Coat with Sugar: Roll the soaked cookies in granulated sugar to give them a peach-like fuzzy appearance.
- Add Finishing Touch: Place a fresh basil or mint leaf between the cookie halves for an authentic look resembling a peach stem.
Notes
- Use extra virgin olive oil for a stronger flavor or light olive oil for a milder taste in the dough.
- If peach curd is unavailable, use peach jam or preserves as a substitute.
- The peach syrup can be adjusted for sweetness or tang by modifying sugar and lemon amounts.
- Roll cookies gently in sugar to prevent them from breaking after soaking in syrup.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep moist and fresh for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 419 kcal
- Sugar: 49 g
- Sodium: 71 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.04 g
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg
