These Orange infused sweet ricotta peach cookies are the most impressive dessert you’ll ever make and people won’t stop talking about it. Tender cookies are filled with whipped ricotta, dyed pink and rolled in sugar to resemble mini peaches.
These ricotta peach cookies are a family favorite. Also known as Italian peaches or Pesche Dolci and Slovenian Breskvice, they are usually served for holidays and special celebrations (think weddings, birthday parties, etc). They are more than just cookies, they are an impressive dessert that look like a bite-sized peach.
Out of all the recipes on this site, year after year these ricotta peach cookies win the popularity contest. You all love them so much and I can’t blame you, at all, because I absolutely love them too. It’s true, these are a labor of love. They will need some of your energy and time, but they are so worth the effort. Not only because they are precious to look at, but because they are so darn delicious.
A few notes on origin
Traditionally, Slovenian peaches are filled with a mixture of cookie crumbs, jam and ground nuts. Even our old family cookbook (more like a recipe notebook, ripped at the edges because it’s so old) has this version written in it. And if you find them at a store in Slovenia, that’s what you’ll get. In my opinion, this nutty mixture is a perfectly delectable filling. You’ll never see me say no to a peach like that, if I can get my hands on it.
But as I was flipping through Southern Italian Desserts, I found an Italian recipe for peaches. Forget about the nuts, the chocolate, the jam. Italian peaches are filled with ricotta (Pesche Dolci Sicilliane). RICOTTA! That was just the biggest revelation for me. Why not use ricotta? The thought alone made my mouth water.
Of course there are even more versions of peaches out there. If you search for a recipe for European peaches online, you’ll get many hits. Mainly from Central, Southern and Eastern Europe. That is completely understandable, because of our shared history. And food is a big part of culture and history. There’s nothing more personal than the food we eat.
What exactly is a peach cookie dessert
Peach cookies, or peaches as we like to call them, are like cookie sandwiches, when you really look at them. You have two cookies, their crunchy exterior, hiding soft and divine ricotta as filling.
The secret is in the hollow cookies. Part of the inside of every cookie is scooped out, to make room for the fluffy ricotta. This is what glues the halves together and what makes these cookies incredibly juicy and flavorful.
The ricotta is infused with plenty of orange zest, that gives the whole cookie an incredible citrus aroma. We also add vanilla and sugar to it, to make it that more delicious. If you know ricotta, you know it’s very mild in flavor. So adding a few of these things really brings it to life.
Than you take this round ricotta stuffed cookie sandwich, brush it with rum (or peach liqueur) and roll it in sugar. The shell is then coated with crunchy sugar crystals, that give the appearance of peach fuzz. At this point you no longer have an ordinary cookie sandwich. Instead it looks like a mini peach dessert.
I like to make mine pink, so they look like small white peaches. And they’re so good, they are gone in a bite or two.
Steps of making ricotta peach cookies
- Make the ricotta filling first: Whisk ricotta with sugar, orange zest and vanilla and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, as you make the cookies.
- Make the cookie dough: This process is simple and involves mixing all of the ingredients into a smooth dough. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Shape cookies: Roll the dough into two logs and slice each log into 44 pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball.
- Bake cookies: Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet (you need two), about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Bake for 10 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown. As you take one sheet out of the oven, you place in the other one.
- Scoop out the cookies: Scoop out the center of the cookies while they are still warm. They harden as they cool, but as long as they are warm, you can make the holes without breaking the cookies.
- Prepare for assembly: First prepare your food coloring and mix it with your liquid of choice (rum, peach liqueur, peach juice). Have another bowl ready that is filled with sugar.
- Assemble the cookies: Fill each cookie hole with ricotta. Press two flat sides together. Brush each cookie with liquid, roll it in sugar and place on a large plate.
- Chill cookies for a few hours (or overnight) before serving.
Notes on baking and oven temperature
When I first shared the recipe for these, I lived in a different apartment with a different, much older kitchen and a wonky oven. I suspected for a long time it never worked right.
I mean, it worked, as in I was able to bake with it. But I always felt like it never held a consistent temperature. It wasn’t so much about the oven having cold or hot spots, it was more that the temperature would rise and drop and rise on its own. Without me doing anything to the oven! That’s what I suspected anyway, as I never tested this with a thermometer (which I now regret).
Why am I talking about this? Well, as I made these peach cookies in my new kitchen I FAILED. Seriously, the cookies came out of the oven all cracked! And I always say that a crack here or there is normal (it is). But these were all deeply cracked on top and I was stunned! What have I done wrong?
What to do when cookies crack on top
When a cookie cracks or when all cookies crack, there are a few things to consider. I tested them all.
1. Is the dough cold enough?
I refrigerated the dough for a few minutes only and for a few hours. The end result was no different for this type of dough.
2. Did I use too much baking powder?
Too much baking powder can make a cookie puff up which can make it crack. I made a batch of dough with less baking powder, which I now actually prefer, but the tops still cracked. So baking powder wasn’t an issue.
3. Did I roll the balls well enough?
Rolling smooth balls of dough is necessary. A crack here or there is normal and it’s hidden with sugar. But you don’t want cracks all over, especially deep cracks. And a cookie will split where the dough was not pinched together, so rolling a smooth ball is key. However I tried rolling them really, really well and they all still cracked.
4. Was the oven temperature too high or too low?
The temperature! If the cookies are baked in an oven that’s too hot they will crack. Because cookies dry on the outside first. And as they rise they expand. That expansion then cracks the surface. There are cookies where you want this (like crinkles). But this isn’t the case here. And the temperature was the root of the issue.
I tried baking them at a higher temperature, which only proved that they will crack 100%. And then I lowered the temperature and finally – SUCCESS! I cannot even begin to tell you how happy that made me.
But now what? So many of you have successfully made these over the years. You send me pictures and happy messages and in turn you make me happy, knowing that these were a success for you. But what if your oven is different too?
The correct oven temperature
In my original recipe, I tell you to bake these at 350°F (175°C) and that used to work for me in my old electric oven. I now have a more modern electric oven and while I haven’t had issues with other recipes and while I use a separate oven thermometer along with the oven… the peach cookie recipe needs an adjustment.
I now bake these peaches at a temperature between 320°-330°F (160°-165°C). Bellow are two photos. One of cookies baked at a temperature that’s too high and one (bottom) of cookies baked at 320°F.
The first photo shows cookies that are WAY too cracked, whiled the bottom are great. The few minor cracks are more a consequence of me not rolling the balls well enough, but those cracks are hidden with sugar. However, that doesn’t mean that 350°F wouldn’t work in a different oven (and it has for so many of you).
What to do if you’re making these for the first time
If you don’t have an oven thermometer and you don’t know how your oven acts, I advise you to bake a test batch:
Make about 6 balls and place them on a baking sheet. Scatter them all over, so that you cover all sides of the oven. Set the temperature to 350°F and bake them for 8-10 minutes. The bottoms should be golden brown, the tops pale and smooth. If they crack horribly, you’ll know to reduce the temperature. If they’re fine, you’ll know you can bake the rest of the cookies the same way.
There’s no way that I can be 100% sure about how your oven works. I’ll further test this recipe (possibly in a different oven too), but baking a test batch first is the safest way to go. In the end, you’ll still end up with plenty of cookies, whether the test batch bakes perfectly or not.
Because the cookie part is just the beginning of this peach dessert. You need a good base, before you start the assembly, so take your time.
Here are a few articles you can read that talk about oven issues:
- Food52’s take in cold spots in the oven,
- What’s so great about 350°F by The Atlantic
- 350°F article by My Recipes.
Tips for assembling cookies
As you’re scraping out the center, make sure you leave a small edge around the hole on the bottom of the cookie. These edges will be smeared with ricotta and that is what holds the cookie together.
As you fill the cookies, make sure you put in enough filling – it needs to reach that edge of the hole you made into the cookie. Once you press the two halves together, some of the filling will come out. This is good as it is the glue that keeps the two cookies together. You just need to wipe away any filling that sticks out of the “peach”. Just swipe your finger all around “the seam”.
Know that while you are filling and dying the cookies, the ricotta filling will get warm and consequently softer. This is why you need to chill these cookies before you serve them. The ricotta needs time to set. Once it sets, the cookies will hold together really well.
Put the mint leaves on right before you serve these, as they will wilt otherwise.
About food dye
Personally, for this recipe, I use a flavored dye that I buy locally (don’t think you can find it outside of Slovenia). It’s a vibrant coral pink that I dilute with water. You can achieve the same effect with your classic food dyes – go for pink, red, coral types.
You don’t need a lot of food dye for these cookies. Mix water, rum, peach liquor or peach syrup or juice with 1-3 drops of coloring, depending on the brand and intensity. You can also mix the coloring into a combination of water and different extracts (or flavorings), like strawberry or lemon or peach. All 3 fit this cookie well. (I’ve tried LorAnn oils which are extremely concentrated and a single drop already gives a lot of flavor.)
The food colors I most often use in all my recipes are from Rainbow Dust and Wilton. I hear people have great experiences with Americolor and McCormick too.
I like to use a small pastry brush to dye the cookies. It’s wide enough that I can paint a cookie in one or two strokes and that’s enough. You don’t want to soak the cookies too much.
The technique
The one thing I’ll say over and over is that practice makes perfect. Which doesn’t mean that you can’t make beautiful peaches on your first try. Just don’t beat yourself up if they’re anything less than perfect.
I find that a relaxed, peaceful approach is best. Don’t rush, just be reasonably quick because ricotta is temperature-sensitive.
I only lightly wet my brushes when painting. You don’t want liquid pouring from your brush onto the cookie. Light strokes let you have the most control. If I ever find that I’m not adding enough color, I add another drop to the mix and then do another gentle swipe over the area I just painted. By not using too much liquid at once, I can repeat layers and achieve that perfect look. So remember – light strokes, no dripping.
Making things ahead of time
You can make the sweet ricotta filling a day ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and stir it with a spoon before using.
You can make the cookies ahead of time too. You need to scoop out warm cookies. But once scooped out, you can store them in a bag or airtight container at room temperature for two days before filling.
How to store peach cookies
Filled cookies need to be kept in the refrigerator. Store them covered, so they don’t attract any other smells. They will keep for 2-3 days. For a more pleasant experience, leave them at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving. Decorate them with mint leaves right before serving too.
I hope that you find my wordy explanations helpful and that you successfully make these cookies. They take some time and definitely some practice, but they are so worth it. I know some people might find them a bit old-school, but I adore them so much. Peach cookies are truly my favorite.
More cookie recipes to explore
- Rose water lemon crinkles (The cookies that need to crack. Simple and really tasty.)
- Lemon strawberry cheesecake sandwich cookies (A classic sandwich cookie and they are absolutely delicious.)
- Walnut mushroom cookies (Another whimsical, traditional Slovenian cookie.)
- Chewy Italian almond cookies with cherries (A traditional Italian cookie that is gluten free and made in 30 minutes!)
- Dark chocolate peanut butter blossom cookies (Everyone’s favorite chocolate peanut butter cookies, great for the holidays.)
- Italian crunchy almond cookies (Egg free cookies with almonds, cocoa, oranges and coffee. A festive delicacy.)
- Pistachio shortbread cookies with rose water (Butter pistachio cookies with a touch of rose water that gives them a special aroma and taste.)
Recipe
Orange infused sweet ricotta peach cookies
Ingredients
- 2 heaping cups ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup full-fat milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- small pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 cup granulated sugar for coating the cookies
- liquid food coloring in red or pink
- 1 tablespoon rum or peach liqueur or peach juice
- mint leaves or other leaf decorations
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta with sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in orange zest and vanilla. Chill the mixture, covered with plastic wrap, while you make the cookies.
- Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until combined. Whisk in milk, melted butter, salt and lemon zest until smooth. Fold the dry ingredients into wet in 2-3 additions, until well incorporated.
- Finish mixing the dough with your hands and press it into a ball. If it's very sticky add another tablespoon or two of flour until it sticks together, but not more than that. The dough should be smooth and soft.
- Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (or even a few hours), this makes handling it easier. As you get ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C – see notes for more) with a rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll the dough into 2 logs, slice each log into into 44 pieces and shape each one into a smooth ball. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, placing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, as they will rise during baking. Press down each ball slightly, so the bottom flattens.
- Bake the first round for about 10 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown (the tops will remain pale). Rotate the pan halfway through baking. As you take the first tray of cookies out, put the second one in the oven.
- While the cookies are still warm, cut a circle in the bottom of each cookie and scoop out enough of a cookie for it to hold some filling. (Be careful, don't pierce the cookie too deep or you risk breaking it.) Set the scooped out cookies aside.
- Repeat the process with the second tray of baked cookies. Next, find a pair for each cookie, you want the halves of the peach to be of similar size. Choosing them at this stage is easier than finding one mid-filling.
- Combine rum (or juice) with food dye (follow instructions on the package) in a small bowl. Add a tablespoon of water (or juice) to dilute the mix a bit. Also put sugar in another shallow bowl.
- Fill each cookie hole with enough ricotta filling that it covers it completely (about a teaspoon). Press the two flat sides of each filled half together, so the filling comes out at the "seam" and swipe away the extra filling.
- Brush each peach with food coloring, gently roll it in sugar and place on a large plate. Continue with the rest of the cookies.
- Chill cookies, covered with plastic wrap, for a few hours before serving. This will harden the ricotta and moisten the cookies. Decorate the cookies with small mint leaves before serving, to mimic peach leaves.
- The cookies keep for about 4 days and taste best on the first two days. Leave them out at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
About oven temperature
While I’ve always baked these at 350°F (175°C) without any issues, I now have a different oven and I need to bake these at a lower temperature to avoid all of the cookies cracking. I now bake them at 320-330°F (160-165°C). If you’re unsure what to do, bake a test batch first by baking 6 cookie balls at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. You’re good to go, if they come out smooth. But if all come out cracked, with deep cracks, try a lower temperature for the rest of the cookies.About food coloring
- You don’t need a lot of food dye for these cookies. Mix water, rum, peach liquor or peach syrup or juice with 1-3 drops of coloring, depending on the brand and intensity. Dilute further with water.
- You can also mix the coloring into a combination of water and different extracts (or flavorings), like strawberry or lemon or peach. All 3 fit this cookie well. (I’ve tried LorAnn oils which are extremely concentrated and a single drop already gives a lot of flavor.)
- The food colors I most often use in all my recipes are from Rainbow Dust and Wilton. I hear people have great experiences with Americolor and McCormick too.
Keeping the shape
As you fill these cookies, make sure you put in enough filling – it needs to go slightly over the edge of the hole you made into the cookie. It’s better to add too much ricotta, than not enough. Once you press the two halves together, some of the filling will come out. This is good as it is the glue that keeps the two cookies together and you just need to wipe away any filling that sticks out of the “peach”. Also know that while you are filling and coloring the cookies, the ricotta filling will get warm and consequently softer. This is why you need to chill these cookies before you serve them. The ricotta needs time to set.This recipe is adapted from a family recipe and from Southern Italian Desserts.
oh my goodness, these cookies are so pretty! I can’t stop staring at them! So glad I found your blog Alice!
Thank you so much Heather, and welcome to MAH! 🙂
Impressive! They look amazing!
Thank you! 🙂
They look like real peaches. I bet they taste amazing too!
Thanks Theodora! 🙂
I made these tonight…the color turned out just like your pictures, and they taste delicious, but I cant get them to stay together. I may have made them too big?
Hi Julie!
Have you chilled them for long enough? Right after they’re made they are very fragile and can easily fall apart, so they have to be chilled for hours until the ricotta sets. They also need enough filling – the ricotta is what keeps the two cookies together.
It is possible that you made them too big and didn’t fill the holes enough, but I can’t be 100% sure without actually seeing them.
I’m glad you like the taste though and am sorry that they didn’t turn out right.
Let me know if I can help you with anything else.
Hi,
If you pipe the filling into the whole and enough to just cover the surface also, when you join the two halves, just press together firmly
There should be a little excess filling which you then gently smooth off with your finger
Before colouring, place them in the freezer to make the process easier
Good luck!
What camera do you use for your photos? They all look amazing!
Hi Nicole, thank you! I have a Nikon D3200 and normally use a 50mm lens.
I love it! The mushroom cookie recipe was actually how I first found your blog 🙂
I hope to give these a try soon~
-Kelsey
Thanks! And great, I’m glad you’ve stuck around. 🙂
Beautiful!!!!! My goodness- they are like perfection!
Thank you so much, Loni!
These are so, so beautiful! The color + the perfect round shape – they are just like real peaches. The sweet ricotta filling must be amazing. Yum!
Thank you Sarah! 🙂
Haven’t tried these yet but definitely plan to. I’m going to substitute Peach Shnapps for the rum.Can’t wait to bake them tomorrow!
Yum, that sounds delicious!
Happy baking and I hope you like the cookies. 🙂
Hi Alice, I made these and they turned out just gorgeous! Thanks a lot for your great recipe. I posted my photos here and linked back to you Will tag you on Instagram, too 🙂
Hi Vera! Thank you, I’m happy you like the cookies. I looked at your post and yours are so beautiful!!
🙂
Hello Alice, I just wanted to let you know that I too made these beautiful cookies and posted them to my cookie blog. I credited my success to you and your well detailed recipe, and linked back to your site. All the best to you and keep up the good work. Your site is beautiful. If you have a moment, please come see what I’m doing.
Hi Kim! Thank you so much. 🙂
Your peach cookies are really beautiful too!
thankyou for the recipe! I have been making these for years ( my recipe is a little different)and I also fill them with pastry cream, but I will try them with ricotta now!
I wrap a little ball of dough around the outside of half a walnut shell and put the flat side down on cookie sheets. (I bought a bag of walnuts and gently cracked them open, removed the fruit from inside and use for other recipes) after removing from oven wait a few minutes and while holding them with a kitchen towel remove walnut shell gently by twisting and let them cool down. Now you have a cookie with a big indentation and u won’t have to scoop out anything. When cool, I prepare two bowls one with sugar and one with pink liquor ( I use an Italian liquor Rosso Antico) I dip each half first in liquor and then sugar and put them on cookie sheet with carved part facing the ceiling, when finished I fill each half with cream and press them together. The walnut shells u can keep and use them over and over.
Thank you, Gina, for sharing your version! I really like the idea of using walnut shells, I might have to try that myself.
🙂
Alice, these are gorgeous and I really want to make them for my boyfriend’s mother, but she lives in another state.
A few questions:
If I gently sealed them (like vacuum, but not enough to crush the cookie) and put them in a tin and overnight shipped them, do you think they would last?
And if you have any suggestions on how else to do this, please tell me.
I wanted it to be her Christmas gift because I cannot afford much else, and I’m sure she would love them.
Hi, Chelsea!
Aww, that’s such a great gift!
The only thing that I’m not 100% sure about is the transport temperature. Ricotta gets a lot softer if left in a warm place for too long. I do think that because we are in December and the temperatures are lower, the outside temperature shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
I would definitely wrap them carefully. I would line the tin with tissue paper or paper towels or even bubble wrap, then I would wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap or tin foil (this would keep them cold longer). When placed in the tin I would fill the space between the cookies with additional bits of paper towels, to act as a buffer.
And then I would also wrap the tin with extra paper or bubble wrap, put it in a box and use overnight shipping, like you mentioned.
And then I would hope for the best. I do think that with all the wrapping involved, they would have a really good chance of staying undamaged. Just keep them in the fridge up to the moment you go out & send them. (And maybe write a note to your boyfriend’s mother telling her that if the first cookie is too crumbly and soft, she should chill the rest for a few hours first.)
Hope this helps! If you end up doing all of this, let me know if all the wrapping worked. My fingers are crossed! 🙂
Alice,
I just wanted to let you know that I made this cookie for my 10th annual cookie exchange and it won best looking cookie!!! I uploaded a picture of them on Facebook and its gotten 99 likes and 43 comments along with several requests for the recipe.
I can’t tell you how blown away everyone was with them looking like real peaches. Thank you for sharing the recipe and giving step by step instructions.
For the most part everything was really easy to follow, however I found when I mixed the wet ingredients all at once the dough wasn’t as sticky. Wrapping the dough in plastic wrap and chilling in the refrigerator helped with rolling the dough into balls and when I rolled them on a wooden cutting board I got smoother balls with less cracking during the cooking stage.
I’m looking forward to checking out more of your recipes!!!
Wow, congratulations! I’m so happy for you and thanks for making my day.
Chilling the dough is definitely a good idea for when the dough is too soft, it’s great you did that.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Andie!
I used to make these with my mom years ago. She filled hers with custard on one side, and a little chocolate pudding in the other side, with an almond in the middle. This is truly edible art!
Ooh, I love that flavor combination, but haven’t tried it in a cookie yet. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
These look amazing! I’m definitely going to try this recipe!
Thank you, Chelsea! Let me know if you do. 🙂
do younknow a good substitue for the eggs I want to make these but one of my friends happens to be allergic to eggs.
Hi Robyn! Unfortunately I haven’t made these without eggs before, so I can’t speak from experience. But after digging around online, the most often mentioned substitute for cookies, and the kind people are happy with, is flax seed.
To substitute 1 egg with flax seed, grind 1 tablespoon of whole flax seed in a coffee grinder/blender.
Transfer to a bowl and add 3 tablespoons water. Beat with a fork until it becomes gooey like an egg white.
For the peach cookies, you’d need a triple amount of that. You could also try making a half-batch first (just divide all ingredients by 2), to see how the flax seed works. I use 2 eggs when making only 1/2 recipe, so that’s 2 TBSPS flaxseeds with 6 TBSPS water.
Personally, I would also add 1 TBSP of sour cream to the batter and if it ends up being too sticky and not smooth, just keep adding pinches of flour until it is.
More resources: via The Kitchn
Hope you find this helpful!
Can these be made ahead and frozen? I’d like to make these for the cookie table for son’s wedding in 2 months. Should I make the cookies ahead and freeze them already scooped out then fill them the day before the wedding or can they be made fully assembled and and frozen?
Hi Toni! If freezing is a must, then I would freeze scooped out cookies and fill them the day before the wedding. Freezing ricotta worries me because it might release some liquid and you can’t fix that once the cookie is filled, so you risk ruining the whole cookie (making it watery or soggy). But freezing empty cookies should be fine if you put them in an airtight container, but separate the layers with some parchment. You could also freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer, covered with some plastic wrap.
Hope this helps! And congratulations on your son’s wedding. 🙂
I made these tonight and the cookie portion tastes a little dry. What could I have done wrong?
Hi, April! The cookie portion moistens after the ricotta has had time to set. Did you scoop out enough of the cookie to add a good amount of filling? The filling to cookie ratio is what could’ve been off in your case, if you made the holes too small?
And as you color the cookies, they get some of that moisture from the outside too.
They also do need time to set and soak, because the cookie by itself is somewhat dry. But it needs to be as that’s the only way it can be filled and colored without it falling apart later on.
Hope this helps! As some time has passed now from your comment, let me know if they’ve improved.
Thank you Alice! You are absolutely right! The next morning I tried these and they were perfect! I was worried I made the holes too small but they just needed some time.
I served them at a peach themed baby shower and they were amazing!
Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for reporting back, April! 🙂
P.S. That had to be one cute baby shower!
Hi Alice, just found your peaches and they brought me to my very teen years, long ago. There are two main types of peaches treats that are often available here in Italy, and the one I remember is the other one, so I thought you may enjoy it too! A rich yeast risen dough, like a Veneziana, is used to make the halves, that are then joined with any filling of choice, and finished the same way. They look alike, but consistency is completely different! To dampen them they used Alkermes, or, if children were to eat them, some raspberry syrup, the sort you use to dilute with water to make soft drinks. It adds a hint of “peach melba” i find irresistible. Thank you for your tutorial and for bringing up old memories!
Hi Elisa, thank you so much for sharing this with me! The dessert you’re describing sounds amazing and definitely something I’d enjoy very much. Just the thought of Veneziana alone makes my mouth water, haha. 🙂
I’ll definitely attempt to make these so thank you again for telling me about them.
xo
Your cookies are gorgeous!
I tried making them this evening and the tops of the cookies all split. Any idea on why this would happen?
Hi Brooke, I’m so sorry to hear that! Did they split all the way through or were there just minor cracks on top?
From my experience this usually happens if you don’t roll the balls well enough. They have to be really smooth and compact. I almost always have a few cracked cookies, especially if I’m in a rush, but unless the cracks are really big, I use them anyway. The coloring and sugar tend to hide those splits pretty well.
However, there are other things that could go wrong.
– Oven temperature / setting
I use a standard oven or a fan oven with the fan turned off. If you use a fan forced oven, you have to reduce the baking temperature by 20°C / 50°F. Because otherwise the outside of the cookie will cook faster than the inside, which could explain the cracks.
– Overmixing / handling of the dough
This is more likely to happen when using a mixer on a higher speed. As you mix the ingredients together, a lot of mixing can produce a lot of air bubbles which can cause cracks.
– Too much flour / baking powder
This could potentially be a problem. The recipe works for me, but moisture in anyone’s kitchen can affect both the powder and flour, so the recipe may end up not working for you. You can try removing 1/4 tsp baking powder next time and the cookies should still get a nice rise. Also make sure you don’t use too much flour when kneading – you want the dough to be smooth, but not dry.
Hope any of this helps!
And sorry for my lengthy answer 🙂 🙂
Thanks for your quick reply! I mixed by hand and use a regular oven, but I may have overhandled the dough or used more flour for sure. I live in a very humid area (that’s about to be hit by a hurricane, so is more humid than normal). It is very awesome that you take the time to answer back. I love your blog and will definitely try again! Thank you so much for your help.
You’re welcome! I’m glad we got to the bottom of this. Hopefully everything works out next time and if you find the time please report back, I’m curious about the result.
And a hurricane sounds so scary! Hope you are safe and don’t get hit hard.
Also thank you so much! Your support means the world to me 🙂
xx
Hello! I would like to attempt these…
Do you think I can use juice from the orange to mix with the color for the outside instead of the alcohol?
Hi Alice!
My grandma used to make these cookies with me and seeing the pictures really took me back. Yours are just as gorgeous as I remember hers being! I’ll be visiting the Philippines this Christmas to spend the holidays with my fiance’s family and would love to bring these to dinner, however, temps still hover in the 80F range in December. Would these survive a 3hr travel, provided they were made and chilled a full day before? Hoping we can make the 3hr drive in an air conditioned taxi, but that’s not always the case in PH! 😉
Hi Karlee! Thank you for sharing this with me, makes me so happy to see you were able to find something that reminds you of her. 🙂
And I think the cookies would be fine! I would put them in a storage container, then wrap the container in aluminum foil and place in the fridge. Take out right before travel time. (And if you can, chill them for a little while before serving, once you get to your destination.)
I also see people have great results with these ice packs >>> http://amzn.to/2ihBomy which you can tuck into the bag along with the cookies. And these small cooler bags look really nice too >>> http://amzn.to/2ifCKxW
Or you can even fill a plastic bottle with water and freeze it and put it next to the cookies, totally affordable and easy to grab & later discard. 🙂
In any case, I hope you can make these and safely bring them to the Philippines and have a wonderful Christmas.<3
Hi! I’d love to make these, can I use self raising flour instead of baking powder and all purpose flour? I can’t buy all purpose at the moment, as all shops are out of stock. Thank you! These look fabulous!
Hi, Liz!
So I’ve never actually made these with self rising flour. But I did some digging online and I think it could work in this recipe.
The information I found says that it’s okay to use self rising flour if the recipe calls for a minimum of 1/2 teaspoon (and up to 1 tsp) of baking powder per 1 cup of flour.
For my recipe you need 4 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder, so that’s 1/2 tsp per 1 cup of flour.
So I think you could do it. 🙂
Hope this helps!
Hi! These are beautiful. Do you think I can substitute the flour for gluten free flour?
Hi Katie, I’ve never made these gluten free, so I can’t speak from experience.
I did some reading and found this: https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2015/02/20/making-recipe-gluten-free/
They recommend using GF all purpose flour and adding xanthan gum to it, which is supposed to do what gluten does in regular flour. So, I would use 2 or 2 1/2 teaspoons of xantham gum for this recipe.
And possibly another egg too.
I wish I could be of more help!
Can these be frozen I want to make these for my daughters wedding in July. Thanks
Hi, Tina!
I’ve never frozen these before and I have no idea how they’d turn out. I’m worried that freezing might ruin the ricotta filling. Freezing ricotta on its own might work (and my quick search online tells me that people do it), but here it’s stuffed in a cookie and thawing it might ruin the cookie, making it wet and soggy.
One idea is that you make a test batch and try freezing some to see how they turn out.
Best of luck!
And congratulations on your daughter’s wedding.
Would these be okay to make and fully assemble, then leave in the fridge overnight to set?
Yes, definitely! I do that all the time. 🙂
What a very delicious recipe! I’m pretty sure my kid’s going to love this! I’m definitely gonna bake this one on the weekend! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you, Summer! Please let me know their reaction! 🙂
To coat the cookies I brush lightly with water, dip one side to make a small circle in red sugar ( the kind used for holiday cookies) then in regular dry peach jello. Not sugar free! The dry jello takes the place of sugar and gives a more intense peach flavor. Yummy.
Yum, that is so creative, Elaine! Thank you for sharing with us 🙂
good job
Made these people at work loved them. For the scrap of cookies (from the holes) .i made a small trifle with vanilla pudding..2 desserts in one…thank you for your tips
That’s so creative, I love trifles!
And thank you for sharing, Maria, I’m happy you like the recipe 🙂
I’m retiring next week from a school job and would like to make these tomorrow. Could they stay in the fridge for 5 days? They are BEAUTIFUL!
Hi Kathleen, I’m sorry to say 5 days would be too long! They’re best if eaten within 48 hours, because ricotta needs to stay fresh.
You could make the dough one day, store in fridge overnight. Make cookies on day 2, bake and scoop them out, store at room temperature covered with plastic wrap or in a container. On day 3 you would make the ricotta, fill and decorate the cookies, store in the fridge overnight. And then on day 4 you could bring them to work. That way you can have fresh peaches but the work is stretched into 4 days, if that would be easier.
(also happy retirement! 🙂 )
My husband and I are having our Anniversary soon. I’m going to throw a little party for the two of us and I’ll be making these, but without the leafs because they look like butts …;-)
Haha, I love that! They do look like butts 🙂
Happy anniversary!!
I made it last week with my kids: amazing! It’s beautiful and delicious. We baked at 160dC, and the cookies went out in perfect shape, without any scratch. Thank you!
Aww I’m so happy to hear this Julie!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi Alice,
This recipe looks so yummy and adorable… I’m really wanting to make them but I cannot find Vanilla bean paste in my small town, could I substitute with Vanilla extract?
Hi Jackie, yes! You can definitely use vanilla extract 🙂
Hiya! These look wonderful! I was just wondering if you can make them with self raising flour instead of plain all purpose flour. Thanks!
Hi,
so I’ve never actually made these with self rising flour. But I did some digging online and I think it could work in this recipe.
The information I found says that it’s okay to use self rising flour if the recipe calls for a minimum of 1/2 teaspoon (and up to 1 tsp) of baking powder per 1 cup of flour.
For my recipe you need 4 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder, so that’s 1/2 tsp per 1 cup of flour.
So I think you could do it. ?
Hope this helps!
Thank you! I’ve started on them today and they look great already! Do you think I could freeze the dough? Thanks so much! ?
Happy to hear that!
As for freezing, I’ve never frozen the dough for these cookies. I have for plenty of others and it always works out. So I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with this recipe.
However, if you decide to freeze the dough, make sure the balls are rolled perfectly, then place them all on a baking pan, press them down a bit so the bottoms flatten and then freeze like that.
You can put them all in a bag once they’re completely frozen.
Good luck! 🙂
hii,
This cookies are perfect. so pretty!
I made them once en were perfect. now i would like to make them aigan but more.
when I 3x the ingriedients, de milk and butter stay the same. Is this correct?
Love youre blog! thanks
Hi Alexandra,
so happy to see you like the cookies!
If making a triple batch (3x), all ingredients need to triple including milk and butter.
I just noticed my recipe card isn’t calculating everything perfectly, I need to investigate and fix that.
For a triple batch you need 360ml milk and 345g butter.
Hope this helps!
Hello! these cookies look lovely, but I’ve managed to JUST miss peach season:(
Could you make these cookies in the same manner, but substitute the filling with apple butter or something? Would that make them too soggy?
Hi Lily,
you could mix some apple butter into the ricotta, with plenty of cinnamon or apple pie spice mix and that could work.
But definitely don’t do just apple butter, because it won’t harden the same way ricotta does when chilled. And that is what keeps the cookies in one piece. So keeping the shape is more of a concern than sogginess.
Hope this helps!
Hi Alice,
I’m wondering if I can bake the cookies a day ahead, cut the hole, and then just keep them in an airtight container. I would then fill with ricotta and assemble the next day? Thoughts?
Hi Wendy,
I apologize for the late reply.
Yes, you can definitely do that! 🙂
Hello! I would like to try this recipe.
Do you think I could use juice from the orange to paint the outside in place of the alcohol?
Hi Casey,
yes you can use the juice! I would just strain it first, to remove any pulp. 🙂
Beautiful little cookies! Wish I could post a picture of the cake I did for a woman’s 90th birthday party. Her father called her “Peach”. The peaches among the flowers made it truly memorable. FB page Lady Cupcake Columbus has picture.
Couple suggestions:
1. I had no issues cracking and I have 2 oven thermometers but kept the heat at 340.
2. When cutting the holes, use a sharp knife and don’t cut too close to the edge to avoid cracking the delicate cookie.
3. I used more orange zest than called for.
4. Really roll these well to get a smooth finish. Patience is key.
This is so wonderful to hear Susan, thank you for sharing it with us. 🙂