Description
These Italian Peach Cookies are delicate, buttery treats filled with sweet peach preserves and coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture. Perfect for a light dessert or afternoon snack, they combine tender dough with a fruity center for a perfectly balanced bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling and Coating
- 1 cup peach preserves
- Granulated sugar, for coating
- Ground cinnamon, for coating
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which ensures a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts until fully incorporated, giving the dough its rich flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, blending until a uniform dough forms without overmixing.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm it up, making it easier to handle.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Form Cookies: Take about 1 tablespoon of chilled dough, flatten it in your palm, place a teaspoon of peach preserves in the center, fold the dough over the preserves, and roll gently into a ball, sealing the filling inside.
- Bake: Arrange the filled dough balls on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Coat in Cinnamon Sugar: Let the cookies cool slightly on a wire rack, then roll them in a mixture of granulated sugar and ground cinnamon to add a sweet and spiced coating.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and makes shaping easier.
- Ensure peach preserves are thick and not too runny to avoid leaking during baking.
- You can substitute peach preserves with apricot or other fruit preserves.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
