Sweet Ricotta Italian Peach Cookies

Sweet Ricotta Italian Peach Cookies

August 18, 2015

Sweet Ricotta Italian Peach Cookies – a lemon perfumed cookie, filled with orange ricotta cheese means it’s summertime all the time.

These show stopper cookies capture the attention of anyone in close vicinity. The cookie filled with zesty orange ricotta beg for sun and summer guests. Mixing up the cookies is effortless, though you’ll need to pick up a small craft brush for the finishing touches. Sweet Ricotta Italian Peach Cookies will make your dessert table enchanting.

This recipe makes approximately 25 cookies. Each cookie is the size of a small plum (4-5 bites). You can easily create cookies even smaller, bite size and abundant. See the notes below for specific details.

I also want to especially thank Alice at mitzyathome.com for her detailed recipe. Visit her original post at http://www.mitzyathome.com/2015/orange-infused-sweet-ricotta-peach-cookies/.

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Ingredients

Makes 25 peach cookies

Ricotta Filling Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 2 tablespoons 500 grams 17.6 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup 110 grams 3.8 ounces white granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
  • 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon orange zest (see how to zest citrus)

Cookie Dough Ingredients

  • 3½ cups 540 grams 19 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons 155 grams 5.5 ounces granulated sugar
  • 3 whole 3 whole 3 whole large eggs
  • 1/2 cup 120 ml 4 ounces milk
  • 1/2 cup or 1 stick 115 grams 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Cookie Assembly Ingredients

  • granulated sugar for coating the cookies
  • red food coloring (gel or liquid)
  • rum (optional)
  • small to medium mint leaves

Instructions

SPECIAL COOKIE EQUIPMENT

MIX THE RICOTTA FILLING

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta with sugar until smooth and creamy.
  • Add orange zest and vanilla and stir until incorporated.
Mixing up the ricotta filling.
Mixing up the ricotta filling.
  • Chill the mixture, covered with plastic wrap, while you make the cookies.

MISE EN PLACE FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH

  • Preheat the oven to 350F with rack in the center and lower third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Melt the butter and let it cool to room temperature. Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth.
Eggs and sugar.
Eggs and sugar.
  • When the butter is cool, whisk in the milk, eggs and sugar until smooth.
The dry and liquid ingredients–mise en place.
The dry and liquid ingredients–mise en place.

MAKING THE COOKIE DOUGH

  • With the dough whisk, stir the wet ingredients into dry and mix until well incorporated.
Blending the wet ingredients into the dry with the dough whisk.
Blending the wet ingredients into the dry with the dough whisk.
The texture of the dough is sticky just after being mixed.
The texture of the dough is sticky just after being mixed.
  • Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. The dough should become very smooth, pliable and be very easy to handle. If it is too sticky after it has rested, then add another tablespoon or two of flour until it comes together nicely.
The smooth texture of the dough after it’s been resting for 5 minutes.
The smooth texture of the dough after it’s been resting for 5 minutes.

FORMING THE COOKIES

  • It is best to weigh your cookies at this point to ensure they are all equally sized. This will make your final assembly easier and the presentation more beautiful. For this post, I weighed each cookie to 19-20 grams. To create smaller, bite sized cookies weigh each cookie to 9-10 grams.
  • When rolling the dough make certain that it is very smooth and well emulsified.
Press the two flat sides of each half together and gently wipe away any filling that comes out at the edge.
Press the two flat sides of each half together and gently wipe away any filling that comes out at the edge.
  • The cookie dough doesn’t melt together in the oven, so if you don’t take care at this point, the cookies will be misshapen.
Not mixing the batter well and mis shaped cookies don’t bake into round cookies.
Not mixing the batter well and mis shaped cookies don’t bake into round cookies.
  • Place them them on the prepared baking sheets about an inch apart, as they will rise but won’t spread. Press down each ball slightly, so it flattens a bit and will give you a nice large bottom edge for cutting holes for the filling.

BAKE THE COOKIES

  • Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown (the tops should remain pale). Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
This tray of cookies are perfectly round and smooth. The finished cookies benefit from nicely shaped cookies.
This tray of cookies are perfectly round and smooth. The finished cookies benefit from nicely shaped cookies.
  • While the cookies are still warm, scoop from the bottom a large enough hole to hold some of the filling. Cup the cookie firmly in the palm of your hand to prevent cracking the cookie.
Scooping out a hole to make room for the filling.
Scooping out a hole to make room for the filling.
Removing the cookie centre.
Removing the cookie centre.
Two cookie halves ready to be filled.
Two cookie halves ready to be filled.
  • Set aside let cool completely.

ASSEMBLING THE COOKIES

  • Fill each cookie hole with enough ricotta filling to cover it (about a teaspoon).
One cookie is filled properly, while the other one isn’t filled with enough cream and has air pockets.
One cookie is filled properly, while the other one isn’t filled with enough cream and has air pockets.
  • Press the two flat sides of each half together and gently wipe away any filling that comes out at the edge.
Cookies ready for the refrigerator until the filling firms.
Cookies ready for the refrigerator until the filling firms.
  • Before the final decoration, refrigerate them until the ricotta filling is set and firm. They will be easier to handle in the final stages of decoration.

APPLYING THE FOOD COLOUR WASH TO THE COOKIES

  • Depending on the red food colouring you are using, dilute it so that it is resembles a coloured water. If you’re using a red gel, simply dip your dry brush into the container and “clean” your brush in a couple tablespoons of water or rum. Test the density of wash on one of your peaches and adjust it to be either darker or lighter according to your taste.
  • Brush each peach with the food coloring wash, and gently toss the peach in white sugar. Then place it on a tray.
Brushing the peaches with a red colour wash.
Brushing the peaches with a red colour wash.
Rolling the cookie into crunchy white sugar.
Rolling the cookie into crunchy white sugar.
  • Chill cookies, covered with plastic wrap, for a few hours before serving. This will firm the ricotta and distribute the moisture throughout the cookie. Bring them to room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
  • Decorate the cookies with small mint leaves before serving, to mimic peach leaves.
Sweet Ricotta Peach Cookies: The Finer Cookie.
Sweet Ricotta Peach Cookies: The Finer Cookie.

STORING THE COOKIES

Sweet Ricotta Peach Cookies, The Finer Cookie.
Sweet Ricotta Peach Cookies, The Finer Cookie.

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