Description
Delightful Orange Infused Sweet Ricotta Peach Cookies blend summer’s juicy essence with delicate Italian pastry charm. Crumbly, sweet, and fragrant, these cookies invite warm memories of Mediterranean kitchens and leisurely afternoon treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 heaping cups ricotta cheese
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup full-fat milk
Sweeteners and Flavors:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon rum, peach liqueur, or peach juice
- Red or pink liquid food coloring
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Small pinch salt
- Mint leaves or other leaf decorations (for garnish)
Instructions
- Whisk ricotta cheese with sugar until creamy and smooth. Incorporate orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Refrigerate the mixture while preparing cookie dough.
- Sift flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until well combined. Add milk, melted butter, salt, and lemon zest, mixing thoroughly.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, ensuring complete incorporation. Use hands to form a soft, smooth dough ball, adding minimal flour if too sticky.
- Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F with center rack positioned. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide dough into two logs, cutting each into 44 uniform pieces. Shape into smooth balls, placing them 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Gently flatten each ball’s bottom.
- Bake for 10 minutes, rotating pan midway through. Cookies should develop golden brown bottoms. While warm, carefully hollow out center of each cookie, creating space for filling.
- Mix rum (or juice) with food coloring in a small bowl. Dilute with water if needed. Prepare a separate shallow bowl with remaining sugar.
- Fill cookie cavities completely with ricotta mixture. Press two cookie halves together, allowing filling to emerge slightly at the seam. Remove excess filling.
- Brush each cookie with food coloring, then delicately roll in sugar. Arrange on a large serving plate.
- Refrigerate cookies, covered, for several hours before serving. Garnish with fresh mint leaves just prior to presentation.
Notes
- Choose full-fat ricotta for a creamier, richer filling that holds its shape better when stuffed into cookies.
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent excessive spreading during baking and ensure a more compact cookie texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and milk to help create a smoother, more consistent cookie dough that blends easily.
- Swap out rum for orange juice if preparing a non-alcoholic version, maintaining the citrusy flavor profile while keeping the recipe family-friendly.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 136 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 43 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg