Traditional Piedmontese baked peaches (Pesche Ripiene) stuffed with crunchy amaretti cookies and dark chocolate. This simple and elegant Italian summer dessert is delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla gelato or a dollop of softly whipped cream. The combination of juicy roasted peach, nutty amaretti crumbs and rich dark chocolate creates a delightful contrast of textures and flavours.
Pesche Ripiene are a classic dessert from Piedmont (Piemonte), a region in northern Italy known for rich culinary traditions. Traditionally made with cocoa powder, modern versions frequently use chopped dark chocolate for a more intense and luxurious flavour. This version uses finely chopped 70% dark chocolate combined with crushed crunchy amaretti for the best balance of sweetness and texture.
After testing several variations, this combination—ripe yellow flesh peaches, crunchy amaretti and good-quality dark chocolate—consistently yields the most satisfying results. The recipe is straightforward to prepare and can be prepped ahead, making it ideal for summer entertaining or a relaxed family dessert.
Serve the peaches warm right out of the oven to enjoy softened fruit and melted chocolate. A scoop of vanilla gelato or a spoonful of softly whipped cream complements the warm fruit perfectly.
Ingredient notes
- Peaches: Choose ripe peaches that are easy to hollow out. Yellow-fleshed peaches work very well, but white-fleshed peaches or yellow-flesh nectarines are acceptable alternatives. If possible use freestone peaches to simplify stone removal.
- Amaretti cookies: Use crunchy amaretti biscuits for this recipe so they can be crushed into coarse crumbs that hold their texture after baking. Avoid soft amaretti as they will become too soggy.
- Dark chocolate: Finely chop a good quality dark chocolate (ideally 70% cocoa) for an intense, slightly bitter contrast to the sweet fruit and crunchy cookie crumbs.
- Sugar: The recipe uses a modest amount of sugar (one tablespoon) because the peaches and amaretti provide natural sweetness. Adjust to taste if your fruit is less sweet.
Top testing notes for making Pesche Ripiene
Leave a solid border: When hollowing the peach halves, leave around 1 cm (just over 1/4 inch) of flesh around the edge so the halves remain sturdy while baking. Too much hollowing will cause the filling to leak during cooking.
Dark chocolate vs cocoa powder: Two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder can replace the chopped chocolate, but chopped dark chocolate yields a richer, more indulgent result with pockets of melted chocolate.
Add liqueur (optional): A tablespoon of liqueur can be stirred into the filling for extra depth. Traditional choices include Amaretto, Marsala, brandy or Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur). Use sparingly so the fruit remains the highlight.
More easy Italian desserts to try
Italian Desserts
Strawberry Semifreddo with Strawberry Sauce
Italian Desserts
Ricotta al Caffè
Italian Desserts
Pistachio Affogato
Italian Desserts
Torta Caprese Bianca (Lemon Caprese Cake)
If you make these Italian baked peaches, please leave a rating or comment where you found this recipe and share any small variations you tried. Feedback helps refine the recipe and suggests useful tweaks for other home cooks. Enjoy!
Step by step photos are included above to guide you through key steps.
Helpful tips and clear photos make this recipe easy to follow for first-time bakers.
Italian Stuffed Peaches (Pesche Ripiene alla Piemontese)
By Emily
Equipment
- Sandwich bag
- Rolling pin (for crushing the cookies)
- Baking dish (approx. 9×11 inch / 23×28 cm)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe peaches, yellow flesh (around 740g)
- 3.5 oz (100g) crunchy amaretti cookies, crushed (about 14 cookies)
- 3 oz (85g) 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F fan (or 200°C / 400°F static). Grease a baking dish with butter. Crush the amaretti cookies into crumbs using a sandwich bag and rolling pin. Finely chop the dark chocolate.
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Cut each peach in half and carefully remove the stone. Using a small spoon, scoop out some flesh from the centre of each half, leaving a border of about 1 cm so the halves remain sturdy. Arrange the peach halves cut-side up in the greased baking dish.
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Place the scooped peach flesh in a bowl and mash into a pulp with a fork or potato masher. Stir in 1 tablespoon sugar until combined.
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Add the crushed amaretti crumbs and chopped dark chocolate to the peach pulp. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined and holds together when pressed.
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Spoon the filling into each peach half, pressing lightly to compact. Dot each peach with a small piece of butter and add a tiny pinch of salt if desired. Place the filled peaches back in the baking dish.
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Bake for 25–30 minutes until the peaches are tender and the chocolate has melted. Serve warm with vanilla gelato, whipped cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche.
Notes
- Variation: Replace the chopped dark chocolate with 1–2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder mixed into the filling for a different chocolate profile.
- Storage: These peaches are best enjoyed warm immediately after baking. As they cool and sit, they soften further due to released juices.
- Prep ahead: You can hollow and fill the peaches, then store them covered in the refrigerator for 1–2 days before baking.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used in many recipes here unless otherwise noted.
- Vegetable sizes are assumed to be medium unless specified.
- Recipes are tested in a fan (convection) oven unless stated.
- Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and intended as a guideline.
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