Written by our local expert Vedran

Vedran is a total food lover from Croatia. He creates recipes from his kitchen in Zagreb using fresh produce from his garden.

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Here is how to make Croatian Breskvice cookies. These little peach-looking cookies are very traditional in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia, and although they really look like peaches, the taste is something totally different!

“Breskvice” are usually made for special occasions like Christmas, Easter, or weddings, as are almost all desserts that require lots of time. You really need a few hours to prepare them, but the efforts are well worth it.

Breskvice (peaches) are very traditional in all the countries of former Yugoslavia, and as I usually write in my recipes, there are many recipe variations out there for these little cuties. Below I share with you the recipe that delivers the tastiest result.

I do know that they really look like little peaches but, in reality, the taste is something totally different!

They have a “cookie” texture from the outside and a delicious filling made with marmalade, walnuts, and liquor in the middle.

This can quickly become a dessert where every member of your family can be involved in making these because they are very delicate to make. They require a lot of time, and several steps (small shaping, lots of precise carving, dipping in two different colors) would be best to do with some company…

After making them now for the first time ever, I have the utmost respect for all the people worldwide who make more than 50 of these at once. Now, when I see them on a plate, served with other cookies, I’ll be sure to take a “breskvica” and eat it with great pleasure because now I know that someone when a grand effort to make them.

Overhead view of baking ingredients on a marble surface, including flour, butter, eggs, powdered sugar, and a small spoon of salt—perfect for making delightful little peach cakes.

A bowl with two eggs being added, next to a plate with butter and oil, and a bowl of flour ready for making little peach cakes.

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Butter is being added from a spatula into a mixing bowl containing an egg and flour, preparing the batter for delightful little peach cakes.

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A metal mixing bowl with a whisk and a mixture of flour and wet ingredients sits on a marble surface, hinting at the creation of little peach cakes. In the background, a glass bowl and plate await their turn to join the baking process.

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Sliced dough for little peach cakes resting on a piece of plastic on a marble surface.

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A piece of dough weighing 10 grams sits on a digital kitchen scale, with several dough pieces and a log of dough on a marble surface nearby, ready to be shaped into little peach cakes.

Scattered dough pieces on a marble surface next to a digital scale displaying the letter "A," hint at the preparation of delightful little peach cakes.

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Ingredients for baking little peach cakes: a glass bowl of breadcrumbs, a bowl of jam, a bowl of nut mixture, a small cup of liquid, and a tray with pastry shells on a marble surface.

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How To Make Croatian Breskvice - Peach Shaped Cookies

Here is how to make Croatian Breskvice cookies. These little peach-looking cookies are very traditional in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia and although they really look like peaches, the taste is something totally different!

Ingredients

For The Cookies

2 medium eggs
60 g butter, room temperature (3 tablespoons)
90 g powdered sugar (2/3 cup)
125 g all-purpose flour (1 cup)
125 g fine/pastry flour (1 cup)
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

For The Filling

70 g walnuts, ground (approx 1/2 cup)
1 vanilla sugar pkt (or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract)
10-15 g powdered sugar (2 tablespoons)
150 g jam, apricot or rosehip (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons rum, dark
70 g cookies crumbs (approx 1/2 cup)
200-500 mls milk, hot (1-2 1/4 cups)

Extra

Raspberry extract
Pear extract
1-liter water (4.2 cups)
White sugar

Instructions

We start with making the dough for the cookies. Beat eggs, sugar and butter with a mixer, add in the other ingredients and knead a smooth dough
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes
From the dough, we will make small balls. I have used a kitchen scale at the start to make the balls around 10g in weight. When I made a few of them I stopped using the scale and they all turned out pretty much the same size.
Place the balls in a baking tin lined with a parchment paper.
Bake the balls in an oven preheated - 160°0C (320°F) for 15 - 20 minutes. Be sure not to overbake them as they should stay bright and firm on top and only the bottom should get a color.
Leave them to cool, for around 30 minutes, and then using a sharp knife pierce the cookies and make the holes from the bottom side.
Save the crumbs as we will use them for the filling
Now is time to make the filling. Combine all the ingredients and add the milk to get a thicker cream
The exact amount of the milk is not precise in the ingredient list as it depends on how thick your jam is. If it’s softer than you will add less milk. If it’s very thick then you will probably need milk closer to 500 mls (2 cups).
Place the filling in a piping bag and fill each ball
Connect two balls together and leave in the fridge for 1-2 hours (this step is not 100% necessary if you are short on time, but the filling will get thicker and stronger once cooled).
Pour about 500 mls (2 cups) of water into two containers; add raspberry extract to one bowl and pear extract to the other. Add in as much of the coloring as you need to achieve the desired shade of your choosing
Dip each ball sideways into one color (pear) and then dip the top and bottom side to other (raspberry). Try to do this quickly, as dipping them for too long will make the balls soggy
Arrange the peaches on a paper towel. Once you have about 6, carefully roll them in a bowl of sugar. And repeat till you have finished
Place the peaches on a serving platter and air dry before serving.

Notes

The cookies can last for almost a week in an airtight container, and will taste even better after the first day!

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Comments (25)

Yuck. My mum makes these and she dips them in Rum.

Chasing the donkey says:

November 20, 2015 at 12:12

YUCK? Johnny what do you like instead?

Reply
Johnny Opsenica says:

November 21, 2015 at 10:07

Sorry not a fan of Rum

Reply
Sammy Black says:

April 26, 2020 at 12:19

Johnny, you could ask your mum to make a few without dipping in rum… when my mum makes them and someone is visiting who doesn’t drink alcohol she might use vanilla extract and a bit of juice or syrup – then you will possibly like them.

Reply

These r so delicious!

My favourite!!!!

Mmmm breskve

Baka makes these . So yummy

though I am not a croatian and don’t known much about its food but it really looks yummy. Trying different food is my hobby and eager to try this.

Recipe doesn’t specify how many egg whites

Izi says:

February 3, 2023 at 16:41

Hi!! Recipe says 2 medium eggs. You replied6, that was a bit ago. Was the recipe updated? Thanks!!

Reply
1. SJ Begonja says:
  
  February 6, 2023 at 09:30
  
  Yes, this recipe is different from 6+ years ago. We updated it.
  
  Reply
2. Az says:
  
  December 28, 2023 at 01:54
  
  Hi there made the cookies they were delicious but are they meant to be soft when biting into it. I found the moisture from the jam made the shell softer I thought it would be crunchier? Is that normal?
  
  Reply

hola ,me dijeron que los duraznitos croata llevan huevo duro rrallado es verdad?saludo Laura de Chile

Laura Vergara says:

July 25, 2019 at 03:14

los duraznitos tienen yemas ralladas

Reply

Thankyou so much for publishing the recipe and great pictures and instructions. After trying to make these on 4 separate occasions using different recipes, they have worked using yours!!

SJ Begonja says:

January 4, 2021 at 15:11

So glad to hear that!!!! Hope you all enjoyed them.

Reply
Maddy says:

December 23, 2023 at 14:14

It’s looks delicious! The recipe is for how many breskvice?

Many thanks

Reply

This recipe is amazing! They came out perfect and taste is amazing. Everyone loves them. Thank you

Can these be made couple of weeks ahead frozen before dipping in the food colour and sugar.

SJ Begonja says:

February 14, 2022 at 13:04

Hmm, I really do not know. I would never freezer any kind of biscuit myself. Just make them the week before and keep them in an airtight container.

Reply

Hi! Just wanted to ask what could be used instead of the rum? And how much of it. Am I able to add more milk instead?

SJ says:

November 16, 2023 at 23:55

Oh I really do not know, it’s such a small amount of rum, maybe you could just skip it or as you say use milk. But I have never tried either.

Reply

Hi! Where did you get the Croatian extracts? Do you think it’s possible to get them in the states?

SJ says:

March 4, 2024 at 02:36

We live in Croatia. Sure, ask your European deli, or Amazon.

Reply

How To Make Croatian Breskvice – Peach Shaped Cookies