You'll love this authentic Italian Rainbow Cookie Recipe. Also called tricolor cookies, or Neapolitan cookies, they are so delicious and are a gorgeous addition to any sweet treat platter! These are perfect for Christmas or any other holidays and special occasions. Plus, they're baked in just 12 minutes!
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Why You'll Love My Grandma's Rainbow Cookies
It’s rare that I post a recipe that is labor-intensive. I’m all about keeping things simple, but some are too good not to share — and this is one where your hard work pays off!
You may recognize this Neapolitan cookies recipe from those lovely trays of Italian cookies that seem to make their way onto every wedding dessert table. Or maybe that's just around here (we have a large Italian population in these parts!).
These were always a fixture on my family's Christmas dessert table. They are another of my Grandma Rose's confections and a favorite of almost everyone who tries them. I totally get why!
These Italian rainbow cookies truly are a beautiful addition to any holiday or celebratory table and I encourage you to give it a shot! Here are a few more reasons why:
- Super impressive presentation
- Rich almond flavor
- Topped with chocolate
- Traditional & nostalgic dessert
- Perfect for special occasions
- Worth all the effort!
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Almond Paste- Provides that signature almond flavor and texture. You should be able to find it in the baking aisle at your local supermarket. This recipe has more almond paste than most other rainbow cookie recipes I've seen, but I like the texture and flavor it adds.
- Butter- For richness and flavor.
- Granulated Sugar- Our sweetener!
- Eggs- Bind the ingredients together and also add structure. Plus, the separated whites help create a nice airy texture.
- Flour- The base of the dry ingredients. All-purpose works great.
- Jam- I used seedless raspberry jam and apricot jam in between each cookie layer.
- Chocolate Chips- I melt these down with coconut oil to make a shiny chocolate topping.
- Food Coloring- Adds the colors that are so synonymous with Neapolitan cookies. You'll need red and green — I don't add yellow and instead just leave one layer uncolored but you can add it if you prefer a more vivid yellow layer. Gel food coloring is also an option if you want extra vibrant results.
How To Make Neapolitan Cookies
Step 1- Whip the egg whites.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease three baking bans, then line them with wax or parchment paper. Grease the top of the paper as well and set aside. You want to make sure nothing sticks!
Add the egg whites to a separate bowl. Use an electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment to whip them until they've doubled in size and are fluffy.
Step 2- Combine the ingredients.
Cream and butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and mix. Incorporate the almond paste and flour and stir until just combined.
Gently fold the whites into the almond paste mixture until just combined.
Step 3- Add the food coloring and bake.
Split the batter into 3 separate bowls. Add the red food coloring to one bowl, the green to another, and leave the last one plain (or add yellow to the third bowl). I added about 10 drops to each bowl.
Spread the cookie batter evenly onto the pans in a thin layer (a different pan for each color) and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely.
Step 4- Assemble.
Line a large pan with parchment paper and flip the green cookie onto it first. Spread the raspberry jam on top. Next, add the yellow layer and spread with apricot jam. Finally, top with the pink layer.
Place some more parchment paper on top of the assembled layers, then add another pan on top. Weigh it down with a heavy book, and chill in the fridge overnight.
Step 5- Make the chocolate layer.
Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over low heat, or in the microwave. When almost melted, add the coconut oil and continue to heat until fully smooth.
Spread the melted chocolate on top and use a knife to score it into 1-inch squares before it hardens. Chill until the chocolate is hard, then cut into the scored marks. Refrigerate until serving and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Neapolitan ice cream usually consists of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. My Neapolitan cookies feature chocolate, raspberry, and apricot.
While the layers in my Italian rainbow cookies recipe are made from an almond sponge cake, these are considered cookies.
That’s totally ok! As you can see in my video tutorial below, my pink layer broke. I simply pressed the cracks together. This works out fine because when the large books weigh down the layers, it pushes them together and helps to fix the cracks.
Yes! I know 20 ounces may seem like a lot, but it’s part of what makes this cookie so rich and delicious!
Yes, these freeze very well! I typically make these shortly after Thanksgiving and then freeze until Christmas in an airtight container.
They last around a week in the refrigerator but for several months in the freezer.
Tips For Making Rainbow Italian Cookies:
- I use a 15.5x10.5 inch pan and have not tested this Italian rainbow cookie recipe with another size. That said, most people do have at least one pan this size in their kitchen. I actually have 4 and didn’t even realize it!
- Cooking spray and liners are your friends! My Grandma used wax paper, but I’ve had excellent results with parchment. I lightly spray down the pan first, which acts as a sort of “adhesive” and helps the parchment stick to the pan.
- Best way to separate the eggs- I wrote a whole post on it!
- Whip separately- Whip the whites in a separate bowl with separate mixer attachments. They can be temperamental.
- Adjust the baking time if needed. All ovens are different. Mine were perfect at 12 minutes, but yours could go quicker. You want them cooked through, but not browned. That said, if they brown a touch on the edges, it’s ok because they get trimmed off.
- Weigh down the layers well once they’re assembled. We always used phone books, but since they don’t really make those too much anymore, I use heavy cookbooks and weigh them down overnight.
- Melting chocolate can be tricky- Chocolate is temperamental too, which is why I created another post on the best way to melt chocolate chips. In my opinion, the microwave is easiest!
- I add coconut to the chocolate to add a little shine. Don't add it at the beginning or the chocolate might seize. You can also use butter or vegetable oil.
- Be sure to score the chocolate while it is still wet. This will make it easier to get cleaner cuts later.
- The recipe makes quite a few cookies. I encourage you to cut them into smaller pieces, as they are pretty rich.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can grate the almond paste and separate the eggs before getting started.
- Leftovers and storage- Store your cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for the best results. They'll keep for up to 3-5 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With This Rainbow Cookie Recipe
As mentioned, this is a mainstay on our holiday tables. I often serve them as a part of a larger cookie spread for dessert, like one does when you're American-Italian! Here are just a few of my favorites:
Other Delicious Cookie Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Italian Rainbow Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- 15.5x10.5 inch pan
- stand mixer or
Ingredients
- 20 ounces almond paste, grated
- 2 ½ sticks butter
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 5 eggs, separated
- 2 ½ cups flour
- Food coloring
- 10 ounces seedless raspberry jam
- 10 ounces apricot jam
- 12 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or you can use butter or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 15.5" x 10.5" pans and line them with wax or parchment paper. Grease the top of the wax paper as well and set aside.
- Mix the butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy. Add egg yolks and mix well to fully incorporate.
- Add almond paste and flour and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl with separate whisk attachments, whip egg whites until they've doubled in size and are fluffy.
- Gently fold egg whites into the almond paste mixture until combined.
- Split the mixture into three separate bowls and add red food coloring to one bowl and green food coloring to another bowl leaving the last one plain. Use your judgement on drops, but I used around 10 drops each.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pans (be aware it will be quite thin) and bake for 10-12 minutes- keep an eye on them, they may need to go a bit longer if you put them in together. Be aware, the cakes will be thin- this is ok, and exactly how you want them.
- Once they've cooled, line a large pan with wax or parchment paper. Flip the green cake onto the pan first and evenly spread the raspberry jam on top.
- Next flip the yellow cake on top of this. Spread apricot jam evenly over the top of the yellow layer.
- Finally top it with the pink layer.
- Place some wax or parchment paper on top of the cakes followed by another pan. Weigh the cake down with a phone book (or a pile of books, which is what I had on hand) and chill overnight.
- The next day, uncover the cake.
- Melt the chocolate chips. You can do this in a double boiler over low heat stirring often or in the microwave in 30 second increments stirring between. When the chocolate is mostly melted add the coconut oil (or butter or vegetable oil if you're using that) and finish meting. Stir to combine.
- Spread this evenly on the top of the cake and score it with a knife into one inch squares before it hardens. I also score around the edges so that everything would have nice clean cuts on each side and so that I would have plenty of scraps to snack on. ?
- Chill this until the chocolate has hardened. Cut where they are scored and refrigerate until serving.
Video
Notes
- I use a 15.5x10.5 inch pan and have not tested this Italian rainbow cookie recipe with another size. That said, most people do have at least one pan this size in their kitchen. I actually have 4 and didn’t even realize it!
- Cooking spray and liners are your friends! My Grandma used wax paper, but I’ve had excellent results with parchment. I lightly spray down the pan first, which acts as a sort of “adhesive” and helps the parchment stick to the pan.
- Best way to separate the eggs- I wrote a whole post on it!
- Whip separately- Whip the whites in a separate bowl with separate mixer attachments. They can be temperamental.
- Adjust the baking time if needed. All ovens are different. Mine were perfect at 12 minutes, but yours could go quicker. You want them cooked through, but not browned. That said, if they brown a touch on the edges, it’s ok because they get trimmed off.
- Weigh down the layers well once they’re assembled. We always used phone books, but since they don’t really make those too much anymore, I use heavy cookbooks and weigh them down overnight.
- Melting chocolate can be tricky- Chocolate is temperamental too, which is why I created another post on the best way to melt chocolate chips. In my opinion, the microwave is easiest!
- I add coconut to the chocolate to add a little shine. Don't add it at the beginning or the chocolate might seize. You can also use butter or vegetable oil.
- Be sure to score the chocolate while it is still wet. This will make it easier to get cleaner cuts later.
- The recipe makes quite a few cookies. I encourage you to cut them into smaller pieces, as they are pretty rich.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can grate the almond paste and separate the eggs before getting started.
- Leftovers and storage- Store your cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for the best results. They'll keep for up to 3-5 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months.
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