Authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe: A Delicious Burst of Color and Flavor (2024)


Bring a touch of Italy into your kitchen this holiday Season with this delightful and delicious recipe for Italian Rainbow Cookies.

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Also known as Venetian or Tri-Color Cookies, these vibrant treats are a beloved staple of Italian-American bakeries. With their layers of almond sponge cake, raspberry jam, and chocolate coating, they are not only visually appealing but also incredibly delicious. We’ll guide you step by step through the process of creating these irresistible Italian Rainbow Cookies.

This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.

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Ingredients for Italian Rainbow Cookies: Creating Layers of Flavor

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  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 oz almond paste
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 eggs, separate yolks and whites
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon red food color
  • ½ teaspoon green food color
  • ½ cup raspberry jam
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
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Step-by-Step Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 and prepare 3 square baking pans with baking spray

In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, almond paste, and butter until smooth

Add in the egg yolks one at a time

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Mix in the milk and almond extract

Add in the flour mixing until combined then set mixture aside

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites to stiff peaks then fold into cake mixture

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Separate the mixture in equal amounts into 3 separate bowls

Add red food color to one bowl, green food color to another, and leave the 3rd bowl as is

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Place each batter in a separate prepared baking pan

Bake 10-12 minutes, cool completely

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Place the green cake on a plate and spread half of the jam on top

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Next place the regular colored cake on top and spread the remaining jam on top

Lastly, place the red cake on top

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Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring until smooth

Spread evenly on top of the chilled cake, use a fork to add texture and design if desired

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Chill for an additional 30 minutes until the chocolate is set

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Slice the rectangle into 1 inch squares

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Serve and enjoy!

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By following this recipe, you’ll be able to recreate the magic of traditional Italian Rainbow Cookies in your own kitchen. Prepare to impress your friends and family with these visually stunning and utterly delicious treats. Happy baking!

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Authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe: A Delicious Burst of Color and Flavor (17)

Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe

Yield: 48

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

Learn how to make authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies with this step-by-step recipe. These vibrant and delicious treats feature layers of almond sponge cake, raspberry jam, and chocolate coating. Get ready to enjoy a burst of color and flavor!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 oz almond paste
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 eggs, separate yolks and whites
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon red food color
  • ½ teaspoon green food color
  • ½ cup raspberry jam
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 and prepare 3 square baking pans with baking spray
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, almond paste, and butter until smooth
  3. Add in the egg yolks one at a time
  4. Mix in the milk and almond extract
  5. Add in the flour mixing until combined then set mixture aside
  6. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites to stiff peaks then fold into cake mixture
  7. Separate the mixture in equal amounts into 3 separate bowls
  8. Add red food color to one bowl, green food color to another, and leave the 3rd bowl as is
  9. Place each batter in a separate prepared baking pan
  10. Bake 10-12 minutes, cool completely
  11. Place the green cake on a plate and spread half of the jam on top
  12. Next place the regular colored cake on top and spread the remaining jam on top
  13. Lastly, place the red cake on top
  14. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours
  15. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring until smooth
  16. Spread evenly on top of the chilled cake, use a fork to add texture and design if desired
  17. Chill for an additional 30 minutes until the chocolate is set
  18. Slice the rectangle into 1 inch squares

Did you make this recipe?

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Authentic Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe: A Delicious Burst of Color and Flavor (2024)

FAQs

Are rainbow cookies a thing in Italy? ›

Although some say they don't exist in Italy, they do appear in Italian pasticcerie, usually around Christmastime, with their red and green colors accenting the holiday cheer. They are also referred to as Venetians, a nod toward the fact they are more pastry than cookie.

What is the most popular Italian cookie? ›

Biscotti: Perhaps one of the most famous Italian cookies, biscotti are crispy, twice-baked treats that are perfect for dipping in coffee or wine. Traditionally flavored with almonds and fragrant anise, these long-lasting cookies are a staple in every Italian household.

What do the colors of the rainbow cookie represent? ›

The traditional cookie is colored red, white, and green after the Italian flag. Given the homage, diners likely think that the dessert originated in Italy.

What are those Italian cookies called? ›

Most Popular Italian Cookies
  • Amaretti. These lovely almond-flavoured biscotti were supposedly first made during the Middle Ages. ...
  • Ricciarelli. ...
  • Baci di dama. ...
  • Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti. ...
  • Savoiardi. ...
  • Canestrelli. ...
  • Biscotti al Cocco. ...
  • Pizzelle.
Oct 22, 2020

What are Italian rainbow cookies called? ›

Italian Rainbow cookies are sometimes also called Neopolitans, Venetian Cookies, 7 Layer Cookies, Italian Flag Cookies, and even Tri-color cookies. Many of you probably know them as Seven Layer Cookies (3 cake, 2 chocolate and 2 jam).

What cookie originated in Italy? ›

Today, I want to share a little bit about Italian cookies called Biscotti. Biscotti, also known as cantuccini or mandelbrot (Mandel bread), are traditional Italian cookies with a long history and rich cultural significance.

What flour do Italians use for cookies? ›

For cookies, bars, cakes/cupcakes, biscuits, scones, or anything that needs a tender crumb, use Farina di grano tenero, 00. This is your “cake flour.” Nobody wants a chewy cake. For bread, I recommend starting off with Farina di Manitoba, grano tenero, 0; this is similar to standard American bread flour.

What is the 1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the oldest known cookie in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

What is the flavor of rainbow cookies? ›

Rainbow cookies are typically composed of layers of brightly colored, almond-based sponge cake (usually almond paste/marzipan), apricot and/or raspberry jam, and a chocolate coating.

Where are Italian rainbow cookies from? ›

Known also as Tricolore cookies, Neapolitans, and Venetians, Rainbow Cookies are believed to have been invented in the United States at the turn of the 20th Century as waves of Italian immigrants arrived to the Northeast.

What nationality are rainbow cookies? ›

Rainbow cookies originate in Italy, but Italian Americans added the color scheme to celebrate their heritage. The yellow layer used to be a white layer, so you'd have the Italian flag.

What is the oldest Italian dessert? ›

Panforte

This is one of the oldest Italian desserts on the list, believed to date back to 13th century Tuscany. Panforte is a traditional Italian Christmas dessert made from wrapping fruit, nuts and spices in a gooey blend of sugar, honey and flour.

What are the hard Italian cookies called? ›

Since they are very dry, biscotti traditionally are served with a drink, into which they may be dunked. In Italy they are typically served as an after-dinner dessert with a Tuscan fortified wine called Vin Santo. Outside of Italy, they more frequently accompany coffee, including cappuccinos and lattes, or black tea.

What country is rainbow cookies from? ›

Rainbow cookies originate in Italy, but Italian Americans added the color scheme to celebrate their heritage. The yellow layer used to be a white layer, so you'd have the Italian flag.

Where in Italy are rainbow cookies from? ›

While you may not find rainbow cookies in Italy, it is authentically an Italian American creation. In the early 1900s, the recipe was created by Italian immigrants as a way to honor their country of origin.

Who made rainbow cookies? ›

Rainbow cookies were made popular in the late 1800's and early 1900's by Italian-American bakeries, particularly those found in New York City (think: De Lillo's or Cafe Ferrara). The cookie seems to be a product of cross-cultural assimilation. There's no counterpart to it in Italy.

What is a cookie called in Europe? ›

Most English-speaking countries call crunchy cookies "biscuits", except for the United States and Canada, where "biscuit" refers to a type of quick bread. Chewier biscuits are sometimes called "cookies" even in the United Kingdom. Some cookies may also be named by their shape, such as date squares or bars.

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