Foolproof Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe
I've been making these Italian Rainbow Cookies (also known as tri color cookies) for over a decade -- this recipe is foolproof, and dozens of you agree! They require a little planning, but they’re quite easy to make. Thin layers of soft almond cake are sandwiched together with sweet raspberry jam, then coated in chocolate. It's cake disguised as a cookie! As an added bonus, each batch yields 96 cookies!
Servings: 96 cookies
Calories: 72kcal
Video
Equipment
2 heavy books to weigh down the cookies
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, divided
- 8 ounces (227g) almond paste, or a 7-oz tube
- 1¼ cups (2½ sticks; 280g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- red food coloring
- green food coloring
- 10 ounces raspberry preserves warmed
- 7 ounces (200g) semisweet chocolate chunks, chips, or melting wafers
Instructions
- Prepare the sheet pans. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease, flour, and line the bottoms of three 9x13-inch (quarter sheet pan) with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang.
- Beat egg whites. In the bowl of a standard electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 4 large egg whites at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. With the mixer running on high speed, add ¼ cup (50g) sugar a little at a time, beating until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to another bowl, and wipe the bowl dry with a paper towel.
- Mix sugar and almond paste. Switch the mixer to the paddle attachment and beat together 8oz (227g) almond paste and remaining ¾ cup (150g) sugar until well-mixed, about 3 minutes. Start with the mixer on slow, then increase speed to medium, otherwise the mixture will fly out of the bowl.
- Incorporate butter. Add 2½ sticks (280g) softened butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 4 large egg yolks and 1 tsp almond extract and beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add 2 cups (240g) flour and ½ tsp Kosher salt, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in egg whites. Fold half of the egg white mixture into the almond mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
- Divide batter among 3 bowls. I recommend weighing the batter on a food scale, then dividing equally in thirds into three separate bowls.
- Color the cookies. Stir 6-8 drops of red food coloring into one bowl and 6-8 drops of green food coloring into another, leaving the third bowl plain. Different food colorings have different intensities. Keep in mind the batter will bake up darker than it looks raw. Pour the batter from one of the bowls into one of the prepared pans. Using a small offset spatula, spread the batter into an even layer. It will be extremely thin, but there is enough!
- Bake the individual layers. Bake the layer for 8 to 10 minutes, until just set (the cake may look undercooked, but this is what you want). Repeat with the remaining bowls of cake batter and sheet pans, transferring each baked cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble the layers with preserves. When all the layers are cool, invert the green layer onto a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Peel off the paper from the layer and brush on half of the heated preserves. Flip the white layer on top of the green layer and peel off the paper. Spread with remaining preserves. Invert the red layer on top of white layer and discard the paper.
- Chill overnight. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place another quarter sheet pan on top, right side up. Evenly distribute a heavy weight on top of the sheet pan — I place heavy cookbooks on top! — and place in the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Bring the cake to room temperature. Remove the weights and plastic wrap and let the layer sit on your counter for a few minutes to come to room temperature. Melt the chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, until smooth.
- Pour on melted chocolate. Trim the edges of the assembled layers with a long serrated knife to even them out. Use a small offset spatula to quickly (like REALLY quickly) spread half of the melted chocolate in a thin layer on top of the cake. Place the cake back in the fridge to firm up the chocolate, about 10-15 minutes. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the chocolate layer, place another quarter sheet pan on top, then invert the cake and remove the paper. Quickly spread with the remaining chocolate. Freeze the chocolate-covered cake until just slightly firm, about 10 minutes.
- Slice cookies. Cut lengthwise into 6 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 16 pieces. The cookies are much easier to cut when cold, but if they're completely frozen solid (like you forget them in the freezer and came back to them the next day), allow to thaw slightly or the chocolate will crack as you slice into it.
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- To freeze: store baked, sliced Italian rainbow cookies between layers of parchment paper in freezer-safe containers. Cookies will keep up to 3 months.
- To defrost: allow cookies to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. The cake layers defrost pretty quickly!
Nutrition
Serving: 3cookies | Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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