You will find these in most Italian bakeries and they are very popular on wedding trays.
Even though they take a little time and patience, the end results for Rainbow Cookies is like no other in layers of flavor.
Don't be intimidated to try these, they are well worth the time spent and everyone will rave about them just use our step-by-step instructions for perfect results.
Also, if you love almond paste cookies, try my bakery-style recipe for almond paste crescents and also almond paste homemade from scratch.
If you would like to skip to the recipe just scroll to the bottom hit print and all the ads will go away.
Italian Food Art
That's why I consider these cookies, Italian food art.
Not only are they delicious, but the prettiest cookies on the tray!
The almond flavor, jam, and tender cake are just scrumptious!
When I make these cookies everyone is in awe of the Italian color gems, they are a conversation starter for sure!
This cookie is called a Rainbow Cookie, because of its tricolor and resemblance to the Italian flag.
Some History
These pretty layered cookies originated in Italian communities in the United States during the 1900s, in homage to the community's heritage.
It is written then at the turn of the 20th-century Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe that settled in these communities were intrigued by the rainbow cookies.
Although often called simply rainbow cookies in much of the continental United States.
Some local bakeries gave other names you may have seen such as Napoleon cookies or seven-layer cookies, Tricolor cookies, Venetian cookies or Italian flag cookies.
Easy To Do
Although I know you're thinking these take a long time to make and are a little too fussy to make, however, the good news is, that they make around 60 squares and freeze well.
Just line them after they dry into a plastic airtight container with wax paper in between.
They will freeze and taste fresh for around 3 months.
Ingredients You Will Need
(all weights and measurements on in the printable recipe card below)
- unsalted butter softened
- flour
- sugar
- almond filling 12.5 oz can be found in the baking aisle of your local supermarket (Solo Brand)
- eggs
- red and green food coloring
- seedless raspberry jam
- apricot jam
- semisweet chocolate melted
Tips
- Parchment paper is a must to line cookie sheets
- Dipping a knife in hot water makes these easier to cut
- Use almond paste if you can't find solo (solo make the cake moist)
- Always use a toothpick in the center to see if the cakes are done
- Use your favorite jam warmed, we like raspberry seedless the best
- After the batter is placed in the pan, tap lightly to release any air bubbles in the cakes before baking
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More Recipes We Love
Anisette Biscotti
Pistachio Biscotti
Cranberry Biscotti
Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Almond Paste Cookies
Sesame Cookies
Holiday
Honestly, these Italian rainbow cookies are the prettiest cookie on the holiday tray.
If you want a cookie that shouts the Italian colors, this is the one for you to make first.
They go quick and don't be surprised someone wants to order a few dozen for you to make and pay you for them!
Happy baking!
Italian Rainbow Cookies
Yield: 60
prep time: 25 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time: 40 M
During the year we love to add these Italian rainbow cookies to a wedding tray, for special company and holidays. They are 3 colors of cake filled jam with a chocolate ganache coating then cut in squares. The cookies are famous all over the world and this is an easier recipe to start with to get them perfect and pretty for an occasion.
ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 can almond filling 12.5 oz can found in the baking aisle of your local supermarket (Solo Brand) or use almond paste
- 4 eggs
- 12 drops each red and green food coloring
- 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate, melted (use high-quality chocolate, not chips)
instructions:
How to cook Italian Rainbow Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get three 12- 1/4 x 8-1/4 x 1-1/4 aluminum baking pans ready lined with parchment paper on the bottoms and lightly oil sprayed on anything exposed on the sides set aside.
- Using a hand mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add almond pastry filling, beat until smooth around 3 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add flour beat just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly into 3 bowls. Add the 12 drops of green food coloring to one bowl, 12 drops of red food coloring to another bowl, and leave the third bowl plain white. Blend the food coloring into each batter to mix evenly.
- Using a spatula, spread each colored batter into each separate prepared pan. Bake each pan until just beginning to brown on the edges, 10-15 minutes. Make sure the middle is set. Cool completely.
- Heat jams separately in glass bowls in the microwave for every 30 seconds heating and stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
- Place green cake on a clean solid tray or cutting board using wax paper on the bottom. Spread using a spatula heated apricot jam over the green cake. Top with plain (white) cake for the middle. Spread heated raspberry jam over the plain white cake and top with red cake. Press down lightly.
- Chill cakes to set jam, 1 hour.
- Using a sharp knife, trim cake edges to form an even block.
- Slice the cake in long lengthwise into 1 1/2" wide logs (5-6 of them). Separate the bars/logs so you can spread the chocolate down the sides.
- Use a cake decorating spatula to spread melted chocolate over top, sides of each long bar, and smooth chocolate over the ends of each bar until completely covered.
- Note: You can use a hot knife method to make the smooth on top by dipping your metal spatula in hot water and smoothing the chocolate in one direction.
- Chill to set chocolate, then slice into 1/2" thick cookies.
- Notes and Tips:
- One of the hardest things I found was how hard these were to cut without cracking the chocolate off. Once the chocolate gets hard you will need a very sharp knife.
- Two things worked better.
- Freeze them first then cut or the second thing that worked was leaving them out 10 minutes or room temperature, then placing the knife in hot boiling water, wiping it off and slicing through the hard chocolate made it easier and didn't crack so easy.
- I hope that helps.
- Any other tips out there feel welcome to comment.
- These will stay fresh for two weeks in the refrigerator and they also freeze well.
Calories
225
225
Fat (grams)
11
11
Sat. Fat (grams)
6
6
Carbs (grams)
22
22
Net carbs
11
11
Sugar (grams)
19
19
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Here are more of our favorite cookie recipes:
Cucidati Fig Sicilian Cookies
24 One-Stop Cookie Shop
Fried Bow Tie Cookies
25 Holiday Cookies
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2019.
