Rainbow Cookies
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Learn how to make these classic rainbow cookies (7 layer Italian cookies). They are an Italian rainbow cookie with soft almond cake layers stacked with raspberry (or apricot) preserves, pressed until perfectly fused, and then coated with a thin crunchy layer of chocolate. They’re a stunning dessert that gives rich, fruity flavor and are ridiculously satisfying to slice into!
Have you ever had rainbow cookies? They’re also known as seven layer cookies or tricolor cookies. To me, they taste like maraschino cherries, which I LOVE. They are packed full of almond paste and sandwiched with seedless raspberry jam.
My mom never made these for Christmas. She was more of a rock candy and sugar cookie lady, but I wish she had. They are insanely satisfying. The semi-sweet chocolate nicely balances the sweetness of the cookies and the jam. It’s sweet but still slightly bitter. I recommend the semi-sweet chips for someone who mainly uses milk chocolate chips.
Why You’ll Love These Rainbow Cookies
- Nostalgic: The other thing is these are nostalgic cookies that have been bringing smiles to people’s faces for years and years—a wonderful traditional cookie recipe.
- Impressive: You will find that these cookies are stunning to look at. They’re bakery-style cookies. They’ll impress anyone with one look.
- Fruity Flavor: These are delicious cookies full of fruity flavor in each bite with a twist of nutty almond flavor.
- Giftable: If you enjoy making homemade gifts to give loved ones, you will love this cookie recipe to gift others.
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
Almond Paste: The almond paste will offer a great flavor to the cookies.
Eggs: You will want to separate the egg yolks from the rest of the eggs as directed in the recipe card.
Almond Extract: The almond extract adds additional almond flavor to the rainbow cookie.
Salt: If you use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
Food Coloring: Gel food coloring adds more color with less liquid. I highly recommend using gel food coloring. I used red and green food coloring to create different colors in the layers of the cookies.
Raspberry Preserves: You can use raspberry or apricot preserves to flavor the cookies.
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Substitutions and Variations
- Use any flavor of fruit preserves you would like. Cherry, strawberry, orange marmalade, or other fruity flavors can be used.
- Add a bit of lemon or orange zest to the batter for a citrus-infused flavor.
- You can use Nutella, pistachio paste, or nut butter to replace the preserves if you don’t want the fruity flavor.
- Change the food coloring color you use to create different colored layers.
- Use milk chocolate or even white chocolate to replace the semi-sweet chocolate.
- Top the cookies with some sprinkles to make them festive, or even consider edible glitter.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
How to Make Rainbow Cookies
Prep Work: Prepare pans. Line and grease three 8×8 square pans.
Step 1: Make the batter. Beat almond paste and sugar together. Beat in the butter next. Add in the egg yolks, almond extract, salt, and flour.
Step 2: Beat egg whites. Whip to stiff peaks and then fold into the batter. Don’t overmix.
Step 3: Color the batter. Divide the batter into 3 bowls. Tint on green, one red, and leave the last one plain.
Step 4: Bake the rainbow cookies. Spread each batter into a separate pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Step 5: Assemble Layers. Start with the green almond sponge cake, add half of the preserves, add the white cake layer down, add remaining preserves, and lastly add in the red cake layer down.
Step 6: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place a pan plus a few heavy items on top to press the cookies down. Chill at least 8 hours.
Step 7: Chocolate Coating. Melt the chocolate chips and spread a thin layer on top of the cake. Chill for 30 minutes. Flip the cookies over and spread a thin layer of chocolate top of the red layer. Chill againf or 30 minutes.
Step 8: Slice the cookies. Trim the edges for clean sides and cut the rainbow cookies into squares or rectangles.
Tips for Success
Make sure to remove all the egg yolks from the whites. If you have any yolk in with the whites when you whip them up, it can prevent it from becoming as fluffy.
Whip the egg whites fully until you reach stiff peaks. If the meringue doesn’t hold it’s shape once you’re done mixing it, it’s not there yet.
Fold in the meringue to the batter and mix to combine. Do not overmix; it will deflate the meringue and affect the texture.
Make sure to place something heavy on the tray once you assemble the cake. That way, pressure ensures the layers smash and hold together and fuses the flavors beautifully.
Spread an even layer of preserves to each layer to get a nice, even flavor when you eat the cookies.
You want to do a thin layer of chocolate on top. Allow it to set up before you slice and serve fully.
Use this warm knife to slice the cookies for a clean cut through the chocolate. Run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe dry.
How to Store and Freeze
These cookies need to be stored in a sealed container in the fridge. They will store for up to 3 days.
If you want to extend the life, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Just wrap the cookies tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
The almond paste gives these cookies that original flavor; that is what they are known for. You can use Marzipan to replace it if you would prefer.
I recommend making these cookies only 1-2 days before you want to serve them up for the best texture and flavor. Or you can create and freeze them until you are ready to serve them.
Yes, you want to bake each layer in their pan to get that defined layer of colors to the cookies once you slice them.
It could be that the cakes weren’t fully cooled, you didn’t add enough weight to press the cookies down with, or the preserves were too thick.
Yes! You’ll need to use 3 9×13 pans for the layers and to double all of the ingredients.
These Italian Rainbow Cookies were originally posted December 22, 2015. It’s been updated with a tweaked recipe and tips/tricks.
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Rainbow Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 ounces almond paste
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 large eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- 8 ounces raspberry preserves or apricot preserves
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three 8×8 square pans with parchment paper and grease the sides and bottom with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the 1 cup granulated sugar and 8 ounces almond paste. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until combined.
- Add in 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter and beat on medium until combined.
- Add in the egg yolks from the 4 large eggs, 1 teaspoon almond extract and ½ teaspoon salt. Continue to beat until just combined.
- Add in 2 cups all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in any remaining bits.
- In a stand mixer bowl, add the egg whites of the 4 large eggs. Beat with the whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. When you pull the whisk attachment up, the peaks of the egg whites should hold their peak.
- Using a spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter just until combined.
- Divide the batter equally between three bowls. Add 3 to 4 drops (more if needed to get the desired color) of Green gel food coloring to one bowl and 5 – 7 drops of Red gel food coloring to one of the other. The third is left alone and will appear pale yellow/offwhite.
- Fill each prepared pan with a different color batter. Use an angled spatula to spread the mixture evenly and into the corners of the pan.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or just until the edges begin to brown and the center is set. It will no longer be shiny like set batter, but more matte. Allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, prepare a 12×17 inch jelly roll pan or something similar in size with parchment paper. Lay down a long piece of plastic wrap doing in the opposite direction as the parchment paper.
- Place the green layer onto the prepared 12×17 inch pan centered in the middie of the plastic wrap and discard the parchment paper the layer was baked in.
- Spread half of the 8 ounces raspberry preserves or apricot preserves across the entire top of the green layer. Use an angled spatula to spread evenly.
- Remove the white layer from the pan and place on top of the preserves coated green layer. Repeat with the remaining 8 ounces raspberry preserves or apricot preserves, spreading all the way to the edges.
- Top with the red layer and press gently into place. Wrap the entire cake with the plastic wrap to keep it from drying out and protect for the next step. Use the overhang to seal half of the cake and then another piece to cover the opposite sides.
- Place the cake with the parchment lined pan in the fridge. Place one of the 8×8 pans that you used for baking on top of the wrapped cake and then a few evenly matched heavy objects in the pan. I used a gallon of milk. This will help sandwich the layers together while they set. Let it chill overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Once the cake has chilled for 8 hours, begin working on the chocolate chips.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips. Microwave in 30 second intervals and stir after each interval until completely melted and smooth.
- Remove the cake from the fridge, discard the plastic wrap and place the cake on the parchment lined sheet.
- Use an angled spatula to spread a thin layer of melted chocolate across the top of the cake. Place back in the fridge and allow to set up for approximately 30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and carefully flip the entire cake over so that the chocolate layer is now resting on the bottom. Spread another layer of melted chocolate across the now-top layer of cake.
- The order of layers should now be: chocolate, green cake, preserves, white cake, preserves, red cake, chocolate.
- Place back in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set again.
- When ready to serve, remove the cake from the fridge and carefully cut into pieces. Cut a few at a time or cut the whole thing!
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
But these look like CAKE not COOKIES. So is the challenge for Rainbow COOKIES or Rainbow CAKE? Sorry not trying to be difficult but just asking.
Perfect recipe for children party 🙂