These Italian Rainbow Cookies have three delicious layers of sponge-like cake flavored with almond paste, red raspberry preserves, and topped with a layer of bittersweet chocolate. They’re spectacular!! They require a bit of extra effort, but each step is fairly easy, and the results are well worth it.
These cookies are Italian classics that are known as Tricolore in Italy. There’s not an Italian bakery in America that doesn’t feature these popular little treats.
Try my Italian Christmas cookies (the most popular Christmas cookies on my site!), Italian fig cookies, and my Italian wedding cookies next!
Is Almond Paste The Same Thing As Marzipan?
No, it’s not. Please only make these cookies with almond paste. Almond paste is a less sweet, coarse product than marzipan and is used as an ingredient.
Marzipan can be used as fondant, shaped, or molded for decorations.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Granulated Sugar
- Almond Paste
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Red Food Coloring
- Green Food Coloring
- Seedless Raspberry Preserves
- Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe Notes
- Preserves: You can use either seedless red raspberry or apricot.
- Pan size: Use a 9X13 inch baking pan. I make a point of this because some other recipes are written to use half sheet baking pans.
- Binder Clips: I use little binder clips to keep the parchment paper sling in place. They’re all metal and do just fine in the oven.
Storing + Freezing + Make Ahead
- Do These Need To Be Refrigerated? No. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This recipe will hold for up to 7 days in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes, you can freeze this. Wrap it well, and you can freeze it for up to 6 months.
- Make-Ahead: Bake this ahead and refrigerate.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
How to Make Italian Rainbow Cookies
- In a food processor, process granulated sugar and almond paste.
- Mix until combined.
- Transfer the almond paste mixture to the bowl of a stand-up mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt.
- Mix and pour melted butter. Add flour mixture.
- Pour 2 cups of batter in a baking pan. Bake.
- Divide the remaining batter between 2 bowls. Add red and green food coloring.
- Bake the red batter.
- Bake the green batter.
- Spread 1/3 cup of jam evenly over top.
- Spread the remaining 1/3 cup jam evenly over top.
- Spread melted chocolate on top of the green layer.
- Cut and serve.
See full instructions below.
More Italian Cookies Recipes…
Italian Rainbow Cookies
These Italian Rainbow Cookies have three layers of sponge-like cake flavored with almond paste, red raspberry preserves, and topped with chocolate.
Servings: 60 cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Layer:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 ounces almond paste, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 7 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon green food coloring
Assembly:
- 2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Before beginning, place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Make a parchment paper sling to line a 9X13-inch baking pan. Be sure to crease and fold in the corners. I use small metal binder clips to hold the sling in place.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (2 cups) and baking powder (1/2 teaspoon); set aside.
- In a food processor, process granulated sugar (1 ½ cups) and almond paste (8 ounces) until combined, 20 to30 seconds
- Transfer the almond paste mixture to the bowl of a stand-up mixer. Add eggs (7), vanilla (1 teaspoon), and salt (1/2 teaspoon).
- Attach the whisk attachment to the mixer and set the mixer to medium-high speed and whip until the mixture is pale and thick about 5-7 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed and pour in melted butter (8 tablespoons).
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixer, and beat on low just until combined.
- Pour 2 cups (measure-do not approximate) of batter into the prepared parchment-lined baking dish. Smooth out the top of the batter with an offset spatula.
- Bake 11-14 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to become golden and the center is set (touch center, if it leaves an indentation, the batter is not done.) My layers were baked for 12-13 minutes.
- Allow the layer to cool in the pan for 7 minutes. Remove the layer from the baking pan, and continue to cool on a wire rack. Allow the baking pan to cool. Allow the cake layer to cool completely,
- Divide the remaining batter between 2 bowls. Add the remaining batter between 2 small mixing bowls. Stir red food coloring (1/4 teaspoon) into one bowl then green food coloring (1/4 teaspoon) into the other bowl.
- Make a new parchment sling for the now-empty and cooled baking pan and repeat baking with each colored batter. Allow the baking pan to cool after each batch.
Assemble:
- On a cutting board, invert the red layer and remove the parchment paper. Spread 1/3 cup of jam evenly over top. Invert the plain colored layer on top of the red layer, remove the parchment, and spread the remaining 1/3 cup jam evenly over top. Invertgreen layer onto the plain layer and gently remove the parchment.
Make Topping:
- Add chocolate chips (1 cup) to a microwave-safe bowl. Set the microwave to 50% power and heat for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until chips are melted when stirred vigorously.
- Spread melted chocolate over the top layer, green layer. Allow to set for about 2 minutes. Then run a fork through the chocolate in a wavy pattern. Allow to cool at room temperature until chocolate has set, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Trim edges off layers, to create a neat edge, with a serrated knife. Cut lengthwise into 5 equal strips (about 1 1/2 inches wide) and then crosswise into 12 equal strips (about 1 inch wide). Serve.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Preserves: You can use either seedless red raspberry or apricot.
- Pan size: Use a 9X13 inch baking pan. I make a point of this because some other recipes are written to use half sheet baking pans.
- Binder Clips: I use little binder clips to keep the parchment paper sling in place. They’re all metal and do just fine in the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 50mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Calcium: 22mg
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Me and my nonna made this together!
Yaaay! Thanks, Sylvia 🙂