Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe With Marzipan

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This classic American Italian rainbow cookies recipe with marzipan is a festive dessert that is delicious and perfect for the holidays.

Rainbow cookies are a traditional Italian Americana cookie made from a tri-colored almond-flavored cake that is also known as Neopolitan cookies, Rainbow cake, or Italian rainbow cookies.

These homemade rainbow cookies have three layers of colorful cake, red, green, and white. Each layer is filled with a delicious strawberry filling that is sandwiched together and covered with decadent chocolate that pairs beautifully with the strawberry jam and almond-flavored cake.

These traditional homemade Italian rainbow cookies have a wonderfully rich and sweet buttery almond flavor with hints of vanilla. The sponge cake base is made with marzipan (almond paste), flour, sugar, eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract, and butter. No baking powder is needed to make this rainbow sponge cake.

Good To Know: Subsitutions & Ingredients

• Marzipan – Almond Paste or Marzipan gives these rainbow cookies their distinctive flavor and texture. You can use a store-bought one or make your own homemade Marzipan (Almond Paste).
• Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter for this rainbow cookie recipe, but if you only have salted butter on hand then omit the salt from the cake batter ingredients.
• Almond Extract – In this recipe I use a combination of almond extract and vanilla extract for added flavor. If you want a bold almond flavor then replace the vanilla extract with more of the almond extract.
• Eggs – Eggs play a role in leavening this cake, it also contributes to flavor and texture. Separate the egg yolks from the whites ahead of time.
• Cookie Filling – For this recipe, I used strawberry jam as the filling for each of the cake layers. You can use any type of fruit jam of your choice, such as raspberry, blueberry, pineapple, or apricot.
• Food Coloring – For best results use a gel-based food coloring, you use less, and the color fade compared to the liquid-based food colorings.

Ready To Make these Rainbow Cookies Recipe With Marzipan? Let’s do it!

Ingredients For Rainbow Cookies Recipe With Marzipan

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
• 8 1/2 oz marzipan or almond paste (240 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (2 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter or oil (340 grams), room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
• 4 large eggs, separated (120 grams whites and 80 grams yolks)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 grams)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (5 grams)
• 6-8 drops green food coloring (gel preferred)
• 6-8 drops red food coloring (gel preferred)
• 3/4 cup strawberry jam (240 grams)
• 2 cups chocolate chips (340 grams), melted

How To Make Italian Rainbow Cookies?

1. Preheat the oven to 330°F or (165°C) and place the oven rack on the upper position and the other on the bottom. Position oven racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven.
2. Line and grease three 9X12-inch quarter baking pans.
3. Add the marzipan (almond paste), sugar, and half the butter into a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 90 seconds. Add the rest of the butter and continue to beat for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
4. Add the egg yolks one at a time while the mixer is running at a slow speed, then add the vanilla e and almond and beat until the mixture is well combined. Scrape the sides as needed.
5. In a separate large clean dry bowl add the egg whites and beat on high speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks are achieved about 5-6 minutes.
6. Gently fold the whipped egg whites with the cake batter in 3 additions until the mixture is well combined.
7. Divide the batter equally into 3 bowls, or scale the cookie batter at 410 grams into the bowls.
8. Add 6-8 drops of green food coloring into one bowl, and the same amount of red coloring into another bowl, and stir together until combined.
9. Pour each of the batters into the lined baking sheets, and spread evenly using offset spatulas.
10. Place the baking pans into the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the trays halfway during the baking to ensure even baking.
11. Place 2 pans on the upper third rack, ensuring the pans are not touching, and 1 pan on the lower third oven rack.
12. Remove from the oven and allow the cookie slabs to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
13. Spread 1/2 of the strawberry jam over the top of the green cake slab, then turn over the white cake slab onto it and remove the parchment paper. Spread the rest of the jam on the white cake, then flip the red cake slab onto it, and keep the parchment paper on top.
14. Place an empty tray on top and add some weights to it. You can use, plates, bags of milk, or canned vegetables. This will help compress the layers of the cookies. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.
15. Remove the tray from the refrigerator, then remove the weights and parchment paper. Flip the cake onto a large cutting board. Slowly remove the parchment from the green layer cake, then invert the cake again so the green slab is the first layer. Trim the sides of the cake with a serrated knife.
16. Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and melt using 25-second intervals stirring between each interval.
17. Once chilled, remove the weights and plastic wrap. Place a large cutting board on top of the stack and invert. Carefully remove and discard the parchment paper from the green layer.. Using a serrated knife, trim the edges to straighten. Place the stack, green layer up, on a wire rack set inside a large, rimmed baking sheet.
18. Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and spread it evenly throughout the top of the cake with an offset spatula. Let it stand for a few 3-4 minutes, then using a fork create a wavy effect by swirling the fork over the chocolate.
19. Place the rainbow cookie into the refrigerator for one hour.
20. Remove the slab from the fridge and slice the cake into 2-inch square pieces.
21. You can store the cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to one week.
22. Enjoy your festive Italian Rainbow cookies!

Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe

This classic American Italian rainbow cookies recipe with marzipan is a festive dessert that is delicious and perfect for the holidays. Rainbow cookies are a traditional Italian Americana cookie made from a tri-colored almond-flavored cake that is also known as Neopolitan cookies, Rainbow cake, or Italian rainbow cookies.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Chill Layers 3 hours hrs

Course Dessert, Holiday

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 24 pieces

Calories 290 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 grams
• 8 1/2 oz marzipan or almond paste 240 grams
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 grams
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter or oil 340 grams, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
• 4 large eggs separated (120 grams whites and 80 grams yolks)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 grams
• 1 teaspoon almond extract 5 grams
• 6-8 drops green food coloring gel preferred
• 6-8 drops red food coloring gel preferred
• 3/4 cup strawberry jam 240 grams
• 2 cups chocolate chips 340 grams, melted

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 330°F or (165°C) and place the oven rack on the upper position and the other on the bottom. Position oven racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven.
• Line and grease three 9X12-inch quarter baking pans.
• Add the marzipan (almond paste), sugar, and half the butter into a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 90 seconds. Add the rest of the butter and continue to beat for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
• Add the egg yolks one at a time while the mixer is running at a slow speed, then add the vanilla e and almond and beat until the mixture is well combined. Scrape the sides as needed.
• In a separate large clean dry bowl add the egg whites and beat on high speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks are achieved about 5-6 minutes.
• Gently fold the whipped egg whites with the cake batter in 3 additions until the mixture is well combined.
• Divide the batter equally into 3 bowls, or scale the cookie batter at 410 grams into the bowls.
• Add 6-8 drops of green food coloring into one bowl, and the same amount of red coloring into another bowl, and stir together until combined.
• Pour each of the batters into the lined baking sheets, and spread evenly using offset spatulas.
• Place the baking pans into the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the trays halfway during the baking to ensure even baking.
• Place 2 pans on the upper third rack, ensuring the pans are not touching, and 1 pan on the lower third oven rack.
• Remove from the oven and allow the cookie slabs to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes.
• Spread 1/2 of the strawberry jam over the top of the green cake slab, then turn over the white cake slab onto it and remove the parchment paper. Spread the rest of the jam on the white cake, then flip the red cake slab onto it, and keep the parchment paper on top.
• Place an empty tray on top and add some weights to it. You can use, plates, bags of milk, or canned vegetables. This will help compress the layers of the cookies. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.
• Remove the tray from the refrigerator, then remove the weights and parchment paper. Flip the cake onto a large cutting board. Slowly remove the parchment from the green layer cake, then invert the cake again so the green slab is the first layer. Trim the sides of the cake with a serrated knife.
• Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and melt using 25-second intervals stirring between each interval.
• Once chilled, remove the weights and plastic wrap. Place a large cutting board on top of the stack and invert. Carefully remove and discard the parchment paper from the green layer.. Using a serrated knife, trim the edges to straighten. Place the stack, green layer up, on a wire rack set inside a large, rimmed baking sheet.
• Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and spread it evenly throughout the top of the cake with an offset spatula. Let it stand for a few 3-4 minutes, then using a fork create a wavy effect by swirling the fork over the chocolate.
• Place the rainbow cookie into the refrigerator for one hour.
• Remove the slab from the fridge and slice the cake into 2-inch square pieces.
• You can store the cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to one week.
• Enjoy your festive Italian Rainbow cookies!

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