Rainbow Cookies

Rainbow cookies — also called seven-layer cookies or Italian flag cookies — are the tricolor jewel of New York’s Italian bakeries: three thin almond-cake layers in red, white, and green, bound with apricot jam, and cloaked in dark chocolate. Despite the name, they are not really cookies at all but a small, precise, and utterly delicious almond cake. They are a staple of every Italian-American holiday table.

Why this recipe works: A single almond sponge batter is divided into three bowls and tinted — red, plain, and green — then baked as three thin sheets. The layers are stacked with a thin layer of apricot jam between each (the jam is essential; it adds moisture and a fruity counterpoint), and the whole block is coated in melted chocolate, chilled, and sliced into neat rectangles.

Key ingredients

• Almond paste: the flavor foundation — real almond paste, not extract alone.
• Eggs and sugar: whipped into the almond paste for a light sponge.
• Food coloring: red and green gel colors.
• Apricot jam: warmed and strained for easy spreading.
• Dark chocolate: melted for the coating.

Tips for the best rainbow cookies

Line three matching baking sheets with parchment and spread each colored batter into an even, thin layer — same thickness on all three or the stack will wobble. Bake at 350°F until just set and barely golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stack the cooled layers with warm, strained apricot jam, then weight the block lightly and chill before coating. Spread the melted chocolate over the top and sides, chill until set, and slice with a long, sharp knife dipped in hot water.

Variations and storage

Use raspberry jam instead of apricot, or milk chocolate if you prefer. Rainbow cookies keep 5 to 7 days in the fridge in an airtight container — they are actually better after a day in the cold — and freeze well for 2 months.

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