Description
Delight in these charming Neapolitan Cookies featuring three distinct layers of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate dough. Soft, buttery, and beautifully striped, these cookies are perfect for any occasion, combining classic flavors in each bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Base
- ½ cup + 6 tablespoons (199 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cup (266 grams) white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Strawberry Layer
- 2 ½ tablespoons (19 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons (30 grams) seedless strawberry jam
- ¼ teaspoon strawberry extract
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon pink gel food colouring
Chocolate Layer
- 1 ½ tablespoons (9 grams) cocoa powder
Instructions
- Make the cookie base: Prepare the loaf pan by spraying lightly with cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the longer edges for easy removal. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy and pale. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extracts and beat until smooth and combined. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together, then gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until a soft but crumbly dough forms.
- Divide the dough: Split the dough evenly into three separate bowls: one for vanilla (leave as is), one for strawberry, and one for chocolate.
- Prepare the strawberry layer: To the strawberry dough bowl, add flour, seedless strawberry jam, strawberry extract, and pink gel food coloring. Beat with a hand mixer until fully combined and uniformly colored.
- Prepare the chocolate layer: To the chocolate dough bowl, add cocoa powder and blend thoroughly with the hand mixer until evenly mixed.
- Assemble the cookie layers: Press the strawberry dough evenly into the bottom of the lined loaf pan using your fingers. Then spread the vanilla dough layer evenly on top of the strawberry layer. Finally, spread the chocolate dough as the top layer, ensuring evenness throughout.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough surface with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to harden.
- Prepare to slice: When cold and firm, carefully remove the dough block from the pan. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half, then slice each half into 16 slices about ½-inch thick, making a total of 32 cookies.
- Refrigerate before baking: Arrange the sliced cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to reharden, helping maintain shape during baking.
- Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the chilled cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheets in batches, placing about 16 per sheet, for 9 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
- Cool and serve: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature on the baking sheets before serving or storing.
Notes
- For crispier, more defined layers, you can refrigerate each dough layer separately in the loaf pan for 30-45 minutes before adding the next. This step is optional but results in neater layers.
- Store leftover Neapolitan cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or refrigerate for 2-3 weeks.
- Handle the dough cold and slice carefully to maintain the distinct layered appearance in the cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
