Neapolitan Cookies

4.80 (57)
⏱ 225 mins 🍽 32 cookies 🌶 american 🏷 Cookies

These classic American cookies feature three distinct layers-strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate-all made from one base butter dough. The dough is divided, flavoured, and pressed into a loaf pan to chill before being sliced and baked. The result is a batch of 32 colourful, buttery treats that are perfect for sharing. The process takes about 225 minutes from start to finish, including essential chilling time for easy slicing.

Neapolitan Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature* (see note)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • optional: 1 Tablespoon water and coarse sugar for sprinkling on top*
  • 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (12g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon (20g) strawberry jam
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract*
  • pink or red food coloring*
  • optional: 1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract for extra flavor*
  • 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (8g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (or dutch process)
  • 1 ounce (28g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Method

  1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl with a whisk. Set this mixture aside.
  2. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together for about 2 minutes. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then beat for about 1 minute until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl's sides and bottom and mix again briefly.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture on a low setting until a thick, sticky dough forms. Take the dough out of the bowl. there is no need to clean the bowl.
  4. Separate the total dough, approximately 30 ounces, into three equal 10-ounce portions. One portion is the vanilla dough. set it aside. The remaining two portions will become the strawberry and chocolate doughs.
  5. Return one dough portion to the mixing bowl. Add all the strawberry dough ingredients, beginning with 1 drop of food colouring. Mix on low until combined, adding another drop or 2 for your preferred pink shade. Remove the strawberry dough from the bowl. again, no need to rinse it.
  6. Place the final dough portion into the same bowl. Add all the chocolate dough ingredients and beat on low until fully combined.
  7. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Firmly press the doughs into the pan in this order: strawberry on the bottom, vanilla in the middle, and chocolate on top.
  8. Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours, or freeze for 1 hour. It can be chilled for up to 4 days.
  9. Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  10. Use the parchment overhang to lift the chilled dough block from the pan. Slice the 9×5-inch block in half lengthwise to create two rectangles. Trim the ends so each rectangle is 8 inches long, then slice each into 16 cookies, each 1/2 inch thick. Neaten the edges if you like.
  11. Place the cookies 2-3 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Optionally, brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
  12. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Enjoy the cookies once cool, or dip them in melted chocolate if desired.
  14. Store uncoated cookies in a covered container at room temperature for 1 week. Chocolate-dipped cookies keep for 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge.

Nutrition (per serving)

Nutrition data not available.

Recipe details

CategoryCookies
Cuisineamerican
AuthorSally