Neapolitan Chocolate Vanilla Strawberry Cookies (Printer-Friendly)
Tri-layered butter cookies blending chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors inspired by classic Neapolitan ice cream.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base Dough
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Flavoring & Coloring
08 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
10 - Pink or red gel food coloring, as needed
→ Optional Garnish
11 - 3.5 oz semisweet chocolate, melted, for drizzling
12 - Sprinkles or chopped nuts, for decoration
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in the vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and fine salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into three separate bowls. To the first bowl, add the cocoa powder and mix until uniformly blended for the chocolate layer. To the second bowl, add the strawberry extract and a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring, mixing until evenly tinted for the strawberry layer. Leave the third bowl plain for the vanilla layer.
07 - Press the chocolate dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula. Carefully spread the vanilla dough over the chocolate layer, smoothing gently. Finally, press the strawberry dough on top, smoothing to an even finish.
08 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top is just set and the edges are lightly golden. Do not overbake to maintain a tender texture.
09 - Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift the slab out using the parchment overhang and cut into 36 bars or squares. If desired, drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate and decorate with sprinkles or chopped nuts.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Three distinct flavors in one bite, which means everyone finds a reason to reach for seconds.
- The visual wow factor is enormous for the amount of effort involved.
- They freeze beautifully, so you can stash a batch and pull them out when guests drop by unexpectedly.
02 -
- Overbaking is the fastest way to ruin these because the layers dry out and crumble instead of staying tender.
- Use gel food coloring rather than liquid to avoid softening the strawberry dough too much.
- Chilling the slab for 30 minutes before cutting gives you cleaner, sharper edges on every cookie.
03 -
- Add two tablespoons of finely ground almonds to the chocolate layer for a subtle depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
- Rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure even color and consistent texture across the entire slab.