Neapolitan Christmas Cookies That Steal the Show
Neapolitan Christmas Cookies are festive, tri-color holiday treats featuring layers of vanilla, peppermint or almond, and a green citrus or pistachio dough. Sparkling with sugar and full of buttery flavor, these cookies are perfect for gifting or adding color to your holiday dessert table.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 3/4 teaspoon each of alternate extracts)
- Red gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- 1/2 cup sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Add egg yolks and vanilla extract; beat until just combined.
- Gradually add flour and mix until dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide dough into three equal portions.
- Leave one plain, tint one red and one green with gel food coloring. Add optional extracts to red and green portions.
- Roll each dough portion into an 18-inch log.
- Stack logs in red, white, green order and gently press them together.
- Slice the combined log into 1/2-inch pieces and roll each into a ball.
- Roll balls in sanding sugar and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Chill dough logs for 30 minutes before slicing for sharper layers.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid altering dough consistency.
- Replace butter with vegan butter for dairy-free version.
- Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend if needed.
- Add cocoa powder to one layer for a chocolate twist.
Find it online: https://www.cookwithbenchi.com/neapolitan-christmas-cookies/