Three flavors in a single, delightful cookie. This old-fashioned Italian Spumoni Cookie recipe was a holiday favorite in my family, but I enjoy them year-round. The center is green and nut-flavored—use pistachios, pecans, or walnuts—while the red layer carries rum extract and the chocolate layer provides rich cocoa. Festive and colorful, these tri-colored cookies are tender and practically melt in your mouth.
Think of Neapolitan ice cream in a cookie: three distinct colors and flavors, but bite-sized. The result is a tried-and-true, colorful treat that’s perfect for cookie trays and holiday exchanges.
Many recipes use cherry for the red layer, but rum extract gives a deeper, more aromatic flavor that I prefer.
Making Italian Spumoni Cookies
Basic Dough
Begin by making the basic dough: cream the softened butter with the powdered sugar, then add the egg and vanilla. Stir in the all-purpose flour until the dough comes together and is well blended. Divide the dough as evenly as possible into three portions for the three flavored layers.
Three Layers
To the first portion, mix in the melted unsweetened chocolate for the chocolate layer. For the middle (green) portion, stir in the chopped nuts and a few drops of green food coloring. Use pecans, walnuts, or pistachios—whichever you prefer. To the third portion, add rum extract and a few drops of red food coloring for the rum-flavored layer.
Shaping the Layers
Waxed paper makes shaping easy. On sheets of waxed paper, form each portion into an 8″ x 3″ rectangle. Stack the rectangles with the green layer in the center to create a three-layer “cookie brick.” Press the layers together and smooth the edges so they adhere. Wrap the brick in waxed paper and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Chilling firms the dough so you get clean slices when cutting.
Baking Italian Spumoni Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the chilled cookie brick into 1/4″ thick slices and place them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 9–11 minutes. The cookies are done when a light touch leaves no imprint—one handy tip passed down from my mother.
FAQs
- What is spumoni?
Spumoni is an Italian dessert traditionally made from layered ice cream flavors—commonly chocolate, pistachio, and cherry—often with nuts or candied fruit. These cookies take that flavor trio and turn it into a baked treat. - Do I have to make three different doughs?
You make one base dough and divide it into three portions, then flavor each portion separately so the colors and tastes stay distinct. - How do you keep the layers from blending?
Chill the assembled brick before slicing. Firm dough slices cleanly and keeps the layers separate during baking. - Do spumoni cookies need refrigeration?
No. Once baked, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. - Can they be frozen?
Yes. Both the baked cookies and the unbaked dough freeze well. Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2–3 months. - Are these cookies popular for holidays?
Yes. Their vibrant colors and nostalgic flavors make them popular on holiday cookie trays, at exchanges, and for festive gatherings.
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Italian Spumoni Cookies
15 mins
10 mins
2 hrs
2 hrs 25 mins
Ingredients
Basic Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Chocolate Layer:
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
Green Layer:
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or pistachios)
- A few drops green food coloring
Red Layer:
- 2 tsp rum extract
- A few drops red food coloring
Instructions
Basic Dough:
- Mix together butter, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla. Add flour and mix until thoroughly combined. Divide the dough into three equal portions.
Chocolate Layer:
- Stir the melted chocolate into the first portion of dough until evenly combined.
Green Layer:
- Mix the chopped nuts and green food coloring into the second portion of dough.
Red Layer:
- Add rum extract and red food coloring to the third portion of dough and mix well.
Assembly & Bake
- Shape each portion into an 8″ x 3″ rectangle using waxed paper. Stack the rectangles with the green layer in the center, press to seal, then wrap and chill for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Slice the chilled brick into 1/4″ thick cookies. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake 9–11 minutes, until a light touch leaves no imprint. Cool and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 14 g
| Protein: 2 g
| Fat: 8 g
Italian Spumoni Cookies
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