NEAPOLITAN COOKIES

Yields 32 Cookies

A friend asked me to make some cookies for a special occasion. Together we decided on this fun three layered cookie. I had a blast making these cookies and I was really happy with the results.

The flavors done in this recipe are strawberry, vanilla and chocolate but really the flavor ideas are endless. My cousin and sister suggested making the vanilla into a coconut flavor and it would be like the old time Brach’s Neapolitan coconut sundaes. 

My daughter thought an Italian spumoni rendition would be wonderful – pistachio, cherry and chocolate. I’m on board!

 

What about a banana split? Chocolate, banana and strawberry? You get the gist…the sky is the limit.

 

For these, one dough is made and split into threes to get added flavors.

For the first third, I added a little vanilla bean paste for the specks and flavor.

The strawberry has Smucker’s strawberry jam and a touch of strawberry flavoring. 

The chocolate has melted Hershey’s bar and a good quality cocoa powder. 

Layer them in the pan, strawberry, vanilla and then chocolate. Freeze for 1 hour.

Cut into the desired sized rectangles, bake and enjoy!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

Basic dough

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter (softened)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

egg wash and sugar sprinkles (optional)

Vanilla dough add-in

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Strawberry dough add-in

1 ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Smucker’s strawberry jam

½ teaspoon strawberry flavoring

5 drops rosy pink food coloring

Chocolate dough add-in

1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ounce Hershey’s chocolate bar (melted & cooled)

 

PREPARATION:

• Line a square or rectangle pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl cream butter and granulated sugar, mixing on medium for 2 minutes.
• Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix on high for 1 minute.
• Combine the dry ingredients into the wet, scrape down sides and mix thoroughly.
• Divide dough evenly into three.
• NO NEED TO CLEAN BOWL BETWEEN NEXT 3 STEPS.
• Add the first third of the dough into the mixing bowl and add the add-ins, the vanilla paste and mix thoroughly. Set dough aside.
• Place the second third of dough into mixing bowl, add strawberry add-ins, the all-purpose flour, strawberry jam and strawberry flavoring and mix thoroughly. Set dough aside.
• Add the last third of the dough to the mixing bowl, add the chocolate add-ins, the cocoa powder and melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. Set dough aside.
• Layer the doughs into the parchment lined pan. First strawberry, then vanilla and last chocolate. Freeze for 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.
• Dependent on pan used, slice into logs first (I did mine 2”) and then slice the logs into the cookies (1/2 inch slices). 
• Arrange cookies 2” apart on silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet.
• Optional, mix egg white with 1 tablespoon water, brush on cookies and sprinkle with sugar sprinkles. NOTE cookies will take on a yellowish tinge after baked.
• Bake cookies 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. 
• Cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
• For a special touch, melt chocolate and dip corners and cool.