Rainbow cookie facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Rainbow cake, Neapolitan cookies, seven layer cookies, Venetian cookies, seven layer cake, Italian flag cookies, tricolor cookies, tricolore |
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| Type | Cake |
| Place of origin | Italian Americans |
| Region or state | New York City |
| Main ingredients | Sponge cake (flour, almond paste, butter, sugar, almond extract, egg yolks, egg whites), apricot or raspberry jam, chocolate |
Rainbow cookies are colorful, tasty treats! They are usually a three-layered cookie with an almond flavor. These cookies are very popular in Italian-American cooking. Sometimes, people call them "rainbow cake" because they look a bit like a small cake.
Contents
What Are Rainbow Cookies Made Of?
Rainbow cookies are made of several layers. They have bright, colorful layers of sponge cake. This cake is usually made with almond paste. Between the cake layers, you will find apricot or raspberry jam. The whole cookie is then covered in a yummy chocolate coating.
Even though they are called "cookies," they are more like a small, layered cake. Think of them as tiny, fancy cakes! The first rainbow cookies had colors that looked like the Italian flag. These colors were white, red, and green. Today, you can find rainbow cookies in many different colors. Sometimes, their colors change for holidays or special events.
Where Do Rainbow Cookies Come From?
Rainbow cookies first appeared in the late 1800s or early 1900s. They were created by Italian-American bakeries. These bakeries were mostly in places like New York City. From there, they became popular in many other bakeries. Rainbow cookies are a special treat, especially around Christmas time.
Many Italian sweets use almond paste. However, rainbow cookies are a unique Italian-American creation. They were not made in Italy first. Some food experts think they might be based on an Italian sweet called gelato di campagna. This sweet is a nougat that also has three colored layers.
Rainbow Cookies and the Jewish Community
Rainbow cookies are also very popular in the American Jewish community. You can often find them in Jewish delis and bakeries. This is especially true in the Northeastern United States. Around the early 1900s, many Jewish families moved to New York City. They often settled in areas where Italian families also lived. This is how Jewish Americans discovered rainbow cookies.
These cookies are often served at synagogues on Shabbat mornings. They are a common treat during these gatherings. There are also special rainbow cookies made for Passover. During Passover, people cannot eat foods with leavening. So, these cookies are made with matzo meal or almond flour instead of regular flour.
Jewish Americans also changed the recipe to fit their Kosher dietary rules. They started using margarine instead of butter. This made the cookies "pareve," meaning they contain neither meat nor dairy. Jewish Americans are also known for changing the original Italian flag colors. They often changed the white layer to yellow. You might also see blue and white rainbow cookies. These are made to celebrate Hanukkah.
Other Names for Rainbow Cookies
People call these delicious cookies by different names. Here are some of the other names you might hear:
- Napoleon cookies
- Seven layer cake
- Seven layer cookies
- Tricolor/e cookies
- Venetian cookies
See also
In Spanish: Pastel arcoíris para niños
