Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (2024)

Last updated September 14, 2022

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (1)

As noted in the headnote of 100 Cookies, this Neapolitan cookie was inspired by Pink Door Cookies owner Mathew Rice’s Neapolitan cookie. I stumbled upon the cookie while searching Pinterest for the color pink; this cookie popped up, and I was intrigued by the pretty colors and flavors of Neapolitan ice cream all rolled together.

Mathew originally shared his recipe here, but he now makes them at his cookie shop, Pink Door Cookies in Nashville, which he opened in late 2020. “Cookies have always been my favorite thing to make,” Rice told the Nashville Scene. “I feel like they’re humble, but you can elevate them in really wild ways. Having been a pastry chef for almost 20 years at this point, I bring a lot to cookies that’s unexpected, and I’m incorporating the components and flavors of plated desserts but in cookie form.”

If you live in the Nashville area, please check out Pink Door Cookies! Along with his Original Neapolitan Cookie, Mathew also has a variety of other flavors: Pink Lemonade, Strawberry Corn, Cotton Candy, Rainbow Brownie, Blueberry Pancake, Cinnamon Toast Snickerdoodle, and classic Chocolate Chip, just to name a few.

Neapolitan Cookie Making Tips:

  • Use black cocoa powder for a darker color.
  • I buy freeze-dried strawberries at Target. The powdered strawberries on their own won’t give a bright pink hue, so I like to add a little food coloring.
  • I also like to roll each individual color of dough into the same color of sprinkles, but you can mix and match however your heart desires.
Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (2)

How to Make Neapolitan Cookies:

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (3)

Divide the dough into three equal portions (about 320 g each), keeping one vanilla, and then adding powdered freeze-dried strawberries to one portion and cocoa powder to the remaining portion.

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (4)

Pinch a small portion (about 15 g) of each of the three doughs and separate them into piles.

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (5)

For more of a striped look (where the colors overlap into each other more) gently press the pieces together and then press the piece into a cookie scoop or roll into a ball.

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (6)

For a cookie with more distinct flavor sections but slight overlap, roll each different flavored piece into a ball, then gently press together. Place the pieces into a cookie scoop or roll into a ball.

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (7)

For a cookie with very distinct flavor sections and no overlap, roll the different flavor pieces into separate balls and then gently press together.

Use your hands to gently cup the shape into a circle, and then bake as shown above.

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (8)

Cookies will differ slightly depending on which method you chose! Cookies can also be rolled in sprinkles or granulated sugar before baking. I used a pastel pink food coloring here for a lighter color, but the strawberry portion can be made more vivid with more food coloring.

Making Cookie Dough Ahead of Time

The cookie dough can be shaped and held overnight in the refrigerator (make sure to cover the dough with plastic wrap), and then baked the next day. If baked straight from the fridge, you may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.

To make these Neapolitan Cookies, I used my sugar cookie recipe (#6 in 100 Cookies) as a base and came up with this version.

More Cookie Recipes:

  • Pan-banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Pan-Banging Ginger Molasses Cookies
  • Brown Sugar Cookies

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (9)

Neapolitan Cookies

Servings: 15 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Stunning Neapolitan cookies with made with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate dough. A cookie with three flavors in one bite!

Sarah Kieffer

4.97 from 107 votes

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon [364 g] all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup of freeze-dried strawberries, which equals 8 grams (measured before pulsing)
  • 1 cup [2 sticks | 227 g] unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cup [350 g] granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 or 3 drops red food coloring optional
  • 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • Sprinkles or granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F [180C]. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

  • In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, pulverize the strawberries into a powder.

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

  • Dump the dough out onto a work surface and divide it into three equal portions. Put one-third of the dough back into the mixer and add the powdered strawberries and food coloring, if using. Mix on low speed until totally combined, then remove the dough and quickly wipe out the bowl of the mixer.

  • Add another third of dough to the mixer. Add the cocoa powder and mix on low speed until totally combined.

  • Pinch a small portion (about 1/2 oz [15 g]) of each of the three doughs, and press them gently together, so they adhere to each other, but keep their unique colors. Press the piece into a cookie scoop or roll it into a ball, then roll the ball into sprinkles or granulated sugar. Place 6 or 7 cookies on each sheet pan. Bake the cookies one pan at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake until the sides are set and the cookies are puffed, 10 to 11 minutes.

  • Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack and let the cookies cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the pan, then remove them and let them cool completely on the wire rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

*Recipe adapted from Mathew Rice

*Use black cocoa powder for a darker color. The powdered strawberries on their own won’t give a bright pink hue, so I like to add a little food coloring. I also like to roll each individual color of dough into the same color of sprinkles, but you can mix and match however your heart desires. I buy freeze-dried strawberries at Target.

chocolatestrawberryvanilla

Neapolitan Cookie Recipe | Sarah Kieffer | Vanilla Bean Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to chewy cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

What makes cookies fluff up? ›

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

How to have perfect cookies? ›

One way to make sure they always turn out perfectly baked is to set your timer for five minutes less than the recipe states. You want your cookies to be barely browned and not look wet in the center. When you press on them, you should be able to make an indent but it should not feel raw.

How do I make my cookies chewy instead of crunchy? ›

How To Make Cookies Chewy Without Cornstarch
  1. Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy. ...
  2. Choose margarine or shortening instead of butter. ...
  3. Use baking powder instead of baking soda. ...
  4. Rest your dough. ...
  5. Shorten baking time.
May 14, 2023

What three flavors are in Neapolitan? ›

Neapolitan ice cream consists of three layers, each of a different colour and flavour (chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla), moulded into a block and cut into slices.

What flavors are in Neapolitan? ›

Neapolitan ice cream is a classic frozen dessert composed of three separate flavors—typically vanilla, chocolate and strawberry—layered in the same container. The name comes from the dessert's presumed origins in Naples Italy.

What Flavours are in Neapolitan? ›

Neapolitan is the tasty trifecta of classic ice cream flavors -- vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry -- that ice cream lovers have enjoyed for decades. But where did this classic originate?

How can I make my cookies fluffier instead of flat? ›

Melted butter incorporates more easily into the dough, creating a more cohesive and pliable dough. Use a mixture of baking powder and baking soda as leavening agents. Baking powder provides lift and helps create a fluffy texture, while baking soda helps to densify the cookie and create a chewier texture.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

How do you make cookies thick and not flat? ›

Increase the Flour: Adding more flour to the recipe will help create a thicker and denser cookie. Gradually add a little extra flour to the dough, about 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Be cautious not to add too much flour, as it can make the cookies dry and crumbly.

What is the secret to the best cookies? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  1. Always use butter.
  2. Choose the right sugar.
  3. Choose the right flour.
  4. Check your flour is in date.
  5. Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  6. Cream the butter and sugar.
  7. Beat in the eggs.
  8. Fold in the flour.

Do you flatten cookie dough before baking? ›

Flattening the cookie dough provides more surface area that comes into contact with the ice bath, shortening the time it takes to chill. Then submerge the dough in the ice water and let it chill. After 20 minutes the dough will be completely chilled and ready for baking.

How long to chill cookie dough before baking? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

What are 3 factors that contribute to a chewy cookie? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Why do my cookies never turn out chewy? ›

You can try adding more egg to your recipe. Eggs make cookies softer and puffier. It doesn't need to be a lot of egg; half of an extra large egg will make a difference in a basic recipe. You can also swap out egg yolks for whole eggs.

Why are my cookies hard instead of chewy? ›

According to The Kitchn, this occurs when you over-mix the dough. Mixing the dough naturally causes gluten to develop in the flour, and while you do need a good amount of gluten to give your cookies structure, too much of it will result in hard cookies.

What makes cookies chewy butter or shortening? ›

But, it turns out that margarine or vegetable shortening is the secret to chewy cookies. I still make mine with butter, though.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lilliana Bartoletti

Last Updated:

Views: 6525

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lilliana Bartoletti

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 58866 Tricia Spurs, North Melvinberg, HI 91346-3774

Phone: +50616620367928

Job: Real-Estate Liaison

Hobby: Graffiti, Astronomy, Handball, Magic, Origami, Fashion, Foreign language learning

Introduction: My name is Lilliana Bartoletti, I am a adventurous, pleasant, shiny, beautiful, handsome, zealous, tasty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.