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A recipe for Italian rainbow brownies. This rainbow brownie recipe features Italian rainbow cookies, a traditional Italian-American pastry consisting of jam, sponge cake, and chocolate. Perfect for Pride month, rainbow themed celebrations, or any occasion which calls for a festive rainbow dessert!
What Inspired These Italian Rainbow Brownies?
During my many years of living in New York City, I fell in love with the Italian rainbow cookie.
Known by a variety of names (including seven layer cookies, and tricolor cookies) Italian rainbow cookies represent a quintessential Italian-American pastry. They feature layers of colorful almond sponge cake, dark chocolate, and jam (traditionally apricot or raspberry), topped with a chocolate coating. In fact, they are sometimes called Italian flag cookies, as the sponge is traditionally colored to represent the colors of the Italian flag. These tasty treats often appear on cookie platters around Christmastime, and are my first choice whenever I’m at a holiday party!
Italian rainbow cookies remain a staple at Italian bakeries such as Veniero’s, a popular spot in New York’s East Village. Recently profiled in The New York Times (apparently, Frank Sinatra was a fan) this classic Italian-American pasticceria stocks an impressive variety of cookies, pastries, and other treats. But the Italian rainbow cookies (and the tiramisu!) are amongst my favorites.
Making Italian rainbow cookies from scratch often means a lot of “odds and ends” after trimming the layered cake into neat and even squares. Rather than throwing the scraps away (or simply snacking), I made brownies instead.
These Italian rainbow brownies feature a dark chocolate base and chunks of dark chocolate, accented by cubes of almondy Italian rainbow cookies, plus slivered almonds. I’ve topped my brownies with more rainbow cookies, plus an extra drizzle of dark chocolate.
Italian Rainbow Brownie Tips and Tricks
I made these brownies using the scraps and trimmings left over from a batch of homemade Italian rainbow cookies. If you want to make your own (and I highly recommend it!) you can try this recipe from The New York Times. However, you can just as easily make these brownies with pre-made Italian rainbow cookies, either store-bought or from a local Italian bakery.
Because Italian rainbow cookies traditionally feature an almond-flavored sponge, I used almond extract (I like the Nielsen-Massey brand) in this recipe to elevate the almond flavor. If you do not have almond extract or prefer a less intense almond flavor, you can increase the amount of vanilla bean paste in the recipe instead.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
If planning to make your own Italian rainbow cookies, I suggest making the cookies one day, and the brownies the next.
Italian rainbow brownies will keep well for 4-5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. (Layer the brownies between sheets of parchment to prevent them from sticking together.) Brownies can also be layered between sheets of parchment and frozen for up to three months.
Other brownie recipes you might enjoy:
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Brownies
Salted Chocolate Caramel Brownies
Cherry Buttercream Brownies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Italian Rainbow Brownies
Fudgy dark chocolate brownies packed with Italian rainbow cookies, a traditional Italian-American pastry made with almond sponge cake, jam, and chocolate.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
- Category: Brownies and Traybakes
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
215 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
55 grams cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
115 grams all purpose flour (3/4 cup)
100 grams semi sweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
50 grams chopped dark chocolate (1/2 cup)
25 grams sliced almonds (1/4 cup)
100 grams diced Italian rainbow cookies (1 cup), plus more for topping the brownies
2–3 tablespoons dark chocolate, melted, for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F / 175° C. Lightly butter an 8×8-inch square baking tin, line with parchment, and set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When butter has melted, stir in sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about five minutes.
Transfer butter-sugar-cocoa mixture to a large mixing bowl.
Add egg, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract to butter-sugar-cocoa mixture, and stir to combine.
Fold in flour and baking powder, followed by canola oil.
Fold chopped chocolate and almonds into the batter, followed by chopped Italian rainbow cookies, stirring until just combined. Pour batter into prepared tin. (Mixture will be thick).
Top batter with additional slices of Italian rainbow cookie. Use your fingers or a spatula to press evenly into the tin.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Transfer brownies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely, at least one hour.
In the microwave or the top of a double boiler, melt 2-3 tablespoons dark chocolate. Transfer to a piping bag and drizzle melted chocolate evenly over the top of the brownies.
Slice brownies and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
Notes
I made these brownies using the trimmings left over from a batch of Italian rainbow cookies. However, you can use store-bought Italian rainbow cookies instead.
Love this, what a fab idea