Gluten Free Italian Rainbow Cookies

If you’ve ever had Italian rainbow cookies from a bakery, you know how good they are. Those colorful layers of almond cake with jam and chocolate are hard to resist.

The problem is that traditional rainbow cookies are made with regular flour, which means they’re off the table if you eat gluten free. Until now.

This gluten free version tastes just like the real thing. Honestly, no one will be able to tell the difference. The almond paste does a lot of the heavy lifting here, so swapping the flour is barely noticeable.

They do take a bit of time and patience since you need to bake three separate layers and let everything set in the fridge. But the process itself is pretty straightforward.

These are perfect for holidays, special occasions, or anytime you want to impress people with something a little fancy. Let me walk you through how to make them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tastes Just Like the Bakery Version – These cookies have that same marzipan-rich flavor and fudgy layered texture you find at Italian bakeries.

Nobody Will Know They Are Gluten Free – The almond paste keeps these cookies so moist and tender that no one can tell the difference.

Stunning Layered Look – The bright red and green layers with chocolate on top make these cookies look absolutely beautiful on any dessert table.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Layers

• 8 oz Almond Paste (crumbled)
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 4 large Eggs (separated)
• 1 cup Gluten Free 1:1 Flour Blend
• 1/4 tsp Fine Sea Salt
• Red Food Coloring
• Green Food Coloring

For the Assembly

• 3/4 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam
• 1 1/2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three 9×13-inch baking pans with parchment paper and grease them lightly. In a large bowl, beat the almond paste, granulated sugar, and softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Step 2

Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the gluten free flour blend and fine sea salt on low speed until just combined.

Step 3

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the almond batter in three additions, being careful not to deflate the mixture.

Step 4

Divide the batter evenly among three bowls. Leave one bowl plain, tint one bowl with red food coloring, and tint the third bowl with green food coloring.

Step 5

Spread each colored batter into one of the prepared pans in a thin, even layer. Bake all three layers for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are just set and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the layers cool completely in the pans.

Step 6

Warm the raspberry jam in a small saucepan over low heat until it is thin and spreadable. Place the green layer on a parchment-lined cutting board and spread half of the jam evenly over the top. Carefully place the plain layer on top and spread the remaining jam over it. Top with the red layer, pressing down gently.

Step 7

Wrap the assembled stack tightly in plastic wrap and place a second cutting board on top to weigh it down. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight so the layers fuse together.

Step 8

Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until completely smooth. Spread half of the melted chocolate evenly over the top of the cookie stack. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until the chocolate sets.

Step 9

Carefully flip the stack over and spread the remaining chocolate on the other side. Refrigerate for another 15 minutes.

Step 10

Using a sharp tool, trim the edges to reveal the clean colorful layers, then slice into small rectangular cookies about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

My Tips

Break Up the Almond Paste Really Well

Almond paste can be stubborn. If you just toss it in whole with the sugar and butter, you’ll end up with little chunks that never fully blend in, and that means lumpy batter and uneven layers.

Before you start mixing, break the almond paste into small pea-sized pieces with your fingers. Then when you beat it with the sugar and butter, give it the full 4 minutes so it actually becomes smooth.

If your almond paste feels hard or dry, microwave it for about 10 seconds to soften it up a bit before crumbling it. That makes a big difference.

Don’t Rush the Egg Whites

The whipped egg whites are what give these cookies their light, tender texture instead of being dense and flat. Make sure the bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry before you start. Even a tiny bit of grease or egg yolk will stop the whites from whipping up properly.

When you fold them into the batter, do it gently in three additions. Use a spatula and scoop from the bottom up, turning the bowl as you go. It should take about 15-20 folds per addition.

If you stir too fast or dump them all in at once, you’ll knock out all the air you just whipped in and the layers will bake up thin and tough.

Spread the Batter as Evenly as Possible

Each layer needs to be the same thickness across the entire pan. If one side is thicker than the other, the thin part will overbake and get crispy while the thick part stays underdone.

Use an offset spatula to spread the batter all the way to the corners and edges. The layer will be pretty thin, which is exactly what you want. Take your time here because uneven layers also make the final stack look sloppy when you slice it.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Black & White Cookies
• Gluten Free Cannoli Cookies
• Gluten Free Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscotti
• Gluten Free Italian Ricotta Cake
• Gluten Free Linzer Cookies

FAQ

Can I use homemade almond paste or does it have to be store-bought?

Either one works great. Store-bought almond paste is convenient and gives consistent results, but homemade almond paste works just as well as long as it has a smooth, pliable texture. Just make sure you are using almond paste and not marzipan, which has more sugar and will throw off the sweetness and texture of the cookies.

If your almond paste feels a bit firm or dry, break it into small pieces before adding it to the mixer so it blends more easily with the butter and sugar.