Neapolitan Chocolate Vanilla Strawberry Cookies (Printable)

Tri-colored cookies featuring chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry layers in every bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
06 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
07 - ½ teaspoon fine salt

→ Flavors and Coloring

08 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - ½ teaspoon strawberry extract
10 - Pink or red gel food coloring, as needed

→ Optional Garnish

11 - 3.5 oz semisweet chocolate, melted, for drizzling
12 - Sprinkles or chopped nuts, for decoration

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until evenly combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Split the dough evenly into three bowls. To the first bowl, fold in cocoa powder until fully blended for the chocolate layer. To the second bowl, add strawberry extract and a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring, mixing until uniformly tinted for the strawberry layer. Leave the third bowl plain for the vanilla layer.
07 - Press the chocolate dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing with an offset spatula. Carefully spread the vanilla dough over the chocolate layer. Finish by pressing the strawberry dough on top, smoothing the surface flat.
08 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until just set. Do not overbake—the top should feel firm but not dry.
09 - Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift the slab out using the parchment overhang, then cut into 36 bars or squares. Optionally drizzle with melted chocolate and top with sprinkles or chopped nuts before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Three distinct flavors in one cookie means everyone at the table gets their favorite without compromise.
  • The layered dough bakes in a single pan, so you get 36 impressive cookies with almost no individual shaping.
  • They slice beautifully and look stunning on a dessert tray with minimal decorating effort.
02 -
  • Overbaking is the biggest enemy because the colors mute and the texture turns cakey instead of fudgy.
  • If your dough feels too sticky to press flat, chill each bowl for ten minutes and it will behave beautifully.
  • These keep for up to five days in an airtight container, and the flavors actually deepen after the first day.
03 -
  • Weigh your flour with a kitchen scale instead of using measuring cups and your dough consistency will be spot on every single batch.
  • The offset spatula is the real hero here, so take your time smoothing each layer thin and even before adding the next one.

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