Neapolitan Swirl Cookies (Printable)

Buttery cookies with beautiful chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry spirals

# What You'll Need:

→ Basic Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Chocolate Layer

08 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

→ Strawberry Layer

09 - 2 teaspoons freeze-dried strawberry powder or strawberry gelatin powder
10 - Pink food coloring (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a cohesive dough forms. Do not overmix.
04 - Divide dough into three equal portions. Mix one portion with cocoa powder for chocolate layer. Mix second portion with strawberry powder and optional food coloring. Leave third portion plain for vanilla layer.
05 - Roll each dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper into rectangles of equal size (approximately 10x6 inches). Refrigerate each sheet for 20-30 minutes until firm.
06 - Stack dough layers with chocolate on bottom, vanilla in middle, and strawberry on top. Press gently together. Starting from the long edge, tightly roll into a log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until very firm.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
08 - Slice chilled dough log into 1/4-inch rounds. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
09 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look like you spent hours at a fancy Italian bakery, but the secret is just layering and rolling
  • The buttery vanilla base balances perfectly with bittersweet chocolate and tangy strawberry
  • Kids go absolutely wild for the colors, and adults cant resist the nostalgic Neapolitan combo
02 -
  • If your layers start sliding around while stacking, pop them back in the fridge for 10 minutes
  • Use a sharp knife and saw gently through the dough to maintain those perfect spirals
  • The dough logs freeze beautifully for up to a month, so double the batch and always have fresh-baked cookies ready
03 -
  • Chill your rolling pin between layers if the dough starts getting too soft
  • Use a ruler or bench scraper to ensure your rectangles are the same size
  • Rotate the log 90 degrees after every few slices to keep it round

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