Ribbon Cookies

These layered ribbon cookies look like tiny slices of a Neapolitan ice cream bar, with three colored dough layers pressed into a loaf pan, chilled overnight, and sliced thin before baking. Red for rum flavor, green with chopped nuts, and dark chocolate on top.

One base dough gets divided into three portions, each tinted and flavored differently. The layers get packed tightly into a wax paper-lined loaf pan, refrigerated overnight to firm up, then unmolded and sliced into thin, striped cookies. Each slice bakes into a crisp, buttery cookie that shows off all three bands of color.

This is a make-ahead cookie built for holiday baking. The overnight chill is required, not optional, so plan accordingly.

Pro Tips

• Pack each dough layer firmly and evenly into the pan. Air gaps between layers cause the cookies to split apart during slicing or baking.
• Chill the dough overnight, not just a few hours. The layers need to bond together completely, and under-chilled dough crumbles when sliced.
• Use a sharp, thin knife to slice the cookies. A dull knife drags through the layers and smears the colors.
• Slice thin, about ⅛ inch thick. These are meant to be delicate, crisp cookies, not thick bars.

Variations

• Italian rainbow cookies: Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam between each layer before chilling for a classic Italian-American bakery cookie.
• All chocolate: Replace the food coloring with cocoa powder in two layers (light and dark) for a chocolate-only version.
• Almond extract: Swap the rum extract for almond extract and use sliced almonds in the green layer for a nuttier, more fragrant cookie.