The first time I made these rainbow cookies, I wanted something colorful on the holiday table, especially with kids around. Even though there's a bit of work involved in rolling out the sheets and portioning the colors, it’s not complicated. The most important part is to have patience while the dough is chilling in the fridge; the rest is the kind of recipe that seems spectacular without consuming your entire day.
Quick Info
Total time: about 3-4 hours (including chilling)
Actual preparation time: 40-50 minutes
Baking time: 10-15 minutes for one tray
Servings: depends on size, but 25-30 cookies
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: colorful cookies, suitable for kids or festive tables
Ingredients
150 g butter
75 g sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
200-250 g flour (added gradually until the dough is no longer sticky)
Food coloring: red, yellow, blue (for the other colors, mix)
Preparation method
1. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the sugar until you get a cream. Add the egg, baking powder, and salt. Mix everything well.
2. Start adding the flour gradually. Don’t add it all at once; it’s easier this way to avoid a dough that’s too tough. When it no longer sticks to your hands, it’s ready.
3. Divide the dough into six equal pieces. In each piece, add a few drops of food coloring: one red, one yellow, one blue, and combine the others to make orange (red + yellow), green (blue + yellow), and purple (red + blue). Mix each piece well until it’s evenly colored.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a thin sheet, preferably rectangular. Try to make them all about the same size and thickness.
5. Stack the sheets on top of each other in the order of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Press gently so they stick together.
6. Wrap the dough package in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for a few hours. It’s important for it to be cold so you can cut nice slices afterward.
7. Take the dough out of the fridge and remove the wrap. Cut slices about 1 cm thick. If they seem too thick, you can roll them out a bit with a rolling pin.
8. Shape each slice as desired (or leave them as slices). Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 175°C for 10-15 minutes. Don’t leave them longer, even if they seem soft. They will harden once they cool down.
Why I make the recipe often
I like to have something that looks good on the platter, is not hard to make, and has simple ingredients. The cookies keep for a few days and are a good idea for kids' parties or when you want something different without complicating things.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don’t add all the flour at once; adjust according to the dough’s consistency.
If you use liquid food coloring, add less to the dough so it doesn’t get too wet.
After chilling, cut with a very sharp knife so the layers don’t crumble.
Don’t forget to take them out of the oven on time, even if they feel soft to the touch.
Substitutions
You can use margarine instead of butter, but the final texture won’t be as tender.
If you don’t have food coloring, the cookies won’t have the rainbow effect, but the basic recipe remains good for simple cookies.
Variations
If you don’t want to use six colors, you can make just three or four layers.
The final shape can be adjusted: you can cut out shapes or cut squares.
Serving ideas
They look great on holiday platters or at kids' parties.
They can be wrapped in clear bags for small Christmas gifts.
Frequently asked questions
1. The dough is sticky, what should I do?
Add a little more flour, but don’t overdo it to avoid tough cookies.
2. Can I freeze the dough?
Yes, but ideally, you should use it fresh after it has chilled. When frozen, the colors may lose their intensity.
3. Why do the cookies seem soft when I take them out of the oven?
It’s normal; they will harden after they cool completely.
4. How can I apply the food coloring without getting my hands dirty?
Each piece of dough can be kneaded separately in food bags if you don’t want to stain your hands.
5. Can I double the quantities?
Yes, if you want more cookies or have a lot of kids around.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one serving (1 cookie, ~20-25g): approximately 90 kcal. Most calories come from butter and sugar. Each cookie contains about 1 g protein, 4 g fat, 12 g carbohydrates. Values are approximate and depend on the size of the cookie and how much flour is used in the end.
Storage and reheating
The cookies can be stored at room temperature in a container with a lid for up to 5-6 days. Reheating is not recommended; they are good cold. If they dry out too much, they can be consumed with milk or tea.
Quick Info
Total time: about 3-4 hours (including chilling)
Actual preparation time: 40-50 minutes
Baking time: 10-15 minutes for one tray
Servings: depends on size, but 25-30 cookies
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: colorful cookies, suitable for kids or festive tables
Ingredients
150 g butter
75 g sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
200-250 g flour (added gradually until the dough is no longer sticky)
Food coloring: red, yellow, blue (for the other colors, mix)
Preparation method
1. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the sugar until you get a cream. Add the egg, baking powder, and salt. Mix everything well.
2. Start adding the flour gradually. Don’t add it all at once; it’s easier this way to avoid a dough that’s too tough. When it no longer sticks to your hands, it’s ready.
3. Divide the dough into six equal pieces. In each piece, add a few drops of food coloring: one red, one yellow, one blue, and combine the others to make orange (red + yellow), green (blue + yellow), and purple (red + blue). Mix each piece well until it’s evenly colored.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a thin sheet, preferably rectangular. Try to make them all about the same size and thickness.
5. Stack the sheets on top of each other in the order of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Press gently so they stick together.
6. Wrap the dough package in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for a few hours. It’s important for it to be cold so you can cut nice slices afterward.
7. Take the dough out of the fridge and remove the wrap. Cut slices about 1 cm thick. If they seem too thick, you can roll them out a bit with a rolling pin.
8. Shape each slice as desired (or leave them as slices). Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 175°C for 10-15 minutes. Don’t leave them longer, even if they seem soft. They will harden once they cool down.
Why I make the recipe often
I like to have something that looks good on the platter, is not hard to make, and has simple ingredients. The cookies keep for a few days and are a good idea for kids' parties or when you want something different without complicating things.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don’t add all the flour at once; adjust according to the dough’s consistency.
If you use liquid food coloring, add less to the dough so it doesn’t get too wet.
After chilling, cut with a very sharp knife so the layers don’t crumble.
Don’t forget to take them out of the oven on time, even if they feel soft to the touch.
Substitutions
You can use margarine instead of butter, but the final texture won’t be as tender.
If you don’t have food coloring, the cookies won’t have the rainbow effect, but the basic recipe remains good for simple cookies.
Variations
If you don’t want to use six colors, you can make just three or four layers.
The final shape can be adjusted: you can cut out shapes or cut squares.
Serving ideas
They look great on holiday platters or at kids' parties.
They can be wrapped in clear bags for small Christmas gifts.
Frequently asked questions
1. The dough is sticky, what should I do?
Add a little more flour, but don’t overdo it to avoid tough cookies.
2. Can I freeze the dough?
Yes, but ideally, you should use it fresh after it has chilled. When frozen, the colors may lose their intensity.
3. Why do the cookies seem soft when I take them out of the oven?
It’s normal; they will harden after they cool completely.
4. How can I apply the food coloring without getting my hands dirty?
Each piece of dough can be kneaded separately in food bags if you don’t want to stain your hands.
5. Can I double the quantities?
Yes, if you want more cookies or have a lot of kids around.
Nutritional values
Estimation for one serving (1 cookie, ~20-25g): approximately 90 kcal. Most calories come from butter and sugar. Each cookie contains about 1 g protein, 4 g fat, 12 g carbohydrates. Values are approximate and depend on the size of the cookie and how much flour is used in the end.
Storage and reheating
The cookies can be stored at room temperature in a container with a lid for up to 5-6 days. Reheating is not recommended; they are good cold. If they dry out too much, they can be consumed with milk or tea.