Neapolitan Cookies

Colorful and very tasty Italian-style cookies, wonderful all year round but especially nice during the holidays! :) Prep time includes chilling for the dough.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 60

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 1  large egg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almonds or 1⁄2 teaspoon hazelnut extract
•  red food coloring
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped walnuts or 1⁄2 cup pistachios
• 1⁄4 cup  good cocoa powder

Directions

1. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with waxed paper.
2. With an electric mixer combine flour, sugar, butter, egg, baking powder, vanilla, and salt; beat for 3 minutes.
3. Divide the cookie dough into 3 equal parts.
4. Part 1: mix in the almond or hazelnut extract and 5 drops red food coloring (this is the pink/red dough).
5. Part 2: mix in the chopped walnuts or pistachios (this is the white dough).
6. Part 3: mix in the cocoa (this is the brown dough).
7. Preheat the oven to 350°.
8. In the loaf pan, spread each part of the dough one on top of the other, pink, white, and chocolate; cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
9. After chilling, turn out the dough from the pan and cut loaf lengthwise in half, then crosswise, then cut pieces of dough to make about 15 cookies from each piece.
10. Bake each batch for 8-10 minutes.
11. Makes about 60 cookies.