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If there is someone in New York who knows more about tri-color cookies than Gothamist, we have yet to meet them. As part of our ongoing public service mission, we have decided to sample the tri-color cookies at every bakery in Manhattan and report on our findings. Why tri-color cookies? Who knows? These ideas just get into our head, and then there is no going back. This project started when we discussed our readership and decided that none of you are fat enough.
We've decided to use the following criteria to judge the tri-color cookies:
1. Design- a good tri-color cookie is never too thick or too thin.
2. Ingredients- a good tri-color cookie is built from semi-sweet chocolate, raspberry preserves, apricot preserves, and almond paste based dough. Quality ingredients are a must.
3. Moistness- like all good things in life, tri-color cookies must be moist, but not too moist.
4. Taste- the ingredients must come together in harmony, but each element must still retain its distinct flavor.
5. Cost- a half pound of tri-color cookies should cost about $5.00- more than that is a ripoff.
Today, Gothamist began the project by sampling the tri-color cookies at Rocco's and Bruno Bakery on Bleecker Street (Rocco's are on the right in the image above). The results were mixed. Rocco's cookies were a little bit dry, and the dough lacked a distinct almond taste. They were also cut slightly large, which, when combined with the dryness, was not very pleasing. Bruno Bakery did a little better. Their cookies were cut to the appropriate size, and were definitely moist- but not moist enough. Bruno's cookies were also ridiculously overpriced- $8.50 for a half pound. Their taste was superior to the cookies at Rocco's- but neither cookie really blew us away. Final scores, on a scale of 5 cookies:
Rocco's: 
Bruno Bakery:
[Jen]: The ones from Citarella that Gothamist gets for brunch (accompanying the fantastic apple strudel) seem to be a hit. Granted, we don't know if Citarella makes them or outsources them, and they weren't head-to-head with Rocco's or Bruno's...
Citarella: at least
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Might I suggest Caputo's in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. YUM.
P.S. Be careful with your rainbow cookie quest-- many bakeries order their Italian cookies in bulk, boxed. Yuck. Though Rocco's are a bit bigger, they look more like they were hand made (though I agree about the dryness).
In my family, we call the cookies "crap." (Classy, I know.) It's because my grandfather used to take my father and his other two sons to the bakery and come home with the cookies and my classy grandmother would scream "Why are you bringing that crap in my house!"
Hey! We called those rainbow cookies at my house. I wonder if there's even some official name for the tri-color cookies? They are fab and very fresh at Nuccio's on Ave. U in Brooklyn, if you're wanting to travel that far.
i knew the "rainbow" cookie debate would eventually rear its head. my position is that these cookies should only be called "tri-colors" because they are based on the Italian flag- a flag that is often referred as a the italian tri-color. calling them rainbow cookies is like calling a hamentashen a "triangle" cookie- it doesn't do justice to the history.
When I was doing a little digging yesterday, I found a recipe for "Italian Napoleon cookies" that seem to fit the bill also. (Note: It's almond paste, not almost paste, in the ingredients.)
Prep Time: 45 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready in: 10 Hours 30 Minutes
I've been a lurker, but since pastries are close to my heart, this topic made me decide to stop being antisocial.
Try the tricolore (but they call them rainbow) at the Hungarian Pastry shop in Morningside Heights. The fact that they are freshly made in store at least every other day promises moist cakey texture in bite-size pieces.
PS: Buy them by the piece, not weight, since these are heavy little squares.
because i to have been on the search, and have been for about 5 years on the east coast and elsewhere - i will share what i know to be the best "rainbow cookie" in new york. i have driven far for a taste, had them shipped to me overnight, shipped them to others and woken up in the middle of the night with cravings for these babies. i want them to make a large "rainbow cookie" for my wedding - and had already put in a request for them to start thinking about it. but, as of now, they make them in small and large (about 5-6 "cookies" worth)
expensive, but worth every fresh bite.
Bruce's Bakery
New York City
1045 1st Avenue
New York, NY 10022
http://www.brucesbakery.com/
(they also have a location in great neck, on long island)
A cookie by any other name will still taste good. I have been making these cookies for many years now. My inlaws will not come over for Christmas unless I make them. This year I started teaching my 20 year ole niece how to make them. If you try them yourself the best receipe is the one where you split the eggs and whip the whites to fold in later. ALSO, 3 good matching SILVERSTONE matching cookie sheets (now you don't have to line the pans) and a large (5") flat plastic icing spreader (like the ones you would use for the side of a cake) make the job MUCH easier!!!!!
http://magazines.ivillage.com/goodhousekeeping/recipefinder/recipe/0,,398854,00.html
Link for VENETIAN COOKIE RECIPE
It may sound crazy but the best Tri-colored cookies I have ever had are from the King Kullen bakery (a super market chain on Long Island). I have tried them from many fancy bakeries on Long Island and Manhattan I have not had any better. Just the right size, moist when fresh and excellent chocolate to cake ratio. I haven't tried every King Kullen but I have tried three or four and they were very consistient.
I know this was posted in 2003, but I guess inflation has taken its toll... rainbow cookies are now $7.99 a pound even at a basic supermarket. :(
http://www.decheung.com/2006/11/a-guide-to-rainbow-cookies.html
The best Rainbow cookies I've found are Ebingers and La Bella Ferrara on 108 Mulberry St NYC (not Ferrara). They are a 5. Try them!!!
Brian
My mom made the best tri-color cookies. Anyone who tasted them could never eat one from a bakery again. They're that good! My mom has since passed away and my daughter, Suzanne, has taken over the baking. Hers are just as delicious.
Try the Giuta's Meat Farms out in Patchogue-Meford, Long island. The had some really good cookies moist....kinda like betweena cake and brownie texture. Super moist! but not so say that the texture of the cookie was scrificed by that super moistness.
I share your love of tri-color cookies. I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations on adapting a recipe to be not so sweet, a bit lighter/spongier and be soaked in amaretto? Could've sworn I had something like this sometime in New York!
Tasty Pastry - 13th Ave - where else? Brooklyn!
The best tri-color cookie I've ever had is at Nussbaum and Woo bakery on 113th st and broadway. very moist, good almond flavor, thick but not too think.
I grew up in harlem and we always used to get them from Veniero's and Bruce's. We some other bakeries, but veniero's was always reliable. We'd also gorge out on them at Nathan's in Yonkers, although we knew they were boxed. Once you leave new york, good luck finding them or even describing them to people. On my last trip to new york i bought two pounds of them--finishing them in two days flat. I'll freeze a pound on my next trip.
If you can't get to NY (or are just too lazy to walk to the corner bakery ;) I actually bake and ship these italian rainbow cookies all over the country. The real NY kind, of course. I've been completely obsessed with these since I was a kid and so of course they are my favorite thing to bake!! You can check out online at: http://alwaysorderdessert.etsy.com
Oh and if you're on the West side, we might be able to arrange local pickup or delivery...just ask! ;)
This is our family recipe! I am so happy to find this! I will also post a link to this blog on http://cook-italian.com ! Thanks!
PINK AND WHITE SANDWICH COOKIES
1 lb almond paste 1 lb cake flour sifted twice
1 lb butter unsalted 8 egg yokes
1/2 lb grand sugar 6 – 7 whole eggs
1/2 lb powder sugar 1/4—1/2 teaspoons baking power
grated orange rind 1 tablespoon or more & vanilla
Cream almond paste and butter, add granulated sugar, and then powder sugar,
Orange rind and vanilla add eggs one at a time, add baking powder, and then
Flour. Divide batter into two bowls – one without red color, the other with.
Prepare 2 cookie sheets greased with wax paper.
Bake 375 oven 20 – 25 minutes
Cool the cakes, prepare, melt the sweetened bakers chocolate,
Spread chocolate onto the cake, and then put them together.
Cut them diagonal
Okay, if you're absolutely crazy about tri-colored cookies, take it from someone who is in love with them...
Nussbaum & Wu in Manhattan on 113th and Broadway (near Columbia University) has the best in the city (I mean, that I've tasted- which is a lot... Venerios has nothing on this place).
It is impossible to just have one- and I'm really serious about that because I'm pretty disciplined when it comes to not going overboard. These cookies are moist, flavorful, fresh, with a texture that is almost indescribably soft and pleasurable in ones mouth. The preservative that they use tastes like it's been made from berries that were picked that day somewhere where berries grow to be plump and delicious.
Yes, yes... these cookies might just spoil you for life!