Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
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These Awesome Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies with chocolate chips are definitely singing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”! We took our perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe and gave it a fun, colorful rainbow twist!
Perfect for any party occasion and any age, because we all know, rainbows always make us feel better! Especially when rainbow layers are represented in chocolate chip cookie recipes!! Check out our round up of 20 St. Patrick’s Day Desserts and 45 No Bake Luscious Lasagnas & Ice Box Cakes.
Why We Love Rainbows & Rainbow Desserts!
More Rainbow Treats we love are these Cosmic Brownies, Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats, this gorgeous Rainbow Sprinkle Cake, our 15 St. Patrick’s Day Desserts and these awesome Lucky Charm Marshmallow Rice Krispies!
Rainbows are a symbol of hope in many cultures. They appear as perfect arcs, often during a rainstorm when the sun shines onto water droplets, shattering its white light into an array of brilliant colors. Rainbows are frequently represented in Western art and culture, as a sign of hope and promise of better times to come.
According to Irish legend, the end of a rainbow marks where leprechauns have buried a pot of the gold they stole from the Vikings. Of course, we can never physically get to that rainbow to get that pot of gold, can we? So, because of St. Patrick’s Day this is the closest we could get to flavor the rainbow with Rainbow Cookies!
These rainbow cookies are not to be confused with the tricolore cookies venetians or with an Italian rainbow cookies recipe. Those treats are almond cake and raspberry preserves or apricot jam sandwiched between two thin layers, then covered in melted chocolate. It looks like a cookie, but it’s really a yummy cake!
Rainbow Cookie Ingredients You Need
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- white chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips. Add more if desired plus add to tops of cookies if desired.
- 3 – 8 colors food coloring or gels – I like using the gels, they seem to retain the color in the cookies really well!
or semisweet chocolate chips. Add more if desired plus add to tops of cookies if desired.
or gels – I like using the gels, they seem to retain the color in the cookies really well! 
How to Make Rainbow Cookies with Chocolate Chips
This cookie dough is very simple using my Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I added an egg yolk and a little more flour to keep them soft and thick at the same time, without having to chill the dough batter.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. (To get best results, use parchment paper)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt together.
- In another large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment at medium-high speed, beat together the butter and sugars until smooth and mixed together well.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed until mixed in.
- Pour in the flour mixture and mix in until just incorporated. At this time you can stir in the chocolate chips right into the dough or wait to add them when you mix the colored dough up. (We did some of the colored dough with white chocolate chips and some with semi-sweet chocolate chips and then added some extras on top before baking them. )
How to Make the Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies Using Gel Food Coloring
- Once the cookie dough is made, divide the cookie dough it into 3-8 portions depending on how many colors of the rainbow you want in your cookies.
- Using food gel coloring, color the doughs as desired by adding food coloring to dough and stirring together. You can do these as dramatic or pastel as you like. You’ll use red food coloring, green food coloring, pink, yellow, blue, purple and orange, the colors of the rainbow!
- Roll each colored dough into approximately a 14-15 inch rope.
- Then, place each colored rope next to each other on a large piece of parchment or plastic wrap. Wrap up tightly, pressing the doughs together forming a log and twist a bit.
- Remove the wrap and cut into ½ inch or 2-3 tablespoon portions.
- Roll portions into balls adding more chocolate chips on top and place onto the prepared baking sheet 2-3 inches apart.
, color the doughs as desired by adding food coloring to dough and stirring together. You can do these as dramatic or pastel as you like. 
Bake The Cookies
- Bake for 9-13 minutes @ 350 degrees F. depending on size or until the edges are set without overbaking to get the best texture!
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Don’t over-bake cookies, so they are soft and chewy!
A Few Pointers When Baking Rainbow Cookies
- To avoid ugly, flat cookies, be sure your butter is room temperature (not melted or even softened), and use a cooler dough vs. warm dough.
- I like to scoop all the dough and place them all on a cookie sheet and put them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes for extra thick cookies!
- For more cookie tips go here.
Makes 36 -50 Cookies Depending on Size.
- Small cookies bake 8-10 minutes
- Large cookies bake 10-13 minutes.
How Long Do Rainbow Cookies Last?
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Freezing Cookies
Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 30 days and thaw at room temperature.
So who’s ready for an awesome rainbow chocolate chip cookie recipe? Me please!! So fun and delish! Fun Christmas cookie, birthday or St Patrick’s day treats ready to be devoured!
More St. Patrick’s Day Desserts!
- Guinness Brownies
- Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Chip Mint Bars
- Pumpkin White Chocolate Cookies
- Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
- Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream Sandwiches
- 10 Magically Delicious Lucky Charm Desserts
- Luscious Lime Cake Vodka Jello Shots
- Cosmic Brownies
- Shamrock Cookies Recipe
- Easy Cosmic Chocolate Cookies
Awesome Rainbow Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Awesome Rainbow Cookies with Chocolate Chips
- 3 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + one egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups white chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips. Add more if desired plus add to tops of cookies if desired.
- 3 - 8 colors food coloring or gels
Instructions
Rainbow Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray. (To get best results, use parchment paper)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt together.
- In another large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat together the butter and sugars until smooth and mixed together well.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed until mixed in.
- Add the flour mixture and mix in until just incorporated. At this time you can add chocolate chips right into the dough or wait to add them when you mix the colored dough up. (We did some of the colored dough with white chocolate chips and some with semi-sweet chocolate chips and then added some extras on top before baking them. )
- Once the cookie dough is made, You just divide the cookie dough it into 3-8 portions depending on how many colors of the rainbow you want in your cookies.
- Using food coloring, color the doughs as desired by adding food coloring to dough and stirring together. You can do these as dramatic or pastel as you like.
- Roll each colored dough into approximately a 14-15 inch rope. Then, place each colored rope next to each other on a large piece of parchment or cling wrap. Wrap up tightly, pressing the doughs together forming a log and twist a bit.
- Remove the wrap and cut into 1/2 inch or 2-3 tablespoon portions.
- Roll portions into balls adding more chocolate chips on top and place onto the prepared baking sheet 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake for 9-13 minutes depending on size or until the edges are set without overbaking. Take them out of the oven a minute or so before they are completely baked to get the best texture!
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Check out the rainbow!
Notes
- Small cookies bake 8-10 minutes
- Large cookies bake 10-13 minutes.
Hi Bonnie! Yes that would be fine to refrigerate the dough as you suggest and baked the cookies the next day. I get it, it can get crazy! Enjoy!!
Question. Is it a bad idea to make the dough and twist the colours together, then refrigerate for a day before slicing and baking? Busy days, special weekend event. Trying to streamline, but I know some cookies are better when baked right after mixing. I will take your recommendation on best way to proceed. The colours look astonishing, I am looking forward to trying
Bonnie
I’m sorry to hear that Marcia! Not sure why your colors weren’t bright colors? It must be type of brown sugar you were using or the food colors you were using I am guessing. I use gels, I think they are the best for coloring cookies.
The dough is kind of brownish (maybe due to 1c brown sugar?) This really affected the colors. The blue looked greenish, the red like orange, etc. Adding more food coloring wasn’t going to create the stunning, bright colors shown in the recipe.
….
Wow, how much fun are these rainbow cookies Kim! My kids would be all over them 🙂