As we continue our countdown to America 250, here’s a special story about how an Italian American dessert became a staple among Jewish Americans. The creation of the Italian rainbow cookie, also known as the kiddush cookie, is truly something that could have only happened in the United States—the melting pot of the world.
The story begins in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when immigrants from around the world arrived at Ellis Island in search of a better life in the United States. During this period, Italian immigration was driven by food insecurity, high taxes, overpopulation, and limited access to land as Italy modernized during the Industrial Revolution. Many first-generation Italian Americans settled in New York City, where entire neighborhoods became home to Italian families and communities that remain vibrant today.
If there is one thing Italy is known for, it is its food. Those who came to America brought countless recipes with them. As Italian immigrants opened bakeries, delis, and restaurants, they introduced New York—and eventually the rest of the country—to dishes we still enjoy today, including pizza, spaghetti and meatballs, and tomato pie. In 1903, Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso moved to New York and helped bring Italian culture and cuisine into the American mainstream. Two years later, in 1905, New York welcomed its first authentic pizzeria.
One dessert that emerged from these communities, despite not originating in Italy itself, is the rainbow cookie. Though this three-layer treat is more similar to a cake, it is eaten and served like a cookie. Made with almond paste or marzipan, its layers are colored green, white, and red to represent the Italian flag. The layers are often coated with raspberry or apricot jam and covered in chocolate. Other ingredients typically include flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
As rainbow cookies grew in popularity in Italian bakeries throughout New York and the Northeast, another immigrant community became some of their most loyal customers. Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe had also settled in New York, often sharing neighborhoods with Italian immigrants. They discovered the baked goods their Italian neighbors created and found them not only delicious but also adaptable to certain kosher and Jewish holiday dietary requirements. Ingredients such as almond flour fit many dietary restrictions, and butter could easily be replaced with margarine. As Jewish Americans opened their own bakeries, rainbow cookies soon became part of their offerings as well.
Since then, both Jewish and Italian American families have embraced the rainbow cookie as a staple of holiday celebrations and after-dinner treats. Within the Jewish American community, rainbow cookies are a common kiddush snack served on Shabbat mornings. For Passover, they can be made with matzah meal. In the Italian American community, there is nothing quite like finishing a hearty pasta meal with a rainbow cookie. During the holiday season, they are especially popular at Christmas, while some Jewish families prepare blue-and-white versions for Hanukkah.
The significance of the Italian rainbow cookie extends beyond dessert. It represents a connection between two immigrant communities that came to America seeking better lives.
The Fellowship’s countdown to America 250 celebrates the shared values and friendship between Christians and Jews, and the United States and Israel, that are shown in these stories. Show your support by requesting a FREE U.S./Israel flag pin today.
