Description
Chewy, colorful drop-style cookies inspired by classic spumoni: pistachio, cherry, and chocolate all swirled together in one soft, marbled drop-style cookie. Fun to make, beautiful to serve, and packed with flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
Base Cookie Dough
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cherry:
- 1/4 cup (50g) maraschino cherries, drained, patted very dry, and finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons (24g) all-purpose flour
- optional: 1 tiny drop pink gel food coloring (I did not use in the pictured cookies)
Pistachio:
- 1/2 cup (55g) ground pistachios (salted or unsalted)
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- optional: 1 tiny drop green gel food coloring
Chocolate:
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice, from the jar
- 1/3 cup (60g) mini chocolate chips
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the base cookie dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until incorporated, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until fully combined. The dough will be thick. Divide it into 3 equal portions.
- Make the cherry dough: Return one portion of dough to the mixing bowl. Add the chopped, blotted cherries, 3 Tablespoons flour, and pink gel food coloring (if using). Beat on medium speed until combined. Transfer the cherry dough to a bowl and refrigerate it while you prepare the remaining 2 doughs. Wipe the mixer bowl clean.
- Make the pistachio dough: Return another portion of dough to the mixing bowl. Add the ground pistachios, almond extract, and green gel food coloring (if using). Beat on medium speed until combined. Set aside. Wipe the mixer bowl clean.
- Make the chocolate dough: Return the final portion of dough to the mixing bowl. Add the cocoa powder, cherry juice, and mini chocolate chips. Beat on medium speed until combined. Set aside.
- Shape the cookies: Line baking sheets or large plates with parchment paper. Remove the cherry dough from the refrigerator. Scoop and roll it into small balls, about 15g each (a heaping 1/2 Tablespoon). Place on the lined baking sheet or plate, then refrigerate these cherry dough balls while you shape the pistachio and chocolate doughs. Repeat the shaping process with the pistachio and chocolate doughs, rolling all remaining dough into small balls, about 15g each.
- Topping: Place the granulated sugar for rolling in a small bowl or on a plate. Remove the cherry dough balls from the refrigerator/freezer. Press together 3 dough balls—1 of each flavor—and roll them into a single 45g cookie dough ball. Roll each marbled dough ball in the granulated sugar, then place on a lined baking sheet. Once all cookies are shaped and coated, cover and refrigerate the dough balls for at least 1 hour before baking (or up to 3 days). Chilling the shaped dough balls is imperative.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls 3 inches apart on the lined sheets, about 8 or 9 cookies per sheet.
- Bake until the edges are set but the centers still look soft, about 14–16 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: There are a few options here! You can prepare the dough balls (either the individual pistachio, cherry, and chocolate portions or the fully marbled 45g balls) up to 3 days in advance; cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake. To freeze, shape the marbled dough balls but don’t roll them in sugar yet. Freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, roll the frozen dough balls in granulated sugar and bake from frozen, adding an extra minute to the bake time. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Kitchen Scale | Food Processor (for pistachios) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Can I Make These Without Food Coloring? Yes. The cookies will still taste delicious, but the marbling contrast will be more subtle. A little color helps distinguish the flavors visually, but it’s optional.
- Can I Use Fresh or Dried Cherries Instead of Maraschino? Not for this recipe. Fresh or frozen cherries contain too much moisture and will change the texture of the dough. Dried cherries didn’t provide enough flavor. Maraschino cherries provide the right texture and signature spumoni flavor.
- Can I Use Different Nuts Instead of Pistachios? Pistachios give the most authentic spumoni flavor, but in a pinch, finely ground almonds or cashews work. Just note that the flavor will be slightly different.
- Can I Use Natural Cocoa Powder Instead of Dutch-Process? Yes, same amount. While I usually don’t recommend swapping natural for Dutch-process or vice versa, the amount is small enough in this recipe that it won’t affect the outcome of the cookies.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
- Inspired by neapolitan shortbread cookies and Sarah Kieffer’s Neapolitan Cookies