Rainbow Cookie Macaroon Sandwiches (Kosher for Passover)
Ok, so... For my own conscience, I should probably come clean about something right off the bat.
*DEEP INHALE* I haven't kept kosher for Passover since before my Bat Mitzvah in 2005.
I may have a biblical name, but by all accounts, I am as Jew-ISH as they come. That said, I am very devoted to the Jewish traditions I grew up with, with food obviously being at the top of that list.
On Passover, as is the case for many Jewish holidays, we celebrate our people's freedom and perseverance by recalling bad stuff that happened and then eating a giant meal. First, we sit around a seder table for *hours* gnawing on raw horseradish, salty parsley, dry unleavened bread, and slimy hockey pucks made of fish. THEN, after we feel sufficiently guilty slash grateful (or maybe that’s just hunger?), we let ourselves eat.
As a whole though, Passover food (gefilte fish notwithstanding 🤢) is underrated in my opinion.
Charoset? Low key slaps. Why don't we eat it all year?
Matzo? Pretty bland by itself, but a perfect vehicle for pretty much anything. Also, matzo farfel is superior to most other hot cereals.
AND, those chocolate covered jelly rings that everyone else hates? I’m obsessed. Oh well, more for me!
Now that my guilt is alleviated (lol jk, it never is!) let's move on to the business of the day: these Rainbow Cookie Macaroon Sandwiches.
Macaroons are a classic Passover dessert, and they have a lot going for them. They’re easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and a blank canvas if you want to be creative. You can dip them in chocolate, flavor the batter, OR go off the rails entirely like I did here. The only downside? They can often be dry.
Rainbow cookies, while not Passover-approved, are one of my favorite treats that carry a similar burden. A good rainbow cookie HAS to have tender, moist cake, marzipan (or at the very least a good almond flavor), jam, AND chocolate or it’s just “meh.”
This recipe combines the best of both cookies by taking tender coconut macaroons and making them flat, colorful, and almond scented, dipping them in chocolate and putting a layer of jam in the middle.
How to customize this cookie / Factors to keep in mind:
The Color
You can use any water-based food coloring that you like (including natural food coloring)! I used 3 drops of each classic color (red, green, and yellow) and got pretty pastel colors. I probably could have used a few more drops and gotten more vibrant colors, but I was afraid to thin out the egg white mixture too much. I have not tested this recipe with gel-based food coloring, so I can't promise what the results would be. If you try it, let me know!
The most important thing with the food coloring is to whisk it into the egg white mixture BEFORE folding in the coconut.
The Chocolate
I used 75% dark chocolate chips, and the flavor was very rich. If you prefer a "milder" chocolate, opt for semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or a mix. You can apply the chocolate in any way you please. I tried two methods: dipped after sandwiching, or with a thin layer of chocolate spread on the flat sides with the excess scraped off. With the latter method, you get chocolate with every bite. I personally felt this was more reminiscent of a rainbow cookie. If you choose to dip, do be mindful that the chocolate layer builds up really quickly!
The Coconut
I used thinly shredded coconut. You could use a coconut with a smaller/finer shred but I am not sure how a "chunkier" flake would hold up. Either way, be sure to opt for unsweetened - you can control the sweetness better this way.
The Egg White
The consistency we’re looking for is pale, creamy, shiny, and dripping in "ribbons" off of the whisk. This will create a final texture that is slightly crackly on the outside, and chewy/moist on the inside. I whisked the egg whites by hand and they came together pretty quickly. If you opt for an electric beater, be careful that you do not overwhip the egg whites.
PRO TIP: You're going to have 4 egg yolks left over. When Passover is over, use them for a classic tiramisu, or salt-cure them to shave on top of pasta, risotto, or roasted veggies!
The Filling
Traditionally, apricot and raspberry are the two jams most commonly found in rainbow cookies, but you can use whatever you like. If you want to go that extra marzipan mile, feel free to add a thin layer of almond paste to the sandwich. Or, if you're trying to be all pastry chef about it, pipe some almond paste around the edges and put a dollop of jam in the middle.
Rainbow Cookie Macaroon Sandwiches (Kosher for Passover)
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes & Substitutions
- If you want your colors to be more vibrant, add more color to your egg white mixture 1 drop at a time, taking care not to make the mixture too runny.
- You can apply the chocolate in any way you please. For a more rainbow-cookie-like experience, spread a thin layer of chocolate on the flat underside of each cookie before sandwiching, with the excess scraped off. The sandwiches will get a thin layer of chocolate in the middle.