Jessie Oleson (aka Cakespy) drops by every week to share a delicious dessert recipe. —The Mgmt.

[Photographs and original illustrations: Cakespy]

It's true: Italian Flag Cookies, or Rainbow Cookies, as they're sometimes called, are already sort of Christmas-hued.

But if you, like me, prefer something more substantial than preserves between layers, you might adore this equally festive frosting-filled Candy Cane Striped Cookie variation. These cakey cookies are a pretty addition to any holiday cookie tray, and easy to tailor to your tastes. Not content to merely mimic the candy cane stripes? Make them minty: flavor the filling with a touch of peppermint extract for a sweet flavor complement to the almond flavor and chocolate topping.

Get the Recipe

Candy Cane Striped Cookies

About the author: Jessie Oleson is a Seattle-based writer, illustrator, gallery owner, and cake anthropologist who runs Cakespy, an award-winning dessert website. Her first book comes out this fall, and she will be going on a national bakery book tour called Tour de Sweet.