Description
These Stained Glass Cookies are a festive and colorful treat perfect for holiday celebrations. They feature buttery sugar cookies with a melted hard candy center that resembles stained glass. Easy to make and delightfully decorative, these cookies are sure to brighten any cookie platter or serve as charming edible ornaments.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract for a twist)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Stained Glass:
- Assorted hard candies (like Jolly Ranchers or Life Savers), separated by color and crushed
For Decorating:
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- Ribbon or string (if hanging as ornaments)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, using an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract along with almond extract if using, scraping down the bowl sides to combine thoroughly. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing just until dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to help cookies hold shape during baking.
- Prepare the Candies: While the dough chills, sort the hard candies by color into separate ziplock bags. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush the candies into small pieces—not too fine, not too chunky. Set aside for filling.
- Shape the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a large star-shaped (or preferred shape) cookie cutter to cut cookies, then use a smaller cutter of the same shape to remove centers. Transfer cookies to the baking sheets, and fill the centers with crushed candies, filling completely without overfilling.
- Bake and Cool: Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly golden and candy centers have melted. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes so the candy centers harden, then transfer carefully to wire racks to cool completely.
- Dust and Decorate: Once cooled, lightly dust the cookie edges with powdered sugar for a festive finish. For ornament use, poke a small hole near the edge of each cookie with a straw while still warm, then thread ribbon or string through the hole after cooling.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to maintain cookie shape while baking.
- Use hard candies that melt evenly without burning for best stained glass effect.
- Handle cookies gently when transferring after baking because the candy centers may be fragile until fully cooled.
- Optional almond extract adds a subtle nutty flavor, but vanilla works perfectly well alone.
- These cookies make charming edible gifts or decorative tree ornaments if you thread a ribbon through the hole.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
