Description
These delightful Stained Glass Cookies combine a buttery sugar cookie base with a colorful, melted candy center that resembles stained glass. Perfect for holidays or special occasions, these cookies are both visually stunning and delicious, featuring a tender cookie surrounding vibrant, sweet candy windows.
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: Mix the dry ingredients by whisking together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and almond extracts, mixing thoroughly. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until just combined. Shape into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days to firm the dough.
- Prepare the Candies: Separate hard candies by color into ziplock bags and crush them using a rolling pin or meat mallet until pieces are small but not powdery. Set aside for filling.
- Shape the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough on a floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Use a large cookie cutter to cut out shapes and a smaller cutter of the same shape to cut out centers. Transfer cookies to baking sheets and fill centers with crushed candies without overfilling.
- Bake and Cool: Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden and candy centers have melted. Cool on baking sheets for 5-10 minutes to allow candy to harden, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Dust and Decorate: Once fully cooled, lightly dust the edges with powdered sugar. To use as ornaments, make a small hole near the top with a straw while warm, then thread ribbon or string after cooling.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and maintain the cookie shape during baking.
- Be careful not to overfill the cookie centers with crushed candy to avoid overflow while melting.
- Use different colored candies to create a vibrant stained glass effect.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar to avoid melting.
- If making ornaments, thread ribbon only once cookies have fully cooled to prevent breakage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
