Stained Glass Cookies
These stunning Stained Glass Cookies are as delightful to look at as they are to eat, making them the perfect centerpiece for your holiday or celebration cookie platter. With a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie base, these treats feature vibrant, jewel-like candy centers that resemble stained glass. The recipe is surprisingly simple, requiring just a handful of pantry staples like all-purpose flour, butter, and sugar, paired with colorful hard candies to create their signature look. Perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or any festive occasion, this recipe combines baking fun with artistic flair. Impress your family and friends with these dazzling cookies that are almost too pretty to eat—almost! Easy to prepare in under 30 minutes of active time, they make a show-stopping edible gift or dessert.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 grams), softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoons salt
- 15 pieces (assorted colors) hard candies (e.g., Jolly Ranchers or Lifesavers)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, and beat until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix.
Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Place the hard candies into separate zip-top bags by color. Use a rolling pin or mallet to crush the candies into small pieces.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Use a large cookie cutter (such as a star or a circle) to cut out shapes from the dough. Then use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the centers of the shapes, creating a ‘window’ in each cookie.
Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
Fill the center of each cookie with the crushed candy pieces, being careful not to overfill.
Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden and the candy centers have melted.
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets to allow the candy centers to harden before transferring them to a wire rack.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Enjoy your beautiful stained glass cookies!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
5664 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 206.2 g | 264% | |
| Saturated Fat | 115.8 g | 579% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 686 mg | 229% | |
| Sodium | 1156 mg | 50% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 879.0 g | 320% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 21.4 g | 76% | |
| Total Sugars | 272.1 g | ||
| Protein | 89.2 g | 178% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.0 mcg | 5% | |
| Calcium | 184 mg | 14% | |
| Iron | 37.4 mg | 208% | |
| Potassium | 964 mg | 21% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
