Description
Festive stained glass cookies with colorful candy centers and buttery dough. Perfect for Christmas baking, gifting, or decorating your tree.
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Assorted hard candies (e.g. Jolly Ranchers, Life Savers), separated by color and crushed
Powdered sugar (for optional dusting)
Ribbon or string (optional, for hanging)
Instructions
1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and extract.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
6. Crush candies by color into small, even pieces.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
8. Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface.
9. Cut out large shapes, then remove smaller centers.
10. Fill centers with crushed candy, without overfilling.
11. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are golden and candy is melted.
12. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring.
13. Dust edges with powdered sugar if desired.
14. If making ornaments, poke holes while cookies are warm and thread ribbon once cooled.
Notes
Chill dough well to keep cookies from spreading.
Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
Don’t crush candy too fine or it may burn; large chunks won’t melt evenly.
Poke hanging holes while cookies are still soft.
Store cookies in a single layer or between parchment.
Freeze up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Christmas Dinner Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg