Description
Delight in these charming Stained Glass Cookies, perfect for festive occasions or any time you want a sweet treat with a colorful twist. These buttery cookies feature a crisp star-shaped design with vibrant, melted candy centers that resemble stained glass.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Decorations
- 2/3 cup coarse sparkling sugar
- 1/2 cup crushed hard candies (Jolly Ranchers or Lifesavers work great)
Instructions
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add Vanilla, Salt, and Flour: Add the vanilla and salt, then slowly mix in the flour until thoroughly combined.
- Chill Dough: Remove the dough from the bowl. Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a disc. Wrap the plastic wrap around the dough and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day before baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Divide and Roll Dough: Divide the dough in half. Re-wrap one half and place in the fridge. Roll the remaining dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.
- Cut Cookie Shapes: Using a 4 inch star shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many shapes as possible. Place stars 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Use a 2 inch star cookie cutter to cut out windows from each cookie.
- Re-roll and Repeat: Re-roll scraps and repeat until the baking sheet is filled.
- Add Sparkling Sugar: Gently press coarse sparkling sugar into the tops of the cookies.
- Chill Cookies: Chill the prepared cookies on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Add Crushed Candy: Remove cookies from the fridge. Fill each cut-out center about 2/3 full with crushed candy, using a toothpick to nudge candy into crevices.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden and candy has melted and filled the centers.
- Cool and Store: Allow cookies to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Store cookies covered in a single layer for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Separate hard candies by color before crushing for clear, vibrant glass effect.
- Crush candy into coarse pieces similar to sand or small pebbles to avoid over caramelizing or burning.
- Fill the cookie centers only about 2/3 full to prevent candy overflow while baking.
- Use a toothpick to carefully nudge crushed candy into all corners of the cutouts.
- Cookies are best enjoyed within two days when stored covered in a single layer to maintain crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
