Stained Glass Window Cookies: A Festive Holiday Treat
These beautiful Stained Glass Window Cookies are a festive and fun holiday treat, featuring buttery sugar cookies with vibrant, melted hard candy centers that shimmer like stained glass. Perfect for adding a magical touch to your holiday spread.
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Handheld or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic bags (or paper bags)
- Large cookie cutter
- Small cookie cutter
- 2-3 large baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Fork or small whisk (optional)
- wire rack
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Candies & Topping
- 15-20 unwrapped hard candies such as Jolly Ranchers or Life Savers
- 1 large egg white OR 2 Tablespoons (30ml) large egg white OR water
- 1/3 cup (65g) coarse sugar or sprinkles
Instructions
Preparation
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until creamy; then add egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low until a soft dough forms; add an extra tablespoon of flour if too sticky.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions, roll each out to about 1/4-inch thickness between parchment paper, stack them, cover, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- While the dough chills, separate hard candies by color, place them in plastic bags, and crush into pebble-sized bits using a rolling pin or meat mallet.
Baking
- Once dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Remove one chilled dough piece, cut large shapes with a cookie cutter, then use a smaller cutter to remove the center, and re-roll any scraps; repeat with the second dough piece.
- Carefully arrange the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are about 3 inches apart.
- If using, lightly beat an egg white and brush it or water onto the cookie tops, then sprinkle with coarse sugar or sprinkles.
- Fill the cut-out centers of each cookie about 3/4 full with the crushed candies, using one color per cookie or mixing for a multicolored effect.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes until candies are melted and edges are lightly browned; let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes until candy sets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage
- Cover and store cookies at room temperature for up to 1 week, or refrigerate for up to 10 days for longer storage.
Notes
The dough may seem soft initially; adding a tablespoon of flour can help if it's too sticky. When crushing candies, aim for pebble-sized bits, not a fine powder. Don't overfill the cookie centers with candy, as it will melt and expand.