The Best Stained Glass Cookies Recipe
Create a showstopping dessert with this simple recipe for the best Stained Glass Cookies! These beautiful cookies feature a buttery, no-spread sugar cookie recipe with a sparkling, candy-filled center that looks just like real stained glass. Perfect for holidays and special occasions, they're as fun to make as they are to eat!
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Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 150kcal
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Stained Glass Center
- 16 Jolly Rancher hard candies assorted colors
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar by combining the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg in a large mixing bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the ingredients until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Form the cookie dough by gradually adding the all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough just begins to clump together into a crumbly mixture.
- Knead and chill the dough by transferring it to a lightly floured surface and kneading briefly to form a cohesive ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Prepare the candy filling while the dough chills. Unwrap the Jolly Rancher candies, sorting them by color. Place candies of the same color into a sealable plastic bag and use a hammer or meat mallet to crush them into small, pebble-like pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). On a well-floured surface, roll out the chilled cookie dough to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch.
- Cut out the cookie shapes using a larger cookie cutter. Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them about an inch apart.
- Create the 'window' for the stained glass effect by using a smaller, similarly shaped cookie cutter to cut out the center from each cookie directly on the baking sheet.
- Fill and bake the cookies by carefully spooning the crushed Jolly Rancher pieces into the center cut-outs. Fill them completely but do not let them overflow onto the cookie dough. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookie edges are lightly golden and the candy is fully melted and bubbling.
- Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. This step is crucial, as it allows the melted candy center to harden properly before you attempt to move the cookies.
Equipment
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie Cutters (in at least two sizes)
- Rolling Pin
- Hammer or Meat Mallet
Notes
For the best results, use a no-spread sugar cookie recipe like this one and be sure to chill the dough for at least one hour to prevent spreading. You can substitute Jolly Ranchers with other hard, translucent candies like Life Savers or crushed lollipops. The candy center will be thin and easy to bite through, but may stick to your teeth slightly.
Nutrition
Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.6mg