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    Home » Recipes

    Stained Glass Window Cookies

    by Patti Estep · Dec 2, 2022

    Jump to Recipe
    Heart shaped stained glass cookies
    Stained glass cookies over a close up of the star shaped stained glass cookie

    These stained glass cookies make a pretty presentation and they are perfect for a holiday swap, bake sale, or virtually any occasion.

    Stained glass cookies in stars and heart shapes.

    So pretty and so festive these stained glass cookies are something I've always wanted to try.

    This post contains some affiliate links (that means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, there’s no additional cost to you, but I will earn a very small commission. ) i.e. as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

    Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

    Making Stained Glass Cookies

    I used my mother's Christmas sugar cookie recipe that is printed on tea towels in a previous post for this recipe. It's a standard sugar cookie recipe that's good for cut out cookies.

    Crushed hard candy in a plastic bag with a wooden mallet.

    The secret to the stained glass is using crushed hard candy in the center. I used Jolly Ranchers Awesome Reds. This is a combination of cherry, fruit punch, strawberry, and watermelon. I wanted them all to be a red color and this worked well though the shades are slightly different.

    Just unwrap the candies and place them in a plastic bag. Then use a mallet or meat tenderizer to crush them.

    Wrapping cookie dough with plastic wrap.

    One of the keys to the sugar cookie recipe is refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours. Better yet, let it sit in the fridge overnight.

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    Why Do You Need to Refrigerate the Dough?

    Refrigerating the dough will allow the butter or fat to firm up and ultimately cause less spread when they bake.

    Mom's sugar cookie recipe also uses cream of tartar in the dry mixture. The cream of tartar helps the cookies rise.

    Sugar cookies cut out in stars and hearts with a circle or star cut out in the middle on parchment paper.

    The first time I made these cookies I cut out the shapes and the centers before baking. I also filled the centers with some of the crushed candy.

    Stars and hearts cookies on a cooling rack.

    This was a total fail. The dough partially filled in and the inside shapes look terrible.

    Stars and hearts cut out cookies with circle and star middle cut outs filled with hard candy bits.

    Next, I baked the cookies halfway. Then I took them out of the oven and cut out the center shape and filled them with the crushed red candy before placing them back into the oven to finish baking.

    Baked stained glass cookies on parchment paper.

    This method worked like a charm.

    Starts and hearts stained glass cookies.

    The cookies are a nice golden brown and the centers are pretty translucent shades of red.

    Stack of stained glass star cookies with one standing up leaning on the stack.

    I think that they make an outstanding looking Christmas cookie. However, they really lend themselves to just about any occasion. Valentine's Day comes to mind with the heart shapes and red centers.

    Of course, you could use different colored candies and different shapes to make your own special stained glass cookie creation.

    Patti signature

    More Christmas Cookie Recipes

    • Thumbprint Cookies with Buttercream Icing
    • Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
    • Chocolate Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
    • Sugar Cookie Cups
    Stars and hearts stained glass cookies on a table.
    Stained glass cookies in star and heart shapes

    Stained Glass Cookie Recipe

    This stained glass cookie recipe is very festive looking for the holidays using a sugar cookie base with a hard candy center.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 hours hrs
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Additional Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    Course Cookies
    Cuisine American
    Servings 36
    Calories 147 kcal

    Equipment

    • Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Awesome Reds: 1 Bag of 3.8 Oz
    • Unbleached Parchment Paper for Baking, 15 in x 200 ft, 250 Sq.Ft, Baking Paper, Non-Stick Parchment Paper Roll for Baking, Cooking, Grilling, Air Fryer and Steaming
    • 10Pcs Cookie Cutters Set Stainless Steel

    Ingredients
      

    • 2.5 cups of all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar
    • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
    • 1 cup of butter softened 2 sticks
    • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 cups of crushed hard candy

    Instructions
     

    • Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and powdered sugar until creamy.
    • Add the vanilla and egg. Beat well.
    • Add the flour mixture about 1/3 at a time mixing between.
    • Scrape the dough onto the counter and split it into two portions.
    • Place each portion on a piece of plastic wrap and pull together to cover and shape into a disk.
    • Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
    • Meanwhile, crush hard candy by placing it in a plastic bag and use a mallet to crush them.
    • After refrigerating the dough roll it out into 1/4 or 1/8 inch thick.
    • Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat (silicone mat) baking mat.
    • Bake in a 375 degree oven for 5 minutes.
    • Remove the cookie sheet and cut out the middle of each cookie with another shape. Fill centers with crushed hard candy.
    • Bake for another 4 minutes or until the candy has melted and the dough is golden.
    • Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes before removing them from the parchment paper and onto a cooling rack.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 147kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 97mgSugar: 12g

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

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    Heart shaped stained glass cookies
    Stained glass cookies over a close up of the star shaped stained glass cookie
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    I'm Patti

    Join me to create lots of fun DIY projects, including crafts, gardening, home decor, and tasty recipes

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    Stained glass cookies over a close up of the star shaped stained glass cookie

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