Stained Glass Window Cookies

Stained glass window cookies are one of the prettiest cookies you'll see during the holiday season (or any time of year really) and they're actually so easy to make. With a soft sugar cookie base with crisp brown edges and a smooth jolly rancher hard candy center, these stained glass cookies come together in about one hour, including prep, chill, and bake. These are a must have in your Holiday Cookie Box this year or even hung as an ornament on your tree!

Why You'll Love Stained Glass Window Cookies

• An easy to make cookie that will turn heads. Get ready to hear "wow" along with a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs." Most people agree that stained glass window cookies are some of the most beautiful cookies they've ever seen. And you'd be surprised how easy they are to make in about an hour (over half of which is chill time).
• You can get creative. It's time to pull out your cookie cutters, your hammer, and your creativity. If crushing the jolly ranchers into bits doesn't get your creative juices flowing, choosing fun holiday shapes to fill with candy sure will.
• Nostalgic hard candy "stained glass" centers. Jolly ranchers are one of the most classic and nostalgic childhood candy. They're loved on their own but so much more fun when turned into "glass" inside a buttery sugar cookie.
• The sugar cookie frame. The candy "stained glass" is obviously the center of the show in this stained glass cookie, but the cookie dough used to make the frame is from our popular Sugar Cookies and are so good on their own too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this festive Stained Glass Window Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

• butter - I recommend unsalted butter for the best results. You can substitute with salted butter, just leave out the extra salt called for in the recipe.
• sugar
• egg
• vanilla extract
• baking powder
• salt
• all-purpose flour
• hard candies - I used jolly ranchers but any other hard candies such as life savers will work too.

You will also need the following baking tools and equipment: measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, hand mixer or stand mixer, rolling pin, 3-inch cookie cutters and 1-inch cookie cutters (or use a linzer cookie cutter set), half sheet baking pan and silicone baking mat, and wire cooling rack.

How to Make the Best Stained Glass Window Cookies

1. Make the cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low speed and add baking powder and salt. Gradually add flour and mix until combined.

2. Chill the dough. Form the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour, up to overnight).
3. Cut out the cookies. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is ¼-inch thick. Use a 3 or 4-inch cookie cutter to cut out cookie shapes, and a 1 or 1.5-inch cookie cutter to cut out the centers. Transfer the cookies to two half sheet baking pans lined with silicone baking mat (I would not recommend parchment paper as the candy can stick to it), placing them 1-inch apart. Re-roll any scraps and repeat to cut out more cookies.
4. Add the stained glass center. Sprinkle crushed candies into the cut out center of the cookies, filling them ¾ full. If you fill them too much, the candy will melt out of the window and onto the cookies.

5. Bake. Bake the cookies in a 350F preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown, and the candy center is melted. Let the cookies set on the baking sheet for a few minutes for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Storing Instructions

• How to store: Store stained glass window cookies in layers separated with parchment paper an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. Note that over time humidity can cause the candy centers to get sticky.
• How to freeze cookie dough: Once you have prepared the dough and shaped it into a disc, wrap it tightly with plastic cling wrap and store it in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To use, allow the cookie dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then, bring it to room temperature before rolling and cutting out.
• How to freeze baked cookies: I would not recommend freezing these cookies as it can cause the window center to crack when thawing. If you don't mind, then you can freeze in an airtight container, layered in between pieces of parchment paper and for up to 3 months.

More Cookie Recipes

• 30 Best Christmas Cookies
• Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
• Peppermint Snowball Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Butter Cookies
• Linzer Cookies

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