Stained glass cookies are so fun to make and look so pretty!
I prefer stained glass window cookies with multiple colors rather than single color cookies. The color can be quite vibrant if you use just one color of hard candy but real stained glass windows are a kaleidoscope of colors, so that’s how I make them.
Ingredients for stained glass window cookies
Scroll down for the printable recipe card with exact measurements and directions.
- 2 different sized star cookie cutters
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- unsalted butter
- sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- lemon zest
- colored hard candies
What kind of hard candy is best for making stained glass cookies?
Anything with bright colors will work! I think Jolly Ranchers work beautifully, but sour balls, Life Savers or any other hard sugar candy will work. This year I had some old-fashioned candy mix so I used that.
How to make stained glass cookies
Mix flour and salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
In electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Then mix in the egg, vanilla and lemon zest. Finally, add in the flour mixture until just combined and form dough into a disc. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Roll the dough out onto a floured work surface until about 3/8″ thick. I use this amazing rolling pin to ensure my dough is uniform in thickness. That purple disc on the end is a 3/8″ disc. Cut star shapes out of the dough and place on a cookie sheet.
If the dough is getting soft and warm again, chill the stars for 15 minutes or so. Otherwise, use the smaller star cookie cutter to cut out a star shape from the center of each cookie.
I always bake the little stars too but you could re-roll the dough if you’d prefer.
Tip: It’s easiest if you cut out the centers once the stars are on the cookie sheet.
Next, fill the centers of the cookies with crushed candy.
You don’t need to fill the entire center to the top (and you shouldn’t because it will overflow and not look as pretty), but you do want to ensure there’s enough candy to melt into a single layer at the bottom of each cookie.
The thinner sheet of “stained glass” will be easier to eat too!
Bake the cookies until set with melted centers, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet until the candy has hardened.
These stained glass window cookies are so festive and fun!
Happy Holidays! Enjoy!
Other Christmas cookies you’ll love
- Polar bear cookies
- Lump of coal cookies
- Caramel candy bar cookies
- Marbled star cookies
- Christmas Rice Krispies Treats gifts
- Snowball cookies
- Chocolate pecan cookie crisps
- Pecan pie bars
- Chocolate dipped orange pecan logs
- Peppermint bark
- Peppermint Oreo balls
- Chocolate chunk cookie bark
- Stained glass candy
Stained Glass Cookies
Equipment
- 2 star cookie cutters, one large one small
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¾ cup colored hard candies
Instructions
- In medium bowl, mix flour and salt; set aside.
- In mixer, beat together butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla and lemon zest, mixing well.
- Add flour mixture; stir until just combined.
- Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Meanwhile, use a food processor or place hard candies in heavy-duty bag and break with a rolling pin. Set aside.
- Flour work surface and roll out chilled dough to about 3/8-inch thickness. Use a large star cookie cutter to cut out star shapes. Place on parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. Use a smaller star cookie cutter to cut out hole in center of cookie. Chill and reroll dough as needed.
- Fill the star center with crushed candies. Be sure it's filled but not overfilled. Bake until cookies are set and centers are melted, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool until candy centers have hardened.
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