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    Home » Our latest posts » Desserts

    Easy Homemade Stained Glass Window Cookies

    February 3, 2014 Filed Under: Desserts

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Simple sugar cookies with a cut out filled with melted hard candies to form a stained glass window. Two treats in one. 

    Stained Glass Cookies are a simple sugar cookie with melted hard candies in the center. No extra decorating needed and two treats in one. SCORE!

    plate of heart shaped cookies with candy centers


    The basic concept is simple, roll the dough and cut out like regular sugar cookies. Then cut out a shape in the center and add some  hard candies.

    unbaked Stained Glass Cookies - thatrecipe.com

    Once baked they look like stained glass in the center:

    Valentine's Day Stained Glass Cookies - thatrecipe.com

    You can use any outer shape and any inner shape to specialize them for any holiday:

    • hearts for Valentine's day
    • stars for Christmas or 4th of July
    • ovals with a few pieces of different color candies for Easter eggs
    • circles for Olympic rings
    • turtles with colored masks
    • any other shape for "just because they are fun to make and eat"

    One word of caution: LINE THE COOKIE SHEETS!

    I guess that is 4 words.

    But, this is not an option for these cookies. When you remove the cookies from the oven the candy will still be liquid but it will harden quickly. You will lose all of the candy if you remove the candy before it hardens, but once it hardens you will need an ice pick or a long hot soak to get it off. I lost a whole dozen!

    Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper not aluminum foil since the candy could stick to that too.

    Stained Glass Window Cookies

    plate of heart shaped cookies with candy centers
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 cup sugar
    • ¾ cups shortening (or half shortening and half butter/margarine)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon lemon extract)
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 40-50 hard ring shaped candies (or any hard candy, break bigger, thicker candies if using)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl mix sugar and shortening in a large bowl until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs.
    • Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until combined and a soft dough is formed. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper. THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL! The candy will stick to your pans once it melts and re-hardens and will not come off without a lot of soaking.
    • Roll dough to ⅛" thickness and cut out outer shapes. Move to cookie sheets then cut out inner shapes with small cookie cutters or freehand with a knife. I use approximately 3" circles or hearts for the outer cookie and 1" cutters for the inside shape.
    • Put a ring shaped candy in the hole of each cookie. Bake for 7-8 minutes, watching carefully. As soon as the candy is melted and the cookies just start to turn tan remove from oven to avoid scorching. If the candy has not completely filled the hole immediately spread with a knife.
    • Slide foil or parchment paper off of cookie sheet and on to a cooling rack and allow cookies to cool completely. Remove cookies from foil/parchment, they might stick a little at first so you may need to peel the foil/parchment from the back to be sure to remove it all.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's New Christmas Cookbook

    Until next time, happy eating.
    ~Audrey

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cassi

      February 10, 2014 at 6:41 am

      I love that stained glass look of these cookies!

      Reply
    2. becky hardin (the cookie rookie)

      February 10, 2014 at 1:09 pm

      these are so neat! can't wait to try them!

      Reply
    3. Caitlin

      February 10, 2014 at 2:59 pm

      I love this!! What a cute idea!! And thank you so much for that handy note {about the parchment paper}otherwise I would have lost an entire batch too! 😉

      xx Caitlin

      Reply
    4. Megan @ C'mon Get Crafty

      February 11, 2014 at 2:06 pm

      I tried making these with a roommate years ago - we used Gingerbread men cutters and crushed Jolly Ranchers. The poor things look like gunshot victims!!! Haha - clearly I will have to try again, since yours are so yummy looking! 🙂 #SITSblogging

      Reply
    5. Amy

      January 29, 2017 at 9:19 am

      These are so cute and look so fun. I'm anxious to try them.

      Reply
      • Audrey

        January 30, 2017 at 8:04 am

        Kids love to help make them and eat them of course.

    6. Wendy Klik

      February 11, 2021 at 5:53 am

      WHat a great idea to use lifesavers. Love these gorgeous cookies.

      Reply

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