Stained Glass Cookies
Stained Glass cookies are a delightful addition to any holiday cookie collection, guaranteed to make a lasting impression. Instead of intricate decorations, these cookies feature a simple yet stunning technique. By cutting out shapes from sugar cookie dough and filling them with crushed hard candy, you create beautiful window-like designs. The best part? The centers remain delightfully soft and chewy even after cooling, adding a vibrant burst of color to your festive spread. While crushing candies may require some effort, it's worth it. Just remember to keep the colors separated as you crush them!
Ingredients
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp. milk
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- Hard candies, such as Jolly Ranchers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg, milk, and almond extract and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients and beat until fully incorporated.
- Divide dough in half and shape each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- Sort jolly ranchers by color and use a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to crush into small pieces, keeping the colors separated.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment. Working one disk at a time, roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4" thick. Cut shapes out with large cookie cutters, then cut the centers out with a small cookie cutter of the same shape. Place on prepared baking sheets.
- Fill the centers about ¾ full with crushed jolly ranchers. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies until edges are lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from baking sheets.
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