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Stained Glass Cookies

Stained glass cookies are buttery sugar cookies with colorful hard-candy centers that melt into shiny, translucent windows. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, fill the cutouts level with crushed candy, and bake until the edges are lightly golden.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the stained-glass centers
  • 0.75 cup hard candies unwrapped and crushed by color

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 3-inch cookie cutter
  • 1 large rimmed baking sheet

Method
 

Make the cookie dough
  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until a dough forms.
  5. Divide the dough into two disks and wrap them.
  6. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Cut, fill, and bake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Roll one dough disk between two sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thickness.
  4. Cut out shapes with a 3-inch cookie cutter, then cut a smaller window in the center of each shape.
  5. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Fill each window with crushed candy level with the dough.
  7. Chill the sheet for 10 minutes.
  8. Bake one sheet at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookie edges are lightly golden and the candy has melted; repeat with the remaining dough and candy.
  9. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet, about 15 minutes, until the candy centers have hardened.
  10. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

Notes

For clear centers, fill each window with crushed candy level with the dough. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free variation, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.