There’s something utterly magical about these bright, jewel-toned cookies that steal the show every holiday season. I’m excited to share this Stained Glass Cookie Recipe with you—it’s a fun, festive treat that’s surprisingly simple to make and delightfully charming to look at.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I still remember the first time I made these stained glass cookies with my niece—it was like crafting little edible works of art. This recipe combines buttery, soft cookies with vibrant candy “windows” that sparkle and glow when the light hits them just right.
- Eye-catching Design: The translucent candy centers create a stunning stained-glass effect that’s perfect for gifting or decorating your holiday table.
- Simple Ingredients: With pantry staples plus some crushed hard candies, this recipe is a straightforward project with a wow-factor.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Rolling, cutting, and filling the cookies makes for a great activity to do with kids or friends.
- Versatile and Customizable: You can swap out candy colors to match any celebration year-round, not just the holidays.
Ingredients & Why They Work
The magic of this Stained Glass Cookie Recipe comes from a few key ingredients that balance flavor, texture, and that glimmering candy center. Everything is approachable and works harmoniously together to create cookies that hold their shape and melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
- Unsalted Butter: Gives the cookies a rich, creamy base and helps control the saltiness, so you can adjust yourself.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens without overpowering and helps create a tender texture.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and provide structure so your cookies don’t crumble.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, aromatic depth to the dough.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- All-Purpose Flour: The sturdy foundation for these cut-out cookies—it keeps the dough firm enough to hold the candy windows.
- Coarse Sparkling Sugar: A finishing touch that adds a bit of crunch and extra sparkle on top before baking.
- Crushed Hard Candies: This is the heart of the stained glass effect—Jolly Ranchers or Lifesavers work wonderfully because they melt evenly and beautifully.
Make It Your Way
One of my favorite things about this Stained Glass Cookie Recipe is how easy it is to make your own. I often swap candies depending on the season or mood—sometimes fruity flavors, other times spicy cinnamon ones—and switch up shapes beyond stars.
- Variation: I love using heart-shaped cutters for Valentine’s Day cookies and complementing the colors with red and pink candies. It makes the whole cookie tin feel extra special.
- Dietary Swap: For a gluten-free twist, you could experiment with a blend of gluten-free flours, though the texture might change slightly—always chill the dough well for best results.
- Seasonal Changes: Around Halloween, I add a dash of orange zest to the dough and use black and orange candies to keep the theme fun and festive.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Stained Glass Cookie Recipe
Step 1: Cream and Chill
Start by beating the softened butter with sugar until creamy and smooth—about 2 minutes. This gives your cookies that tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Then add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Vanilla and salt follow, then slowly blend in your flour until the dough just comes together. Wrap it in plastic and chill for at least an hour—that’s essential. I learned the hard way that skipping this step means your dough gets sticky and hard to handle!
Step 2: Roll and Cut Your Shapes
Once chilled, divide the dough and roll out half to about ½-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch star cutter, cut as many shapes as possible, then use a 2-inch cutter to create the "windows". Keep the cookies about an inch apart on your lined baking sheet. Press a sprinkle of coarse sparkling sugar on top for that extra shimmer.
Step 3: Add Those Candy Windows
Before baking, chill the cookies on the sheet for 20 minutes in the fridge. This step helps the cookies keep their shape. Then, carefully fill the center cutouts about two-thirds full with your crushed candy, using a toothpick to press it evenly—this helps prevent overflow while baking. Trust me, candy overflow can be super sticky and a pain to clean!
Step 4: Bake and Cool
Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until the cookies turn a lovely light golden, and the candy fills those windows with that iconic stained glass shine. Once out of the oven, let them cool completely on the pan—the candy hardens as it cools, giving you that perfect glass-like finish.
Top Tip
My experience with this Stained Glass Cookie Recipe has taught me that patience is key. Waiting the full chilling time and carefully handling the candy fillings ensures your cookies come out gorgeous and intact every time.
- Chill Twice: Both chilling the dough and chilling the shaped cookies before baking help keep the shapes crisp and prevent spreading.
- Crush Candies Right: Crush candy into small pebbles, not powder, to avoid burning during baking—this creates that jewel-like effect perfectly.
- Use a Toothpick: Gently nudge the candy into every point or corner of your cutouts to fill gaps and get an even finish.
- Cookie Thickness: Roll the dough to about ½ inch thick; thinner cookies risk cracking, thicker ones take longer to bake evenly.
How to Serve Stained Glass Cookie Recipe
Garnishes
I often skip elaborate garnishes since these cookies shine on their own, but for extra sparkle, I like to dust a touch of powdered sugar or add a few edible glitter sprinkles to catch the light. During holidays, a little fresh rosemary or holly sprig on the plate adds festive charm when serving.
Side Dishes
These stained glass cookies pair wonderfully with warm drinks—think spiced cider, a frothy latte, or a cup of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows. They’re also delightful alongside a cheese platter if you want to mix sweet and savory at a holiday party.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I like arranging the cookies on clear glass platters or tiered stands so the light can pass through those candy centers, making the colors pop. Wrapping them individually in cellophane with a ribbon makes an adorable homemade gift that anyone will treasure.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once completely cooled, store your stained glass cookies in a single layer, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. This keeps them crisp and prevents the candy centers from sweating or sticking together—I've found stacking them causes some candy to transfer, so single layers really work best.
Freezing
You can freeze the dough before rolling and cutting, which is perfect for prepping ahead of time. Just thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to bake. I don’t recommend freezing the baked cookies with candy windows as they can lose their shine and become sticky after thawing.
Reheating
If you want to freshen up stored cookies, a quick 5-minute warm-up in a low oven (around 250°F) can bring back a bit of crispness—just keep an eye on them so the candy doesn’t start to melt again.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Hard candies that melt well are best, but avoid ones with fillings or that are too soft, as they won’t create the clear stained glass effect.
Chilling the dough firms it up so it’s easier to roll and cut without sticking. Chilling the shaped cookies prevents them from spreading too much in the oven, keeping the candy windows defined and the shapes crisp.
Place candy pieces by color in resealable bags and crush gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until the pieces are coarse like sand or small pebbles. Too fine a powder can burn during baking, and large chunks may not melt evenly.
You can try substituting with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, but texture might vary. Keep the dough chilled and avoid overworking it for the best outcome. These cookies rely on sturdy dough to hold their shape around the candy windows.
Final Thoughts
This Stained Glass Cookie Recipe holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of those baking projects that’s equal parts craft and treat, and sharing it with loved ones always warms my kitchen and soul. I hope you give it a go soon—you’re going to love the way the colors sparkle and how those buttery cookies melt in your mouth. Happy baking!
Print
Stained Glass Cookie Recipe
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 52 minutes
- Yield: 20 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Stained Glass Cookies are delightful, festive treats featuring buttery sugar cookie dough with colorful, melted hard candy centers that resemble stained glass windows. These eye-catching cookies are perfect for holidays or special occasions, combining a crisp texture with vibrant, jewel-like candy fillings.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Topping and Filling
- ⅔ cup coarse sparkling sugar
- ½ cup crushed hard candies (Jolly Ranchers or Lifesavers work great)
Instructions
- Beat Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix Vanilla, Salt, and Flour: Add the vanilla and salt, then slowly mix in the flour until thoroughly combined.
- Chill Dough: Remove the dough from the bowl. Place the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a disc. Wrap tightly and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Divide the dough in half. Re-wrap one half and refrigerate. Roll the other half into a ½ inch thick rectangle. Using a 4 inch star cookie cutter, cut out stars. Place them 1 inch apart on the baking sheet, then use a 2 inch star cookie cutter to cut out the centers.
- Add Sparkling Sugar: Gently press coarse sparkling sugar on top of the cookies.
- Chill Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the fridge and chill the cookies for 20 minutes.
- Fill with Crushed Candy: Remove cookies from the fridge. Fill each cut-out center about ⅔ full with crushed hard candy, using a toothpick to nudge candy into crevices.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden and the candy has melted. Let cookies cool completely.
- Repeat: Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking process with remaining dough.
- Store: Store cooled cookies covered in a single layer for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Separate hard candies by color and crush them coarsely using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Avoid crushing into fine powder to prevent excessive caramelization during baking.
- Fill cookie centers only about ⅔ full with candy to avoid overflow. Use a toothpick to carefully push candy into small points and crevices.
- Chilling the dough and cookies before baking ensures the cookies hold their shape and the candy melts evenly.
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent cookies from sticking and burning on the baking sheet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Leave a Reply