Do you remember making stained glass cookies with your mom or grandma? These pretty cookies can even be used as edible ornaments for your tree!

Why this recipe works

Family memories are very often made in the kitchen. Cooking and baking with someone you love is a great way to create memories of your own.

These cookies are beautiful and idea for gift giving and serving on holiday cookie trays. Great for cookie exchanges as well!

Ingredients you will need

labeled ingredients for stained glass cookies

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

2020: 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES

12 Christmas cookies you will love, PLUS bonus baking tips and TWO extra recipes you will not find on this blog! See ALL my cookbooks here!

Get the Christmas cookies cookbook! ONLY $9.97!!

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How to Make Stained Glass Cookies

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
Sort Jolly Ranchers by color then place in separate sandwich bags. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush the candy into small pieces. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, set aside.
In a separate medium bowl cream together butter and sugar until homogenous.
Add eggs to butter mixture one at a time, mixing until well combined. Mix in vanilla.
Slowly add flour mixture until dough forms and no traces of flour remain.
Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Sprinkle flour on counter or large cutting board. Roll dough onto the floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out as many large shapes as you can using cookie cutters.
Place cut shapes onto prepared baking sheet. Cut a smaller piece out of the center of each cookie and remove. You can roll out the scraps and use them for more cookies.
Add crushed candies to the cut-outs to just below flush with the top of the cookie. Refrigerate sheet of cookies for 20 minutes to firm up.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake until cookies are very lightly brown and crushed candies have melted, about 10-13 minutes.
Allows cookies to cool on baking sheet until candy centers have cooled and hardened.

Cookie shape ideas:

Use any shape large cookie cutter with a smaller cookie cutter in the center. For example, a star inside a star.

Other ideas include:

Large circle, small Christmas tree
Large star, small heart
Large mitten, small snowflake
Large heart, small circle
Large circle, small snowflake

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store stained glass cookies?

These cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. To keep longer, store in the refrigerator for a week. These stained glass cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Making stained glass cookies conjures up happy childhood memories for lots of people! Making these pretty cookies can become a holiday tradition in your house as well.

More Cookie Recipes

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2020: 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS COOKIES

12 Christmas cookies you will love, PLUS bonus baking tips and TWO extra recipes you will not find on this blog! See ALL my cookbooks here!

Get the Christmas cookies cookbook! ONLY $9.97!!

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