Stained Glass Window Shortbread Cookies
To add a little bit of ~ character ~ to our Christmas cookie boxes!! Plus, this recipe is soooo easy! I pretty much used the same shortbread cookie recipe for all of my cookies this year.
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra flour for rolling
Stained Glass Centers
Jolly Ranchers, assorted colors
(Optional) Additional crushed candy for color variety
Instructions
1. Prepare the Shortbread Dough
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.Add the flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.Blend in the vanilla extract.Shape the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm for rolling.
2. Crush the Jolly Ranchers
Place the Jolly Ranchers in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or heavy pan until they become fine, even pieces.Keep colors separate if you want distinct stained-glass windows.
3. Roll and Cut
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to a 1/4-inch thickness.Cut out cookie shapes using a larger cookie cutter.Using a smaller cutter, cut out a center window from each cookie.Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Fill the Windows
Spoon a small amount of crushed Jolly Ranchers into the center cut-outs, filling just enough to create a flat layer when melted but not enough to overflow.
5. Bake
Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the shortbread edges are just lightly golden and the candy has melted into a smooth stained-glass effect.Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet — the candy centers need time to harden.
6. Cool and Store
Once fully cooled and the centers are set, gently lift cookies with a metal spatula.Store in a single layer or between sheets of parchment to prevent sticking.
Stained Glass Shortbread Cookies
Classic vanilla shortbread cookies with melted Jolly Rancher centers that create a stained-glass effect.
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Extra flour for rolling
Stained Glass Centers
- Jolly Ranchers, assorted colors, crushed
- (Optional) Additional crushed candy for color variation
Instructions
- Prepare the shortbread dough. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms. Blend in the vanilla extract. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Crush the Jolly Ranchers. Place the candies in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely broken. Keep colors separate if you want defined stained-glass centers.
- Roll and cut the cookies. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookie shapes using a larger cutter, then cut out a smaller center shape to create the "window." Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Fill the centers. Spoon a small amount of crushed Jolly Ranchers into each center cut-out, filling just enough to melt into a flat window without overflowing.
- Bake. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden and the candy has melted into a smooth stained-glass surface. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet so the centers can harden.
- Cool and store. Once fully cooled and the centers are firm, gently remove cookies with a metal spatula. Store in a single layer or between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
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