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Stained Glass Cookies with Jolly Ranchers Recipe

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  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 30 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Delightfully colorful and festive Stained Glass Cookies featuring a buttery star-shaped shortbread exterior and vibrant, melted Jolly Rancher candy centers. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any occasion that calls for a touch of sweet creativity.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (382g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting

For the Stained Glass Centers

  • Jolly Ranchers hard candies (approx. 20), separated by color and crushed into small bits (not powder)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Candy Centers: Unwrap the Jolly Ranchers and separate them by color. Place each color in separate small resealable bags and crush into small bits using a meat mallet, being careful not to pulverize them into powder. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Then incorporate the vanilla extract thoroughly.
  4. Incorporate Flour: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the all-purpose flour and mix just until the dough comes together and is well combined.
  5. Chill the Dough: Scrape the dough out onto a work surface and shape it into a rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  6. Roll and Cut Dough: Cut the chilled dough into thirds. Leave one portion out to work with and keep the remaining portions refrigerated. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/5-inch thickness. Using a 3.5-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many large stars as possible.
  7. Cut and Remove Center Stars: Transfer the large stars to a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Using a smaller 1.75-inch star cutter, cut out the center of each large star and remove these smaller stars carefully (a toothpick can help remove the center piece if needed). Re-roll scraps to cut additional stars.
  8. Add Crushed Candy: Fill the cut-out centers about three-quarters full with the crushed Jolly Rancher bits.
  9. Chill Before Baking: Refrigerate the cookies until firm, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  10. Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until they are set and the candy has melted to form a stained glass center, about 12 to 14 minutes.
  11. Cool and Harden: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet until the candy centers have hardened completely.
  12. Repeat and Store: Repeat the process with the remaining refrigerated dough. Store the finished cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Use silicone baking mats instead of parchment paper for best results; some have experienced sticking with parchment.
  • If needed, use a toothpick to help remove the small cut-out center pieces.
  • To make the cookies hangable as ornaments, cut a small hole near the top with a standard plastic straw before chilling and baking.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 160
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Sodium: 55mg
  • Fat: 8g
  • Saturated Fat: 5g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Fiber: 0.5g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: 30mg

Find it online: https://emilyquickdinners.com/stained-glass-cookies-with-jolly-ranchers-recipe/