These stained glass cutout sugar cookies are as delicious as they are beautiful. Surprisingly simple to make, they give an elegant, bakery-style finish that’s perfect for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or gifting to friends and family.
Stained Glass Cutout Sugar Cookies – An Old Favorite
The first time I made stained glass sugar cookie cutouts I remember being completely enchanted by how the melted candy created a translucent, jewel-like window. The effect felt a little magical, especially to a fourth-grader making cookies with candy centers for the first time.
Years later I still enjoy these cookies. They’re a classic for a reason: the technique is straightforward, the result is striking, and the cookies are fun to customize with shapes and colors.
Seeing a new set of nesting star cookie cutters brought back those childhood memories, so I decided to make a fresh batch and share the simple method. Whether you’re new to stained glass cookies or revisiting a favorite, this is an easy project with an impressive payoff.
A Delicious, Deceptively Simple Cookie
Making stained glass cutout sugar cookies requires only a few basic items and a bit of care with the candy center. At a minimum you’ll need:
- Sugar cookie dough (use your favorite cutout recipe)
- Clear or translucent hard candies, such as Life Savers or similar
- Cookie cutters in the same shape but two different sizes (nesting cutters are ideal)
That’s all. If you prefer, gingerbread cutouts will work just as well for this technique. Use a cutout-style dough rather than a drop cookie mix so the shapes keep their edges during baking. If you don’t have a favorite recipe, any reliable no-chill or roll-and-cut sugar cookie recipe will do.
I used Life Savers for the colorful “glass” centers, but any clear, flavored hard candy that melts smoothly is fine. Pick flavors you like so the candy complements the cookie dough.
How to Make Stained Glass Cutout Sugar Cookies
The process is straightforward. Below are a few tips and the step-by-step approach that makes these cookies reliable and beautiful every time.
Prepare the candy: Sort the candies by color and place each color into its own plastic zipper bag. Crush the candies into small shards with a rolling pin. Keeping each color in a separate bag prevents the colors from mixing and turning muddy.
Roll and cut the dough: On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to about a quarter-inch thickness. Press the larger cookie cutter into the dough first, then center and press the smaller cutter inside the larger to create the window. Remove the inner cutout from the dough — you can bake that piece as a separate cookie or re-roll it into the dough for later cutouts.
Transfer carefully: Unbaked cookies with the center removed can be fragile. Use a thin spatula to slide under each cookie and lift it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to prevent tearing or misshaping.
Fill the windows: Fill the center holes with the crushed candy shards. Press the candy gently into the hole so shards reach the corners and the candy is within the opening, not simply piled on top. If you’re baking with kids, this is the fun part—just remind them not to taste the candy before or right after baking.
Bake and cool: Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven until the edges are just beginning to brown and the candy has melted, usually about 7 to 9 minutes but timing will vary with cookie size. When the cookies come out of the oven the candy will be molten and very hot; allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet so the candy centers set hard. Do not touch or move them until fully cool.
Finish: Frosting is optional. Often these cookies look best left plain so the stained glass center is the focal point. You can dust edges with sugar, add a light glaze, or leave them simple and elegant.
Stained Glass Cutout Sugar Cookies
- Author: Marie Bostwick
- Yield: Amounts will vary
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- Sugar cookie dough (enough for rolling and cutting)
- Clear or translucent hard candies, separated by color
- Flour for dusting the work surface
Equipment:
- Plastic zipper bags (one per candy color)
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters in matching shapes (two sizes)
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Separate the candies by color and place each color into its own plastic bag. Crush the candies into small shards with a rolling pin and set aside.
- Roll the dough on a well-floured surface to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Press the larger cutter into the dough, then center and press the smaller cutter to create the window. Remove the inner cutout.
- Transfer each cutout carefully to the prepared baking sheet using a thin spatula. Fill the center hole with the crushed candy shards, keeping the candy inside the opening.
- Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the cookie edges are just beginning to brown and the candy has melted. Baking time varies with cookie size.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the sheet so the candy centers harden. Do not touch or move them until they are fully cool.
