Stained Glass Window Tree Cookies

By kmad

Stained Glass Cookies are really easy to make and yet look so impressive. They make great gifts for the festive season. Cookie Tip: These cookies look wonderful when hung on the Christmas tree or beside candles, to catch the light.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 oz hard candies such as Life Savers or Jolly Ranchers in assorted colors

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from fancyflours.com

Preparation

Step 1

BEAT butter, sugar, honey, egg and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Place dough on lightly floured surface; roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with 2-1/2- to 3-inch floured cookie cutters. Use smaller version of each cutter to make an interior cut, leaving 1/2- to 3/4-inch border of dough. Cut out and remove dough from center of each shape; set aside.

Place cutouts on baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Shape remaining dough into ball; re-roll to make additional cutouts.

CRUSH each color of candy separately between 2 layers of wax paper with mallet. Spoon crushed candy inside centers of cutouts.

BAKE 6 to 8 minutes or until candy is melted and cookies are lightly browned. Cool cookies completely before removing from parchment.

While cookies are baking, prepare your royal icing mix according to the directions on the package. You want your icing to be the consistency of heavy cream. Dye icing desired color(s). Pour icing into a pastry bag or decorating squeeze bottle.

Allow cookies to completely cool.

Ice each cookie with royal icing. Wait one minute before adding the Royal Icing Christmas Candles, Christmas Packages and Christmas Mix decorations to the icing.

Let icing completely set before stacking and storing (4-6 hours or overnight)

Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Kitchen Tips:
How to Make Cookies into Ornaments:
Before baking cookies, use a drinking straw to poke a hole in the top of each cookie cutout. Bake and cool as directed. Thread a piece of ribbon through the hole to use for hanging.
Storage Know-How:
Cookie dough can be wrapped tightly and refrigerated up to 1 week, or placed in freezer container and frozen up to 3 months.