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A fun and unique recipe that a grandmother and grandchildren can enjoy making together is “Colorful Stained Glass Cookies.” These cookies are not only delicious, but they also offer a creative and engaging baking experience. So break out of that cookie rut and let’s get started!
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Food coloring (gel or liquid)
- Assorted hard candies, crushed (like Jolly Ranchers or Life Savers)
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) and mix well.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough into equal portions, depending on how many colors you’d like to use.
- Add a few drops of food coloring to each dough portion and mix until the colors are vibrant and evenly distributed. Wrap each colored dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Roll out each colored dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thickness.
- Using cookie cutters, cut out your desired shapes from the colored dough. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
- Cut out smaller shapes within the larger cookie shapes, creating a window effect. Keep the small cutouts for decoration or baking separately.
- Fill the cut-out windows with crushed hard candies, making sure not to overfill. The candy will melt and create a “stained glass” effect.
- Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the candy has melted. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
These colorful stained glass cookies are not only fun to make but also create a beautiful presentation. Enjoy the bonding time with your grandkids while creating these edible works of art—They’re guaranteed to love them!
