Stained Glass Grinch Cookies Recipe

Introduction

Stained Glass Grinch Cookies combine festive green dough with colorful, translucent candy centers that catch the light beautifully. These cheerful holiday treats are as fun to make as they are to eat, perfect for adding a whimsical touch to your cookie platter.

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 5-6 drops green gel food coloring
• 10-15 cherry flavored Jolly Ranchers

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Step 3: Scrape down the bowl and add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and green food coloring. Beat again until the mixture is fluffy and well combined.
4. Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
5. Step 5: Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and shape it into a flat disk. Wrap tightly and chill for at least two hours.
6. Step 6: Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
7. Step 7: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to ¼ inch thickness. Use a 3-inch circle cutter to cut out cookies.
8. Step 8: Use a 1-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut a heart shape inside each circle. Remove the heart dough from each circle and transfer the circles to the prepared cookie sheets.
9. Step 9: Reroll any leftover dough as needed, chilling briefly if it becomes too soft. Refrigerate the cookie sheets with cut-out dough for 10-15 minutes while preheating the oven.
10. Step 10: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
11. Step 11: Unwrap the Jolly Rancher candies and crush them into small pieces using a rolling pin or meat mallet inside a resealable bag.
12. Step 12: Remove the cookie sheets from the refrigerator. Carefully fill each heart-shaped cut-out with the crushed candy, avoiding candy on the dough edges.
13. Step 13: Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the candy centers have melted into a smooth, stained glass effect.
14. Step 14: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring. This lets the candy centers harden fully.

Tips & Variations

• If green gel food coloring isn’t available, you can use other food colors to create different stained glass effects.
• Try using different flavored hard candies for colorful variation in the centers.
• Chilling the dough before baking helps the cookies keep their shape and prevents spreading.
• Work on a cool surface and keep unused dough refrigerated to make rolling easier.

Storage

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep the candy centers from sweating, separate layers with parchment paper. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other shapes besides hearts for the candy center?

Yes, any small cookie cutter shape will work well. Stars, circles, or holiday-themed shapes like snowflakes can add a personalized touch.

What if my candy centers don’t melt smoothly?

Make sure to crush the candies finely and avoid letting candy spill onto the cookie dough edges. Baking at the correct temperature and allowing cookies to cool completely on the tray will help the centers set nicely.

Stained Glass Grinch Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 77 reviews

These Stained Glass Grinch Cookies are festive and fun holiday treats featuring buttery sugar cookies with a colorful, translucent candy center made from crushed cherry-flavored Jolly Ranchers. The cookies are tinted green for a Grinch-inspired theme, making them perfect for Christmas celebrations. The combination of buttery dough and hard candy gives a delightful texture contrast and beautiful stained-glass effect when baked.

• Author: Isabella
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 14 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 34 minutes
• Yield: 20–24 cookies 1x
• Category: Cookies
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients

• 1 2/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (Room Temperature)
• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 Tsp Almond Extract
• 5–6 Drops Green Gel Food Coloring

Candy Center

• 10–15 Cherry Flavored Jolly Ranchers

Instructions

1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until combined; set aside.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a stand or hand mixer to beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Add Flavorings and Egg: Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and green gel food coloring to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat again until everything is fluffy and well incorporated.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
5. Chill the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least two hours to firm up.
6. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
7. Roll and Cut Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch circle cutter to cut out cookies. Inside each circle, use a 1-inch heart-shaped cutter to cut out the centers. Remove the heart dough from the circles, place the circles on prepared baking sheets.
8. Chill Cookie Sheets: Place the sheets with cut-out cookies back into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to firm the dough while preheating the oven.
9. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
10. Prepare Candy: Unwrap the cherry-flavored Jolly Ranchers and place them in a small resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush the candies into small pieces.
11. Fill Cookie Centers: Remove the cookie sheets from the refrigerator and carefully fill each heart-shaped center with crushed Jolly Rancher pieces, making sure no candy touches the dough edges.
12. Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set and the candy centers have melted and appear glossy and translucent.
13. Cool: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets at room temperature. The candy center will harden as the cookies cool, creating the stained glass effect.

Notes

• Ensure the dough is well chilled before rolling and cutting to prevent sticking and spreading during baking.
• Use gel food coloring for vibrant color without altering dough consistency.
• Do not overfill the hearts with crushed candy to avoid overflow while baking.
• Handle the cookies carefully while hot as the melted candy is very soft and hot.
• Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Keywords: Grinch cookies, stained glass cookies, sugar cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookie recipe, Jolly Rancher cookies, festive cookies, green cookies