Stained Glass Cookies

Stained Glass Cookies have centers of translucent hard candy, resulting in an appearance similar to stained glass. They can be eaten, as well as used for festive decor.

Though ambitious cooks may prefer to bake strictly from scratch, most stained glass cookie recipes call for the use of store-bought fruit-flavored hard candies for the "windows." Various kinds of cookie dough may be used, but the process is fairly uniform, regardless of the recipe:

1. Make or buy cookie dough.
2. Flatten and form the dough into shapes with empty centers (either using a knife, or cookie-cutters).
3. Crush the hard candy inside a plastic bag, using a rolling pin or heavy metal spoon.
4. Fill the empty "window" in each unbaked cookie with the crushed candy.
5. Bake until the candy centers are melted and the dough is firm and golden brown.
6. Cool the cookies, in order to allow the "glass" to set.