Here is a fun Valentine treat to make with kids and is easier than your traditional frosted sugar cookies. All you need is a good sugar cookie recipe, a package of Jolly Rancher hard candies and two different sized heart cookie cutters.
To begin, you will need to line your baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper. Non-stick foil might work as well, but I haven’t tried that yet.
Prepare your dough and cut out large hearts. I usually like to make nice thick sugar cookies, but these need to be about 1/8” thick, or the center “window” will be too thin compared to the cookie. Place cookies on baking sheet and then cut out the smaller heart in the center of each cookie. Cutting out the smaller heart after the cookie is on the baking sheet helps the cookie dough retain its shape. It is harder to move cookie dough with the center cut out. You can bake the little hearts along with the big ones, or reroll them with your dough scraps.
Place one Jolly Rancher candy (whole) in the center of each cookie. If your openings are smaller than the candies, you can crush the candies first, but I found that there are fewer bubbles in your windows if you leave the candies whole. And it is so much easier than crushing hard candy!
While the cookies bake, the candies will melt and fill in the centers.
After baking, let the cookies completely cool and the candy window centers harden before removing from baking sheet.
Store covered between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper. The candy centers will stick together if they touch.
You could also make these into cookie pops by inserting lollypop sticks into the bottoms of each heart before baking.
It would also be fun to make some for other holidays using different cookie cutters, or a linzer cookie cutter (crush candies first if using a small linzer cutter). Or a gingerbread man with a tiny cut-out heart.
RECIPE:
Stained Glass Valentine Cookies
3 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
About 7 – 7 ½ cups flour
1 package Jolly Rancher candies
2 heart cookie cutters (one large and one small)
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter, sour cream and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Mix in baking soda, salt and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough (Start with 7 cups and add more if needed).
Chill for 20 minutes to 1 hour, if necessary, for easier handling. Roll out dough to about 1/8” and cut with large heart cookie cutter. Cut out a smaller heart inside of each cookie. You can bake these plain smaller hearts, or re-roll them with the dough scraps.
Place hearts on a baking sheet lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper. Place one whole Jolly Rancher candy in the center of each heart.
Bake at 375°F for 9 -10 minutes, or until candies have melted; cookies should not be browned on the edges. They should look white when done. Cool completely on the baking sheet. When candy centers are completely cool and hardened, remove cookies to a sheet of parchment paper.
Store covered between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper. The candy centers will stick together if they touch.
Makes 5-6 dozen, depending on the size of the cookie cutter
NoEmptyChairs.me
No Empty Chairs 
very pretty and a great idea
LikeLike
Awesome!!
LikeLike
I’ve made these a few times but always crushed the candies…thanks for the tip on leaving them whole…will save a lot of time!
LikeLike
Do you use plain flour (all purpose) or self rising in your cookie recipie?
LikeLike
I just use plain all-purpose flour.
LikeLike
Hi thought this was a cute idea for vday party. Would just have to sub cookie receipe w/ landon’s cookies.
LikeLike
how many cookies does this make
LikeLike
Exactly how many you get will depend on the size of your cookie cutter, whether you re-roll the centers and how thick you roll the dough. This recipe does make a lot. I usually get at least 6 dozen using a 3″ cookie cutter (and I don’t re-roll most of the center hearts; I bake those as well). If you don’t want that many, the dough also freezes really well. Put the dough into a ziploc bag, seal the bag and then squish the bag until flat and freeze. When you want to make sugar cookies again, half of the rolling is done for you!
LikeLike
These turned out great. I def reccomend parchment paper on the baking sheets and leave in for 8 min. Its also better to get the 5 set of heart shape cookie cutters at Jo Anns Fabric and I used the biggest one then one that is middle. Jolly ranchers worked great.
LikeLike
Glad they turned out for you. Happy Valentine’s Day!
LikeLike
Pingback: ステンドグラスクッキーの作り方のご紹介 | folk
Pingback: 28 Days of Kid's Valentine's Day Food Crafts
Pingback: 14 Valentines Day Food Ideas {For the Classroom} – My List of Lists | Find the best DIY home decor, holiday DIY, and online tutorials for home tips and tricks.
Pingback: 20 Best Valentine's Day Crafts & Food Ideas for Kids - Raising Veggie Lovers