Chocolate Stained Glass Cookies

Step 1

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and cocoa powder together in a mixer till well combined.

Step 2

Mix the remaining dry ingredients together in a small bowl and gradually add to the wet mix just until it's blended in.

Step 3

I divide my dough into two, place each half onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disc and let it be in the fridge for at least two hours.

Step 4

When you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Step 5

Pull your dough out of the fridge to soften enough to roll out

Step 6

Separate your hard candies by flavour and whizz each colour separately in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Step 7

Roll the cookie dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Now place the cookie cutter of choice on to the dough to cut out a cookie, press down, and don't lift it back up. With the cutter in place use a paring knife to cut out the desired shape of your cut out. You can also use a bigger and smaller cutter instead of cutting manually.

Step 8

Fill each cut out almost till the top with your crushed candies - the candy will melt down in the oven. Repeat until you've used up your cookie dough. This cookie dough tightly wrapped will also keep well in the freezer for three months.

Step 9

Bake for 8 minutes, the edges will darken, let the cookies cool enough for the candy to harden then move to a wire rack. Enjoy!