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    Home » recipes » baking

    By Amanda Smyth 21 Comments

    stained glass window biscuits

    Share162
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    Growing up, we had a red tinsel Christmas tree. It didn't matter what decorations you put on it’s sparse branches, you could not make it look any good.  As the saying goes, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and this tree was more pig’s arse than sow’s ear.

    The first Christmas Bearhands and I shared at the farm, I bought a department store-worthy tree on Grays Online.  When it arrived, I discovered that you had to assemble each branch individually, before inserting it into the trunk of the tree.  140 stems x 8 leaves = pain in the wreath.  Erecting this monstrosity was such a behemoth effort that it completely took the fun out of decorating the tree.  The results were beautiful, but what should have been a bit of festive fun left me muttering curse words under my breath (and we all know that Santa doesn’t deliver Sav Blanc to sweary mummies!)

    One of my fonder childhood Christmas memories are stained glass window biscuits.  I hadn’t thought about them in forever, but once they were in my head, I couldn’t get them out.  I’d heard mixed reviews about the level of difficulty in making them work, but I’m pleased to say that this method worked beautifully first time.  We won’t be hanging these on the tree though, the kids leave enough ant invitations under the table without dangling them in the lounge room.cathedral biscuits, stained glass window biscuits, christmas baking

    ,
    cathedral biscuits, stained glass window biscuits, christmas baking
    Print

    stained glass window biscuits

    Prep 15 mins

    Cook 15 mins

    Inactive 1 hour

    Total 1 hour, 30 mins

    Author Amanda Smyth | Cooker and a Looker

    Yield 24 biscuits

    Stained glass window biscuits are a childhood Christmas classic and the way the boiled lollies transform into stained glass is a little bit of kitchen magic! Use them as edible gift tags for something a little out of the ordinary.

    Ingredients

    200g butter

    ¾ cup caster sugar

    1 egg

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1 tbs milk

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    2 ½ cups plain flour

    300g boiled lollies of various colours (I use red, green, yellow and orange).

    Instructions

    Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add the egg and beat thoroughly.  Add the extract and milk and beat until combined.  Sift the flour and powder into the mix and stir until just combined.  Turn the dough out and knead it for about a minute, then divide the dough into two balls, wrap them in cling wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

    Using a food processor, crush the boiled lollies by colour and place in the small bowls.  Don’t do this too early if you’re in a humid climate.  The humidity makes the crushed lollies clump together.

    Preheat the oven to 180C.

    Roll out the dough onto baking paper, lay out your cookie cutters for the windows of the biscuits - leaving plenty of space around the shape for the window frame.  I find it easier to cut and remove dough from between the biscuits than to lift them and place them onto another sheet of baking paper.  Remove the centre of the cookie cutter and carefully add the crushed lollies to the centre hole.  Re-roll the offcuts and repeat.

    Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.  Allow to cool on the biscuit tray for five minutes, before transferring the biscuits on baking paper to cooling racks.   Once they have cooled completely, carefully peel the baking paper from the back of the biscuits.

    Courses Baking, Dessert

    Cuisine Christmas

    Can we have a quick chat about baking paper? There’s good baking paper and there is really lousy baking paper.  The good stuff makes all the difference.  If you accidentally buy bad stuff, give it to the kids for tracing paper and get some more.  I’ve spent hours in the kitchen in the past, only to have all my hard work undone by being a cheapskate and buying bad paper.  I don’t cry over spilt milk, but stuck biscuits are an entirely different matter.  Learn from my mistakes, lovelies!

    cathedral biscuits, stained glass window biscuits, christmas bakingThis year, we’ve chosen a little pine tree that’s growing in the back paddock.  The Big Sister is disappointed; I can tell from the sow’s ear expression on her face.  But the big Christmas tree will stay boxed up until she’s old enough to use a few swear words of her own.

    this year's tree
    this year's tree

     

    what was your tree like growing up?
    do you remember stained glass window biscuits?

    stained glass window biscuits
    Share162
    Pin107
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Housewife in Heels says

      December 10, 2013 at 6:15 am

      Yum! I made stain glass window gingerbread biscuits last year for the Christmas tree. A few days later, after some hot days, I noticed sticky brown patches on the ground. It was from the stain glass windows which had melted!!! There was no 'glass' left by Chrimtmas!
      Agree re bad baking paper.. and cheap aluminium foil!

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 10, 2013 at 8:24 am

        And while we're making a list Helen, life's too short to use cheap cling wrap!

        Reply
    2. Bec @ The Plumbette says

      December 10, 2013 at 6:27 am

      Yeah, they worked. And they look great! I have never made them before because I'm too scared I'd cock them up. I'll try your method and see how I go.

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 10, 2013 at 8:22 am

        I shared your cock-up concern yesterday Bec, but these turned out great first time! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Annaleis from Teapots and Tractors says

      December 10, 2013 at 4:54 pm

      we used to make these at school! We must've had clever teachers like yourself I think.

      Reply
    4. Tegan Churchill says

      December 10, 2013 at 6:56 pm

      Ohh I remember these! They look awesome!

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 13, 2013 at 6:59 am

        Thanks Tegan. x

        Reply
    5. EssentiallyJess says

      December 10, 2013 at 9:06 pm

      We had a very cheep looking old tree, and I remember doing the same thing as you, and buying this mammoth one when I left home. Thing was huge! Now we have a reasonably sized normal green tree. 🙂
      Never did stained glass biscuits, but i like the idea of them.

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 10, 2013 at 9:12 pm

        Great minds Jess!

        Reply
    6. Maxabella says

      December 10, 2013 at 10:28 pm

      I have attempted these cuties twice before (birthday parties) and have not, um mastered them. I will try again. I'm nothing if not persistent! x

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 13, 2013 at 6:59 am

        Some readers made these successfully yesterday Bron. So it might be worth another crack. x

        Reply
    7. aparentinglife says

      December 10, 2013 at 10:54 pm

      Oh gosh they are so lovely. Thanks for sharing the recipe as well I am thinking I might give these a go.
      Leaving some fairy wishes and butterfly kisses from #teamIBOT

      Reply
    8. Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says

      December 11, 2013 at 1:05 pm

      We always had a massive tree from our farm or down the road, dad used to have to tie it down/up with bailing twine. It was at least 12 foot high and amazing! And sadly I've never heard of these biscuits, where have I been?? x

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 13, 2013 at 6:56 am

        Ours isn't massive, but it does smell nice. x

        Reply
    9. Sonia Life Love Hiccups says

      December 11, 2013 at 1:18 pm

      OOOO these look a little special and I know my kids would go crazy making them. Thanks for giving me something else to clean up lol.... I mean make with them xx

      Reply
      • Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says

        December 13, 2013 at 6:54 am

        I didn't even tell the kids I was making them Sonia. My two + crushed boiled lollies would equal disaster!

        Reply
    10. Lily says

      November 19, 2017 at 8:53 pm

      Hello, I can't seem to see the recipe on the page..

      Reply
      • Amanda Smyth says

        November 20, 2017 at 11:12 am

        Hi Lily, I'm sorry for that little technical problem. It's fixed now!
        Cheers,
        Amanda

        Reply
    11. Alison says

      December 10, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      Thanks for your recipe. I'm doing break up for Sunday school and we are going to makes these. I'm glad you told me about crushing the boiled loonies. I would've put them in whole. It makes sense to crush them. I think the kids will be ecstatic. Thanks

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Homemade Christmas Food Gifts - Bake Play Smile says:
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      […] Who can resist a gorgeous batch of Stained Glass Window Biscuits – Cooker & A Looker […]

      Reply
    2. the only cookie recipe you'll ever need | Cooker and a Looker - Australian Home Cooking says:
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      […] cookies? You’ll love these choc honeycomb biscuits, stained glass window biscuits and double chocolate peanut butter […]

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