Preparation Steps

• In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
• Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. For the stained glass effect, cut out a smaller shape from the center of half of your cookies.
• Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Fill the center cutouts of the cookies with crushed hard candies. Be careful not to overfill.
• Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the candy is melted and bubbly.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The candy will harden as it cools.