Earl Grey Stained Glass Cookies (Printable version)
Delicate Earl Grey-infused treats with translucent candy centers and edible flowers
# List of ingredients:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (210 g)
02 - 1/3 cup almond flour (40 g)
03 - 2 Earl Grey tea bags or 2 teaspoons loose leaf tea
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1/2 cup organic granulated sugar (100 g)
07 - 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened (120 g)
08 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk
09 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Stained Glass Centers
11 - 1/2 cup vegan hard candies, various colors, crushed
12 - Edible dried flowers (rose petals, cornflower, violets, lavender), as desired
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Open the Earl Grey tea bags and finely grind the contents if using loose leaves.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, ground Earl Grey tea, baking powder, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter and sugar until fluffy. Add plant milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, and mix well.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until a soft dough forms. If too sticky, chill for 15 minutes.
06 - Lightly flour a surface with gluten-free flour. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
07 - Use a large cookie cutter for the outer shape and a small cutter to create a window in the center. Transfer the cut cookies to the prepared trays.
08 - Fill the cut-out centers with 1–2 teaspoons crushed vegan candy. Sprinkle with a few edible flowers, pressing gently so they adhere to the candy.
09 - Bake for 9–11 minutes, until edges are just golden and candy centers have melted.
10 - Allow cookies to cool fully on the tray before transferring, as the stained glass will harden as they cool.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The Earl Grey infusion creates such a sophisticated flavor that nobody guesses these are vegan and gluten free
- Watching the crushed candies melt into translucent stained glass windows feels like magic every single time
02 -
- Moving cookies before the stained glass centers have completely hardened will cause them to crack so patience is essential
- Overfilling the centers causes candy to bubble over onto the cookie edges so stick to 1 to 2 teaspoons max
03 -
- Crush your hard candies while they're still in their sealed bags to prevent flying pieces and keep colors separated
- Work quickly once you've filled the centers with candy because the sugar can start to soften the dough edges