Virtual Sefer Stained Glass Cookies by kellyds

STAINED GLASS COOKIES #1
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup honey
1 teasponn lemon flavoring
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Colorful hard candy
Separate the candies by color. Put each color in a double bag and break them up with a hammer. Combine vegetable shortening, sugar, egg, honey and flavoring. Blend thoroughly. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to first mixture, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Since different honeys absorb flour differently and eggs vary in size, it may be necessary to add a little more flour to make a dough that can be molded.
Prepare a cookie sheet and line with two layers of waxed paper., You can either mold the dough right on the cookie sheet or roll it and cut into desired shapes.
Create a stained glass window effect by cutting out spaces for the "glass". Spoon the pulverized candy into the spaces. Use a knittiing needle to put a hole in the top of the cookie. After baking, fishing line or a string can be threaded through the hole for hanging.
Bake the cookies at 375 degreed F. for eight to ten minutes. Refrigerate until candy has hardened.
STAINED GLASS COOKIES #2
3 T. butter, softened
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 egg
2 T. water
1/4 c. molasses
2 cups flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg.
Assorted colorful hard candies
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add egg; beat well. Add water and molasses; mix thoroughly. In separate bowl, combine four, salt and spices; add gradually to creamed mixture. Mix until a dough forms and refrigerate at least one hour. Separate candies by color and crush.

On a parchment paper or foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly draw or etch desired designs, making segments within each. Taking a small amount of dough, make long, thin, pencil-width rolls and outline designs with strings of dough. Place crushed candies of different colors in the sections so that candy reaches to dough outline. Bake four to seven minutes at 375 degrees F., or just until candy melts. Do not overbake. Refrigerate until cooled. Peel off foil. NOTE: To hand on your Christmas tree, make a small loop with dough at the top of each cookie before baking. After cookies cool, string with yarn or ribbon.