Earl Grey Stained Glass Cookies (Printer-friendly)
Delicate tea-infused treats with translucent candy centers and pressed edible flowers. These elegant vegan cookies feature Earl Grey aroma and beautiful stained glass effects.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
02 - 1/3 cup almond flour
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
07 - 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
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 centers will harden as they cool.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These cookies turn ordinary afternoon tea into something that feels like stepping into a storybook
- The bergamot from Earl Grey creates this sophisticated floral backbone that most people cannot quite place but absolutely love
02 -
- The candy centers stay molten much longer than you expect, and I learned this the hard way by breaking three gorgeous cookies trying to move them too soon
- Crush the hard candies into uneven pieces rather than fine powder for the most authentic stained glass look
03 -
- Chill the rolled-out dough on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before adding the candy centers—this helps the windows keep their shape perfectly
- The thinner you roll the dough, the more light shines through, but do not go below 1/8 inch or the cookies become fragile