No-Bake Stained Glass Cookies are made with colored marshmallows, dried cherries, and rice crispies, all coated with chocolate and rolled into a log before slicing. Sweet Christmas treats that look like stained glass windows!
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Have you ever tried these no-bake, stained glass cookies made with chocolate and marshmallows? Also known as cathedral cookies and church window cookies, they are made with melted chocolate and pastel mini marshmallows. The chocolate becomes the “glue” that holds the marshmallows (and other mix-ins) together. When sliced into “cookies,” the colorful marshmallows look like pieces of stained glass, held together by chocolate “solder.”
This old-school recipe is a classic in some areas, making an appearance every year around the holidays. If you have never made them, you’ve got to give them a try. They are super simple to make, and taste amazing!
For more no-bake yumminess, try these classic Butterscotch Haystacks, this Peanut Butter Pretzel Crockpot Candy, and this easy Pecan Christmas Crack! Or, check out my round up of 101 Christmas Cookie Recipes!
- Easy: You can pull this recipe together in no time flat, and if you put them in the fridge, they only need an hour or so to set.
- Fun: Who doesn’t love chocolate and marshmallows? The unique flavor and texture of these “cookies” are sure to please.
- Pretty: Colorful mini marshmallows and dark, shiny chocolate make these unusual stained glass cookies an attractive sweet treat to serve, whether you’re giving them out as an after-school snack or saving them for a party.
- Kid-Approved: Kids will not only enjoy eating these, but they’ll also adore helping to make them!
The Ingredients You’ll Need
As pretty as these cookies are, they’re actually very quick and simple to make, partly because they only contain a few ingredients. Here’s the rundown:
- Chocolate: Chocolate melting wafers are the glue that holds these cookies together.
- Mini Marshmallows: You’ll need the colored mini marshmallows, not white, to give the cookies that stained glass look.
- Dried Cherries: Dried cherries add a pop of flavor and color. You can use dried cranberries or any dried fruit you want, just make sure it’s cut small in size like the marshmallows if it’s a larger fruit.
- Rice Crispies: For even more texture. Yum!
While you don’t have to bake these stained glass cookies, you will need to melt the chocolate – so be very careful not to overheat it. Overheated chocolate loses that shiny look and becomes lumpy. We’re shooting for smooth, creamy chocolate.
- Prep Your Mixing Bowl and Work Surface. To start, I like to prepare my mixing bowl and work surface for the cookie mixture. Spray a large, wide-mouth mixing bowl with non-stick cooking spray, so the ingredients don’t stick. Place a 24-inch piece of wax paper or parchment on a hard surface, such as your countertop or a cookie sheet.
- Stir Together the Filling Items. In the large, greased mixing bowl, combine the marshmallows, dried cherries, and Rice Krispies. Stir to mix.
- Melt the Chocolate. Put the chocolate melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave them for 1 minute. Stir the wafers until the chocolate is smooth. If there are lumps, you can microwave for an additional 20 seconds at a time, as needed, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Make and Shape the Cookie Mixture. Pour half of the melted chocolate around the marshmallow mixture, and stir quickly to combine. Then add the remaining chocolate and stir again. It’s important to work quickly before the chocolate hardens! Next, pour the chocolate mixture down the middle of the wax paper, approximately 24 inches long. Roll up the sides and twist the ends to seal. If needed, press with your hands to shape the mixture into a more log-style shape.
- Cool the Cookie Mixture. Let the cookie mixture cool and harden to room temperature. If you need to speed up the process, you can also refrigerate the cookie mixture for at least 1 hour, or until the chocolate is hard.
- Slice and Serve. Once the chocolate has cooled and hardened, slice the log into ⅓ inch slices. Serve as desired.
- Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
For the ultimate stained glass cookies, be sure to check out this list of helpful hints and recipe variations. Enjoy!
- Mix It Up: Use a very large, wide bowl, spray it well with cooking spray, and mix your marshmallows, dried cherries, and rice crispies together first.
- Time Crunch: It’s important to work quickly once your chocolate is melted and ready, or else it will set before the cookies really come together.
- Drop Cookies: You don’t have to make these into a log, you can also just drop spoonfuls around and let them harden like cookies. They will look like little mounds, instead of the colorful stained glass look, but they are still tasty!
Recipe Variations
- Plain Marshmallow: You can leave out the dried fruit and rice crispies, if you like, and just make plain marshmallow and chocolate cookies. Still gorgeous!
- Fruit: You can use any dried fruits you like, but dried cherries or dried cranberries will give that nice red Christmas look. Dried cherries are the best because they are larger, while dried cranberries tend to be smaller and darker in color.
- Nuts: Add chopped nuts if you like – I recommend using pistachios for a seasonal green color.
How to Store
You can store these for 7 – 10 days before serving – just keep them in an airtight container or zip-top bag on the counter. The cookie mixture will be freshest if you simply store the unsliced log, and slice it just before serving.
If the cookies are already sliced, you may want to wrap them individually, or layer plastic wrap between them, to keep them from sticking to each other while stored.
Sure! You can freeze them sliced, or unsliced. Here’s how to do it:
To freeze the unsliced roll, just keep it wrapped in plastic wrap. Wrap that in a second layer of plastic wrap (or foil) and mark with the date. Freeze for up to a month, and thaw in the fridge before slicing.
To freeze the sliced cookies, place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. I recommend putting plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment in between layers of cookies to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to a month, and thaw before serving.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chocolate melting wafers
- 1 bag, 10 oz colored mini marshmallows
- ½ cup dried cherries
- ½ cup rice crispies
Instructions
- Spray a large, wide mouth, mixing bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Place a 24 inch piece of wax paper (or parchment paper) on a hard surface (like your counter top or a cookie sheet).
- In the large prepared mixing bowl, add the marshmallows, dried cherries, and rice krispies to the bowl and stir.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate melting wafers for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir until chocolate is smooth. If there are lumps, microwave for an additional 20 seconds at a time, as needed, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Pour half of the melted chocolate around the marshmallows and stir quickly. Then add the remaining chocolate and stir to combine, working quickly before the chocolate hardens.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the shape of a log, down the middle of the wax paper, approximately 24 inches long. Roll up the sides and twist the ends to seal. If you need to, you can press with your hands to shape the mixture into a more log style shape.
- Let the chocolate log cool and harden at room temperature. To speed up the process, you can also refrigerate the log, for at least 1 hour, until chocolate is hard.
- Once chocolate has cooled and hardened, slice the log with a sharp knife into 1/3 inch slices. Serve as desired.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag on the counter for 7 to 10 days.
- Use a very large, wide bowl, spray well with cooking spray, and mix your marshmallows, dried cherries, and rice crispies together first.
- Once your chocolate is melted and ready, pour half of the chocolate around and stir quickly, then add the remaining chocolate and stir quickly before it starts to dry and get hard. You don’t have to make these into a log, you can also just drop spoonfuls around and let them harden like cookies. They will look like little mounds, instead of the colorful stained glass look, but they are still tasty!
- You can use any dried fruits you like, but dried cherries or dried cranberries will give that nice red Christmas look. Dried cherries are the best because they are larger, dried cranberries tend to be smaller and darker in color.
- You can add nuts if you want! I would recommend using chopped nuts: pecans, walnuts, pistachios, etc. Pistachios will add a nice festive green color.
Nutrition
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- Christmas Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Orejas (Palmiers)
- Red & Green M&M Cookies
- Easy Christmas Whoopie Pies
- Soft Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
- Butterscotch Haystacks
- Old Fashioned Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
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