Sugar cookies are baked with colorful sugar candies, creating a stained glass look and a colorful holiday ornament!

Makes about 18 cookies

Instructions:

1. In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until blended and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and egg, and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour and baking soda in small batches until a dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Sprinkle the work surface with flour, and roll out the dough. Cut out desired shapes with a large cookie cutter. Using a smaller cookie cutter of the same shape, cut out the center of each cookie and place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Place each Jolly Rancher flavor in a separate plastic zipper bag and lightly crush each bag with a rolling pin or mallet (do not pulverize completely). Fill each cookie center ⅔ of the way full with the Jolly Rancher flavor of your choice, and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the candy has melted and the cookies are a light golden-brown.
5. Using a paring knife, make a small hole in the top of each cookie. Let the cookies cool, and thread with string.

Tips: Need a time-saver? You can use store-bought sugar cookie dough! This is also a great recipe to involve the kids.