• Beat the butter and sugar till fluffy and light.
• Add the salt + vanilla essence and beat for 30 seconds.
• With a spatula mix in the beaten egg.
• Put in all the flour in one go, and gather together to make a firm dough.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes in wrap.
•  
• Roll out to ¼ inch thickness and cut with assorted cookie cutters. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Cut out smaller shapes into the cookies.
• Fill these smaller cut-outs with small amounts of crushed hard-boiled candy. I've used 'poppins' which we get in a roll in different colours. If you wish to hang them, make small holes on top of each cookie with a straw.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching closely so that they don’t get too brown. You will see the candy melting and bubbling.
• Remove from oven; spread the candy around with a wodden pick if the cavity is not filled completely. Let the cookies lay on the sheet for a minute. Carefully remove to racks & cool. I usually cut around the foil on each cookie, & peel it off once the cookie is cool. These cookies are quite fragile when hot/warm.
• This recipe makes approximately 4 dozen 3" cookies.

Stained glass cookies make lovely tree ornaments and gifts as well. They light up faces, young & old, with a beauty that is special.