By PJ Library

There’s never been a better time to introduce children of all walks to different cultures and religions. 

Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Jewish temple after it was taken back from the Greeks in the 2nd century BCE. Every year during Hanukkah, Jews light menorahs for eight days to remember the miracles that happened long ago.

Did you know that “dreidel” is a Yiddish word, meaning “spinning top?” A legend explains why children play with dreidels on Hanukkah: In the time of the Maccabees, when the Greeks didn’t allow Jews to study the Torah, Jews would learn in secret. Whenever the authorities would approach, children would quickly hide their books and take out their spinning tops.

Try this clever and easy sugar cookie recipe together with your kids. Crushed hard candy melts into a beautiful “stained glass” illusion. The recipe can easily be adapted to make any shape holiday sugar cookie.

Hanukkah (this year celebrated from December 7 to 15) is a joyous holiday that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. The only ritual component of Hanukkah is lighting the menorah and saying the blessings. Everything else is optional – fried food, tales of heroism, gifts and gelt (golden wrapped chocolate coins). Ritually speaking, it’s all about the light, and for each of eight nights, bringing a little more of it into the world. And in these extra dark nights, we all need every bit of light we can get. 

Stained Glass Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup softened butter

• ¾ cup sugar

• 1 large egg

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup crushed hard candy

Tip: Short on time? Use premade dough and skip down to step 3.

1. Using a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter, and cream the mixture. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out batter about ¼ inch thick.

4. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Cut a small circle in the middle of each shape with a butter knife or smaller cookie cutter.

5. Place shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes.

6. Remove the baking sheet, and carefully spoon ½ teaspoon of crushed hard candy into the center of each cookie.

7. Bake for 4-5 more minutes, or until the candy has melted completely.

8. Cool, first for 15 minutes on a baking sheet, then move to a cooling rack.

Find more information at PJ Library’s Hanukkah Hub overflowing with hands-on activities, seasonal recipes, downloadable activities, book lists, and much more.

PJ Library is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation which delivers more than 670,000 free story books to kids around the world each month. The program hit a milestone in 2022 by shipping its 50 millionth book. Families raising kids from birth through 8 years old, including interfaith families, are welcome to sign up. PJ Library welcomes all Jewish families, whatever your background, knowledge, family make-up, or observance may be. Sign up at pjlibrary.org.