Church Windows Candy – An Old Fashioned Candy Recipe

Kids love to help make and eat this no-bake Church Windows Candy! This recipe results in a fun and festive sweet treat. Coat colored mini marshmallows in a chocolate mixture and roll them up with a layer of shredded coconut. When ready to serve, slice them up to look like cathedral window cookies.

No Bake Church Window Candy Recipe

My dear, sweet friend Dee shared this recipe for adorable window pane cookies.  Actually, she shared it twice.  Whoops, I misplaced the first recipe, and she had to share it again. Mom life, you know how that goes.  I put the recipe someplace safe, and I’ve yet to remember where that safe place could be.

Let’s talk about these festive stained glass window cookies. A chocolate butterscotch mixture coats colored mini marshmallows which mimics the cathedral windows of a church. This makes them the perfect treat for Christmas or Easter.

Church Windows Candy Ingredients

• Colored Mini Marshmallows
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate
• Butterscotch Chips
• Butter
• Shredded Coconut

There’s no baking involved with this candy recipe, and the entire process can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave. All you really do for these no bake cookies is melt butter, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together.

Now, in full honesty, melting chocolate chips can be tricky sometimes.  Ask Megan (the other half of These Old Cookbooks).  I still remember that year in 4-H when she didn’t stir the chocolate chips appropriately while melting them in the microwave.  I can still remember the smell of burnt chocolate…

How to properly melt chocolate chips?

On the stovetop, melt over low heat, stirring often. Another stovetop option would be to use a double boiler or create your own double boiler by putting a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water.  The steam from the boiling water will heat up the glass bowl which in turn will slowly melt the chocolate.

To properly melt chocolate in the microwave, heat the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals. After each interval, stir the chocolate.  Once it begins to melt, stir until smooth.

Are colored mini marshmallows flavored?

Most of the brands of colored marshmallows are flavored, including Kraft Jet-Puffed Fun Mallows which contain four colors. The mini marshmallow color and flavor combinations include pink for strawberry, green for lime, yellow for lemon, and orange for orange-flavor. 

How to Make No Bake Stained Glass Window Cookies

Step by Step Instructions

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter, semi-sweet chocolate and butterscotch chips.
2. Whisk until smooth and lump free. Remove from heat.
3. Pour over multi-colored marshmallows, and gently stir until they are all completely covered.
4. On a long piece of wax paper, sprinkle shredded, sweetened coconut.
5. Quickly pour the marshmallow mixture and use the wax paper to roll into a log.
6. Add more coconut if needed.
7. Roll up tightly and twist the ends of the waxed paper.
8. Refrigerate until set.
9. Cut window pane cookies into slices with a sharp knife and serve.

For the full ingredient list and recipe for cathedral windows, scroll to the bottom of this post. 

Recipe Variations

• Add chopped nuts such as pecans or walnuts to the inside or the coating.
• For a new spin, add some peppermint extract to the stain glass windows.

Recipe FAQs

• I love this old fashioned candy recipe!
• Use multi-colored marshmallows to mimic the colors of a stained glass window
• Multi-colored marshmallows can be found in most larger chain grocery stores. Or find them at Amazon.
• Substitute margarine for butter, if needed.
• Melt the butter, semi-sweet chips and butterscotch chips on low in a saucepan; stirring often to prevent burning. Or melt in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval.
• Use more shredded coconut to coat the outside of the cathedral window cookies, if needed or desired.
• Coconut could be omitted, if desired.  Spread the chocolate-marshmallow mixture onto the waxed paper, roll up tight and refrigerate.
• Want another chocolate and marshmallow dessert option? Try our Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars.

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Linking up to Weekend Potluck.