Church Window Cookies
The best, classic, old fashioned, no bake, easy Church window cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Packed with chocolate, marshmallows, coconut and nuts.
Not only do they taste delicious, they are also really pretty to look, especially at Christmas holiday parties or even Easter. They are not to be confused with Stained Glass Cookies, which are totally different.
These are also a great addition to holiday cookie trays, along with these Gingerbread Cookies and Jam Thumbprint Cookies.
What are Church window cookies (cathedral window cookies)?
They are no bake cookies that are made of marshmallows, nuts, chocolate and coated with shredded coconut. They are rolled in plastic wrap and cut into slices and you get a colorful sight of colored marshmallows inside. They resemble cathedral windows at churches. Unlike most cookies, these do not include flour, baking soda, baking powder or eggs.
How to make church window cookies?
- Melt butter and chocolate– Until mixture is smooth, while mixing frequently.
- Cool chocolate– For at least t 5-6 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients– In a large mixing bowl, add cooled chocolate mixture along with colored marshmallows and nuts.
- Assemble– Spread out two sheets of saran wrap on to the countertop. Divide chocolate mixture in half. Turn out half of the mixture on one sheet of plastic over all the coconut. Do the same with the other half. Sprinkle more coconut on top.
- Wrap– Wrap saran wrap tightly around the chocolate mixture to create a log shape.
- Chill– They should chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge or overnight.
- Enjoy! Use a sharp knife to cut thin cookie slices and dig in!
Variations
Use white chocolate– Replace semisweet or dark chocolate with white chocolate. It will be much sweeter though.
Add extracts and flavors- Such as vanilla, almond, coconut, peppermint extracts e.t.c. or lemon, lime and orange zests. Get as creative as you like!
Add peanut butter– Mix in about 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter.
Add other toppings– Such as sprinkles, crushed peppermints, chocolate flakes, mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
Add dried fruits- Such as roughly chopped cranberries, apricots, mangoes, raisins e.t.c.
Tips and Techniques
Can you freeze church window cookies? Yes, store the entire log in a sealed airtight container for up to 1 month. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then cut slices.
How to store no bake cookies? They can be refrigerated for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
What brand of chocolate could be used? Use a brand that you like the most. Nestle Tollhouse, Ghirardelli, Lindt or Godiva chocolates will all work perfectly.
Why do the cookies taste burned? Your chocolate probably got overheated and burnt. There is no way to fix this. You have to start all over again.
Don’t have mini marshmallows? Just cut up smaller pieces of big jumbo marshmallows.
Keep a close eye when melting chocolate- Use low heat, stir often and watch it like a hawk. Chocolate can go from fully melted to being burnt in just a few seconds.
Let the chocolate mixture cool– If it’s still hot, the marshmallows will melt when they are added and create an ooey gooey sticky mess.
Shredded coconut vs. Desiccated coconut- I prefer desiccated version because I find shredded to be very chunky but it’s a personal preference.
Sweetened coconut vs. Unsweetened coconut– I recommend sweetened version but if you want to make it less sweet, use the unsweetened version.
Chilling is important- That allows the chocolate mixture to solidify and allows you to cut perfect slices without crumbling.
Use sharp knife– This will allow you to cut perfectly even cookie slices.
Adjust quantity of nuts and marshmallows- Add more or less, based on your preference.
More No Bake Desserts
Easy Church Window Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter, Unsalted
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips, Use combination of dark, semisweet and milk
- 1 cup Nuts, Use variety of nuts, Finely chopped
- 1 bag Mini marshmallows, Colorful ones, 10 oz. bag
- 2 cups Coconut, Sweetened, Shredded or Desiccated
Instructions
- Heat butter and chocolate chips in a nonstick saucepan over low heat until fully melted and smooth. Mix often to prevent burning.
- Keep aside and allow the chocolate to cool down for 5-6 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, add this cooled chocolate mixture, nuts, marshmallows and mix everything together. It will be a thick chunky mixture.
- Spread out 2 sheets of long saran wrap on your countertop and sprinkle coconut.
- Divide the chocolate marshmallow mixture in half. Turn out half of this chocolate mixture on one sheet of plastic over all that coconut. Turn out the other half of the chocolate mixture on the other sheet of plastic over all that coconut.
- Sprinkle more more coconut on top of the chocolate mixture.
- Wrap the saran wrap tightly around the chocolate mixture to create a log shape. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap and tape the ends, if necessary.
- Do the same thing again with second chocolate log.
- Chill chocolate logs in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm.
- Use a sharp knife to cut thin cookie slices. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
