Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Crush the Candies: Begin by sorting your hard candies by color. Place each color group into its own heavy duty zip top bag. Using a meat mallet or a rolling pin, carefully crush the candies into small, coarse pieces. You don't want powder, but you also don't want large chunks. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Form the Dough: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. The dough will be soft.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm. This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much.
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Do not use a silicone mat, as the hot candy can fuse to it.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a large cookie cutter to cut out your main shapes (stars, circles, etc.). Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Create the "Window": Using a smaller cookie cutter of a similar shape, cut out the center of each cookie. Remove the small center piece of dough.
- Fill with Candy: Carefully spoon the crushed candy into the center cutouts of each cookie. Fill it just up to the level of the dough. Try not to get candy dust on the cookie dough itself, as it can burn.
- Bake: Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the candy has fully melted and is bubbling.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10-15 minutes. This allows the melted candy to harden completely. If you try to move them too soon, the hot candy will run out. Once the candy is solid, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 20mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5IUCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
Notes
These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature and do not require reheating. Due to the hard candy center, freezing is not recommended as the candy can become extremely hard or crack upon thawing.
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