Description
Delicious sugar cookies with a colorful candy center!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups crushed hard candies (such as Jolly Ranchers, in assorted colors)
- Optional: food coloring for dough
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- If desired, divide the dough into portions and add a few drops of food coloring to each portion, kneading the color in until evenly mixed.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to make it easier to roll out.
- Once chilled, roll out the dough on a generously floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters in various shapes to cut out cookies.
- Use a smaller cookie cutter or the end of a piping tip to cut out the center of each cookie, creating a window effect.
- Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each one.
- Place crushed hard candies into the center of each cookie, filling the cut-out spaces.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the candies have melted.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. The hard candy will harden as they cool.
Notes
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Feel free to experiment with different flavors of hard candies!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 30mg