Ingredients:

  • 375g all-purpose flour
  • 225g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 120g powdered sugar
  • 50g large egg
  • 2g fine sea salt
  • 5ml pure vanilla extract
  • 150g assorted hard candies

Instructions:

  1. Cream the cold, cubed butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture looks like pale, thick frosting. Using cold butter here prevents the dough from getting oily.
  2. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated and smooth.
  3. Sift together the flour and salt, then add to the mixer on low speed until the dough just begins to clump together.
  4. Wrap the dough in plastic and flatten it into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes until firm to the touch.
  5. While the dough chills, place hard candies into heavy duty plastic bags by color. Crush them with a mallet until they resemble coarse pebbles.
  6. On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Use a large cutter for the main shape, then a smaller cutter to remove the center window.
  7. Place cookies on a parchment lined sheet. Fill each center 3/4 full with the crushed candy until the window is evenly covered.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes until the dough is matte and the candy has fully melted. Do not wait for the dough to brown, or the candy may overcook.
  9. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes until the candy is completely hard and cool.
  10. Gently peel the cookies off the parchment until they pop off with a clear snap.