This recipe requires several disclaimers. I made it as written but have marked my changes in all caps for your use. This recipe was a pain in the neck!!! The dough was sticky and uncooperative. Also, I doubt anybody over age 10 will love these cookies – the hard candy is still very hard. Live and learn, eh? Finally, many folks will poke a hole in the top of the cookie, let it harden, and use it as a tree ornament.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon almond extract, or more to taste
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 20 pieces fruit-flavored hard candy (such as Jolly Rancher®)
• Cookie cutters in small and medium sizes, same shape. Amazon has a set of twelve, four shapes-three sizes, for $6.55.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high just until combined, about 30 seconds (mixture does not need to be light and fluffy).

 Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and add egg yolk, vanilla extract, salt, and almond extract. Mix on low until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl; add half of flour. Mix on low until just incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add remaining flour and continue to mix on low until a dough starts to form, about 15 more seconds.

ADD AT LEAST ANOTHER ½ CUP OF FLOUR.

PUT THE DOUGH IN THE REFRIGERATOR TO CHILL.

Turn dough onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and form into one mass. Knead three or four times to create one smooth ball. Pat into a disc and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Run an offset spatula under cookie dough to loosen from surface before cutting into shapes.

Using decorative cookie cutters about 3 inches in diameter, cut out shapes of dough and transfer to baking sheets. Using a slightly smaller decorative cookie cutter (1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter), cut out centers of cookie shapes on cookie sheets. Use a toothpick to remove dough centers if needed. Combine dough centers and other dough scraps; re-roll on a lightly floured surface and repeat cutting procedure. (After rerolling and cutting once, if desired, place any cut dough centers on a separate parchment-lined baking sheet.)

Unwrap and place same or similar colored candies in separate zip-top bags. Use a rolling pin to roughly crush candies in bag (do not crush into a fine powder, pebble-sized pieces are okay). Fill each emptied center of cookie shapes about 2/3 full with crushed candy pieces. This is fussy, and if you use too small an amount the centers become brittle and crack; if you use to much, the centers are filling-destroying.

Bake on the center rack in the preheated oven until cookies have set and candy has melted, 9 to 10 minutes. (If baking cut dough centers, bake about 8 minutes.) Remove and let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheets. Repeat baking process with the remaining baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely, about 15 minutes.