Magic Window Cookies

Melted candy is the magic for sugar cookies with colored windows.

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated August 8, 2006

Make with

Gold Medal Flour

Ingredients

1

cup sugar
3/4

cup butter or margarine, softened
1

teaspoon vanilla
2

eggs
2 1/2

cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1

teaspoon baking powder
1/4

teaspoon salt
4

rolls (about 1 oz each) ring-shaped hard candies or other fruit-flavored hard candies

1

In large bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm.
2

Heat oven to 375°F. Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. On lightly floured cloth-covered surface, roll one-third of dough at a time 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Cut shapes from centers of cookies as desired. Place cookies on parchment paper.
3

Place whole or partially crushed pieces of candy in cutouts, depending on size and shape of design, mixing colors as desired. Leave pieces as large as possible because candy melts easily; do not use fine candy "dust." (To crush candy, place in heavy plastic bag and tap lightly with rolling pin.) Place cutouts from centers of cookies on top of candies, if desired.
4

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are very light brown and candy is melted. If candy has not completely spread within cutout design, immediately spread with knife. Cool completely on parchment paper, about 30 minutes. Gently remove cookies to cooling rack.

When crushing candy, an easy way to remove the candy "dust" is to shake candy pieces in a strainer (over a bowl). Sprinkle the leftover candy "dust" on pudding or frosted cupcakes.
You can use Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix instead of the scratch recipe. One pouch will make about 2 dozen cookies.