Description
Delightfully colorful and buttery, these Pastel Candy-Centered Butter Cookies are a festive treat featuring a soft, tender cookie base packed with pastel-colored candy-coated chocolates. Perfect for celebrations or an everyday sweet snack, these cookies combine classic buttery flavors with a playful pop of pastel candy on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Decoration
- 1/2 cup pastel-colored candy-coated chocolates (such as M&Ms or similar)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color, which ensures a tender texture in the cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture until fully incorporated, creating a smooth and uniform batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms, being careful not to overmix to keep cookies tender.
- Shape Dough Balls: Scoop and roll tablespoon-sized portions of the dough into balls, then place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Press Candies: Gently press a few pastel-colored candy-coated chocolates into the top of each dough ball to adorn the cookies with colorful centers.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps maintain their shape and texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and better cookie texture.
- Do not overmix the dough once flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
- If pastel candy melts during baking, gently press more candies onto the warm cookies immediately after removing from the oven.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- These cookies can also be frozen before baking; thaw slightly before baking as directed.
