1cupButter, softened (we use Country Crock's plant based stick butter)
0.5cupConfectioners (powdered) sugar
0.25tspSalt
0.25tspBaking powder
1tspVanilla extract
Toppings:
0.5packageGummy bears, gummy peaches, jolly ranchers, etc. (need 8 oz. bag)
2tbspSugar or honey, to sprinkle/drizzle over cookies
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
In a large bowl with a mixer at low-medium speed, beat the above shortbread ingredients until well mixed and dough forms into a ball, scraping the bowl occasionally to combine.
Take dough ball out of bowl and place onto a cutting board, and spoon 1” sized balls out onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Gently flatten and press two thumbprints into a heart shape, continuing with the remainder of the batter and cookies.
Place two gummy bears in the two sides of the heart or one quartered gummy peach/jolly rancher in the thumbprint made in step 3. Sprinkle cookies with sugar if desired.
Bake for 15-20 mins, depending on darkness of sheet used and oven temperature variability, until cookies are slightly golden brown around the edges.
Let cool on pan for 3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack. Finish with drizzle of light honey!
Notes:
I ended up using Haribo Peach gummies, which ended up being too big and tended to overflow. If using a bigger gummy, cut into smaller pieces unless you don’t mind a little candy overflow!
If you’d like the middle of the cookie (where the candy heart/stained glass is) to be softer and less crystallized/chewy, take the cookies out of the oven about 3-5 minutes earlier (or cook at 375°F for 9-10 mins instead).
I used Air-Bake pans, so I had to cook the cookies for longer, but subtract 3-5 mins from my original 20 mins in the oven if using a normal cookie sheet.