In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt with a whisk and keep it aside.
In a stand mixer or large bowl add the butter and sugar and beat the butter and sugar together until it turns creamy and smooth and fluffy.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until it is well combined.
Then add the flour to the wet ingredients and continue beating on low until everything is well combined and comes together. If you feel it is too soft or sticky to roll add 1 tbsp of flour.
Divide the dough into 2 parts.
Now dust a parchment paper with some flour and place a dough ball on it. With a floured rolling pin roll out the dough to 1/4th inch thickness.
Do the same with the other dough.
Then chill in the refrigerator for 30 - 1 hour.
While the cookie dough is chilling, we will crush the hard candies. Place the same coloured candies in a freezer bag and crush it roughly with a mallet or rolling pin. keep it aside.
Preheat the oven to 180° C and line a baking tin with parchment paper.
Take out the chilled cookie dough fro the refrigerator. Cut out cookies with large cookie cutters then using a small cookie cutter cut out the centre.
Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 2-cm apart. Fill the centre of the cookies with the crushed hard candies.
Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes or until candies have melted and the cookies are lightly browned around the edges.
Cover and store cookies at room temperature for up to a week.