In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and a pinch of salt until well combined.

In a separate bowl, cream 1 cup of softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Beat in 1 egg and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, then gradually mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Divide the cookie dough into two equal portions and shape each into a disc. Wrap the discs tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out one disc of dough to about ¼ inch thickness.

Use cookie cutters in various shapes to cut out the cookies, using a smaller cutter to create the centers.

Crush assorted hard candies into small pieces and fill the center of each cookie cutout, taking care not to overfill.

Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes.

Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.