Butter Cookie Recipes - Butter-cream Sandwiches Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups/250 g all-purpose/plain flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup/180 g butter, softened

• 1 cup/200 g granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence

• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten 

FILLING:

• 4 tbsp butter, softened

• 1 2/3 cups/250 g confectioners'/icing sugar

• 2 tbsp milk

• 3 drops each red, green, and yellow food coloring

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Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy.

2. Add the milk, vanilla, and egg yolks, beating until just blended. Mix in the dry ingredients to form a smooth dough.

3. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  

4. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5. Butter three cookie sheets. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch (3 mm).

5. Use a 2 1/2-inch (6cm) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Cut the centers from half the cookies with 1/2-inch (1-cm) cutter.

6. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the cookie sheets, placing them 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart.

7. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to racks and let cool completely.

8. Filling: With mixer at high speed, beat the butter in a medium bowl until creamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and milk to make a spread able consistency.

9. Divide the filling among three small bowls and add a different color of food coloring to each one, stirring until well blended.

10. Spread the fillings over the whole cookies and place a ring cookie on top.