Shortbread Mocha Buttercream Sandwiches

• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
  

• 1/2 c powdered sugar, sifted
  

• 1/2 t vanilla extract
  

• 2 c all-purpose flour, sifted
  

• 1/4 t baking powder
  

Preheat the oven to 375.  Place baking sheets in the fridge to chill.  I have no idea why; have never heard of this but I did what I was told.

To make cookies, beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until fluffy.  On low speed, gradually beat in flour and paking powder.  Using a large star or ribbon design in a cookie press, press out 2-inch long cookies 1 inch apart on chilled sheet.  Bake 6 to 8 minutes until lightly browned.  Cool on a rack.  Since I don't own a cookie press (yeah, Mom, I know you have one but I was too lazy to walk next door) I rolled them into 1" balls and placed them on the pan, pressing them down with a spoon.  It worked ok, but wasn't very pretty.

So next you make the filling;

• 2/3 c powdered sugar, sifted
  

• 2 T butter or margarine, softened
  

• 1 t instant coffee dissolved in 1 t boiling water
  

Beat them together until smooth and spreadable.  If too thick, add water; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.  Spread them on 1/2 the cookies and make sandwiches.

Just a little note here about the butter/margarine in the filling;  don't use spread.  We use that Land O Lakes stuff that tastes like butter, and so that's what I used for the filling.  The problem is that while yes, it's soft, it's always going to BE soft.  If I had used butter, it would have firmed some and held the cookies together.  As it is, what I ended up doing with that tasty coffee filling was drizzling it as a glaze over the top of my delicious but very homely shortbread cookies.

These are very, very sweet so I think making the cookies small was a good idea because while I'm a big fan of sweet, these are also very rich and even I could only eat two of them.