Evergreen Sandwich Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, no substitutes, softened
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 1/2 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• green paste for food coloring
• 1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons milk
• green paste food coloring
• green colored crystal sugar

Recipe

• 1 in mixing bowl, combine the butter, flour, milk and salt; mix well.
• 2 cover and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until easy to handle.
• 3 divide dough into thirds.
• 4 on a floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/8-inch thickness.
• 5 cut with a 3 3/4-inch christmas tree cookie cutter.
• 6 place on ungreased baking sheets.
• 7 bake at 375 degrees for 8-11 minutes or until set.
• 8 remove to wire rack.
• 9 for filling, in mixing bowl, cream shortening, butter and confectioners' sugar.
• 10 add milk and vanilla.
• 11 tint with food coloring, spread about a tablespoon each over half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.
• 12 for glaze, combine confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth; set aside 1/4 cup.
• 13 stir food coloring into remaining glaze; spread a thin layer over cooled cookies.
• 14 if desired, sprinkle tops of half of the cookies with colored sugar.
• 15 let stand until set.
• 16 pipe garland onto half of the cookies with reserved glaze.
• 17 let stand until set.