Peppermint Shortbread Buttercream Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

8 ounces butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, I used clear
1/2 cup icing, confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

For the Buttercream:
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 drops of red food coloring
1/2 cup 1 stick butter, room temperature
1 tbsp Land O Lakes® Buttercream Style Half & Half
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided

Directions

To make the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 325F.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Into a bowl, sift together the all purpose flour and the cornstarch/cornflour.

Beat butter, extract and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.Step One for Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
On lowest speed, add flour mixture in two batches.

Divide dough in half. Roll out one at a time onto a lightly floured surface to 1/2″. Using a small round cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as you can. Re-roll, then cut out more. Place rounds on lined baking sheet about 1″ apart and bake for about 15 minutes. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool.

To make the buttercream:
In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter then add 2 cups of the confectioners’ sugar.

Next add the peppermint extract and 1 tbsp of Land O Lakes® Buttercream Style Half & Half..

Add another 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. Now add the red food coloring to color the buttercream a reddish/pink color.

To finish:
Pipe half the cookies with peppermint buttercream, top with other halves, and sprinkle with a bit of confectioners’ sugar.