Vanilla Buttercream Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• About 1/2 cup sugar
• Vanilla buttercream filling (recipe below)

Preparation

1. 1. In a food processor or in a bowl with your fingers, whirl or rub flour and butter until mixture forms 1/4-inch lumps. Add cream and whirl or stir with a fork until dough holds together.
2. 2. Pat dough into a ball, then divide in half. Flatten each portion into a 5-inch-wide disk. Wrap airtight and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
3. 3. Sprinkle work surface with 6 tablespoons sugar. Dust rolling pin with 2 tablespoons sugar. Roll dough on sugar, a portion at a time, to 1/8 inch thick, turning over frequently and dusting with more sugar if needed to prevent sticking. Cut out cookies with a 1-inch-wide round cutter. Gather excess dough into a ball, reroll on more sugar, and cut out remaining cookies.
4. 4. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on buttered and floured or parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. Prick each round a few times with a fork.
5. 5. Bake cookies in a 300° oven until golden, about 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. With a wide spatula, immediately transfer to racks to cool completely.
6. 6. Spread one side of half the cookies with vanilla buttercream filling. Top with remaining cookies.
7. Vanilla buttercream filling. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat 3 tablespoons butter (at room temperature) with 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough milk, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons, to make mixture smooth and thick enough to spread.
8. Nutritional analysis is per sandwich cookie.