Instructions

1. Beat butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and salt and beat again.
2. Stir together flour and cocoa powder and slowly add it to butter mixture until mixed in.
3. Beat in red gel food coloring a little at a time, until you reach your desired shade.3
   Divide dough in half and roll each into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Place one dough ball between wax paper sheets and roll out to 1/4 inch thick. Use a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out 15 circles. You will need to re-roll the dough scraps to get this many.
6. Place cookie circles on a nonstick baking sheet. Use a cookie stamp to press images onto tops, if desired. Bake for 12 minutes.
7. Let cool on warm pan for 5 minutes before removing and placing on wire rack to cool completely.
8. For frosting, beat butter, shortening, and vanilla until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar until it is mixed in.
9. Spoon frosting into a piping bag fitted with icing tip #10. Squeeze frosting on half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies and press slightly to spread filling. Store in a loosely sealed container.