Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, and beat to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients, and beat until dough is thoroughly combined.

Using a 1/4-ounce ice-cream scoop, drop dough onto Silpats or parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch between cookies. Dip the bottom of a glass in sugar, and use it to flatten cookies; they should be about 1/8-inch thick. Bake, rotating the baking sheets once, until cookies are firm, about 9 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Make the Vanilla Cream Filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening until combined. Gradually add confectioners sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. (

Makes about 1 cup)

Assemble cookies: Using a pastry bag fitted with a coupler, pipe about 1 teaspoon of filling onto the bottoms of half the cookies. Press the bottoms of remaining cookies onto filling, creating sandwiches.

This recipe yields about 40 cookies.

Yield: 40 cookies

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.