Chocolate Treasure Cookie Sandwiches

1 cup milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 box confectioner's sugar
1 cup shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING: Combine 1/2 cup milk with 5 tablespoons flour and mix to a smooth paste. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk. Cook over medium heat stirring until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool. At medium speed, beat confectioner's sugar, 1 cup shortening and 1/4 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Add cooked mixture (be sure it is cool) and continue beating until fluffy. Set aside while you bake cookies. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of filling.

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1/2 cup shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cocoa

COOKIE DOUGH: Beat 1/2 cup shortening until light. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla to mix well. Pour boiling water over cocoa and stir. Cool the cocoa mixture and add to the dough, mixing well. Add buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder & salt. Gradually add 4 cups sifted flour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls (not heaping) 1" apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake about 8 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on racks.

When cookies are cool, put them together in pairs with filling spread between. There is adequate filling to fill all cookies.