As for the fat in the dough, I do use butter instead of shortening in mine, and it makes a softer dough, but if you chill it, or let it sit in the fridge wrapped in plastic for 24 hours, it firms up just fine. The filling can also be made a day or so ahead of time. In fact, the recipe I use specifically says to make the filling and dough at least a day before you bake them, and then keep the baked cookies (cooled, wrapped, at room temperature) for another day before you put the icing on! You can do it on the same day, but the cookies are softer if you mix, bake and ice them on the same day. It helps to spread the work out over a few days.

As for storing them, cookie tins lined with waxed paper have been fine for me. I just put waxed paper in between each layer of cookies (with the icing and sprinkles on and hardened) until the tin is full, make sure there’s a piece of waxed paper between the top layer of cookies and the lid, put the lid on tightly and leave the filled tin on the kitchen counter. We always eat the cookies within the month, but they have always kept perfectly well in the tin on the counter.

For those with other food allergies, I worked up a gluten-free, vegan, cane sugar-free version for my aunt and cousin this year. It needs a few tweaks to be perfect, but they loved it! The recipe is on my blog, The Cup That Cheers.