The most extraordinary Halloween Cookies made by whisking 3 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt beating 1 cup softened butter and 4 oz softened cream cheese smooth adding 1 cup sugar beating 2 minutes adding 1 room temperature egg 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract adding flour mixture on low just combined dividing into two discs wrapping and refrigerating minimum 1 hour preheating oven to 375°F rolling chilled dough to 3/8-inch on floured surface cutting Halloween shapes with cookie cutters baking 8 to 10 minutes until edges barely golden cooling completely whisking 3 cups sifted powdered sugar 3 to 4 tbsp meringue powder and 6 to 8 tbsp water until smooth glossy dividing tinting with orange black white green and purple gel food colorings piping stiffer outline icing around each shape flooding interior with thinner flood icing setting minimum 1 hour adding detail decoration with black edible marker and Halloween sprinkles. A completely perfect no-chill cream cheese Halloween sugar cookie ghost pumpkin witch hat royal icing recipe.