• Beat the butter and cream cheese at medium speed until mixed and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Beat again until smooth and creamy, about 5 additional minutes.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, about ½ cup at a time, just until mixed.
• Shape the dough into a rectangle and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven 375 degrees. Prepare two or three large rimmed, baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Roll out the cookie dough to ½ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the edges are set and the cookies are puffed.
• Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets. Decorate as desired.
• To make easy royal icing from store bought:
• Open a can of frosting and remove the foil label completely.
• Place in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well. Repeat in 15 second increments if needed.
• Allow the icing to cool slightly before frosting the cookies.
• For piping a line around a cookie, leave the icing slightly thick so it pours from the spoon in steady plops. For an icing loose enough to flood the cookie, heat the icing until it is even and pourable.

Royal Icing Directions

• Open a can of frosting and remove the foil label completely.
• Place in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well. Repeat in 15 second increments if needed.
• Heat the icing until it is pourable
• Place cookies on a wire cooling rack onto of a baking shset. Slowly pour the melted frosting over the cookies allowing the rest of pour off.

Decorating Instructions

• To decorate:
• Apply frosting as desired to completely cooled cookies.
• While the frosting is still wet, apply the two pretzels, candy eyes and red candy nose.
• Allow icing to completely dry before storing in an airtight container.