Instructions

1. Do not preheat your oven. You will refrigerate this dough for about an hour before baking.
2. First, cream together the butter and sugar. Once thoroughly creamed together, add in softened cream cheese and mix until smooth and no chunks of cream cheese remain.
3. Add in the egg yolk, vanilla, and red food coloring until well incorporated. Make sure there are no pockets of dye remaining. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. Add to wet ingredients in three additions. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue to mix until well combined and dough becomes thick.
5. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm up. This will make it easier to roll out, prevent breakage when transferring your cut dough to your baking sheet, and reduce spread in the oven.
6. Once chilled, preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line your baking pans with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
7. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour on your table or work surface. Use your hands and spread the flour to ensure all areas have flour. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the table, and help your cut cookie dough pieces retain their shape when picking them up from the table.
8. You will also want to apply some flour onto your rolling pin, and place some flour in a flat container so you can dip your cookie cutters between each use. Dipping your cookie cutters will prevent warping or tearing the dough when removing the cutter from the dough.
9. Roll out the dough into a 1/4″ thick layer, and cut out your cookies. Transfer you cut cookies and place onto your prepared cookie pans. These cookies do not spread so you can safely place them 1″ apart without fear of them running into each other.
10. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until set around the edges, but still a little soft in the center.
11. Cool completely and then frost with Royal Icing or Easy Powdered Sugar Icing.