Candy Corn Cookies

• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter and 1/4 cup cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer until smooth.
• Next, add 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.
• Add in 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and 1 tsp almond extract (optional). Mix on a medium speed until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• Then, add 2 cups flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp fine salt, and 1/4 tsp baking powder to the butter mixture and mix at a low speed until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is properly mixed together.
• At this point, the dough should still be pretty sticky. Divide the dough into three equal-sized portions. Leave one uncolored, and use gel food coloring to color one portion yellow, and the other orange. Wrap each portion of dough in a piece of plastic wrap. I like to flatten the dough out into a rectangle that's about 1/3 inch tall to make it easier to roll out once it's chilled. Try to make sure the cookie dough portions are similar in size to make it easier to stack them together later.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes, in the freezer for 10 minutes, or in the fridge overnight. If you chill the dough overnight, let it sit out at room temperature for about 5 minutes before trying to roll it out. This will make it easier to roll out.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C for about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough, and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
• Unwrap each portion of cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap flat on your counter. We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and to make it easier to cut the cookies. Lightly dust the top of each portion of cookie dough and the rolling pin with flour.
• Roll out each portion of chilled dough to be 1/4 inch thick (I use these bands on my rolling pin which are so helpful at rolling the dough to a consistent thickness) and then stack the dough in the following order: yellow, orange, white. Use the rolling pin to gently roll over the three layers of cookie dough to make sure they stick together.
• Use a large, sharp kitchen knife to cut strips of cookie dough that are about 1/3 inch wide (yes, if you have a ruler I recommend using it!). Then cut tall, narrow triangles out of the strips similar to the photos above. They might look small when you cut them, but they will puff up a bit once they're baked.
• If desired, the cookies can be tossed in granulated sugar. It will make them look slightly less realistic, but will also give them a hint of sweetness and a crunchy outside.
• Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. The cookies won't really spread much as they bake.
• Chill the cookies (pan and all) one more time in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help them keep their shape as they bake.
• Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Bake for 8-12 minutes on the middle rack of your oven (bake time can vary a lot based on the size and thickness of the cookies). Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake more evenly. Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown. I like to poke one of the cookies to test for doneness. The outside should be slightly firm like it has a soft crust. It's ok if it's still a little bit soft, but it should not be soft like dough and you shouldn't leave a big fingerprint. When in doubt, err on the side of undercooking! The cookies will continue to firm up on the pan as they cool.
• Let the baked cookies cool fully on the pan, then enjoy!