Conversation Heart Cookies

To prepare cookies: Whisk flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Place butter, sugar and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg; beat until well combined. Add lemon extract; beat until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, beating until dough forms.

Shape the dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface; roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4 1/4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 16 cookies, re-rolling the scraps as necessary. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

To prepare icing: Sift confectioners' sugar and dried egg whites together in a medium bowl. Stir in water, corn syrup and lemon extract until smooth. Divide among 5 bowls (about 1/4 cup icing per bowl); stir 1 to 2 drops of food coloring into each portion until desired colors are achieved. Reserve 1 bowl of icing for writing messages on the cookies, adding 6 to 8 drops of red to make dark pink icing for writing. (To prevent the icing from drying out, keep it covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) You may need to add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon water to thin the icing to the proper consistency. When ready to decorate, spoon each icing into a pastry bag with a writing tip. Outline the edges of the cookie and fill with the desired color. Let dry for 1 hour. Pipe on conversation heart message of choice.