Chocolate Skeleton Cookies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup cocoa
3 - 3 1/2 cups flour
4 ounces white decorator frosting or 4 ounces royal icing

Preparation

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together.
Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
Add baking powder and salt and mix again.
Stir in the cocoa until well blended.
Add flour 1 cup at a time.
** IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE COOKIES RIGHT AWAY, ADD 3 1/2 cups flour. If you are going to \"chill\" the dough, or just wait for another day to make your cookies, STOP AT 3 cups.
Roll out on lightly floured surface to 3/8 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
Bake at 375 F for 6 1/2 minutes. Let cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.
Using a #2 tip, pipe white frosting in skeleton patterns.
Let frosting dry 24 hours before stacking.