In a medium bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, cornstarch and xanthan gum. Set aside.

Cream butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer.

Mix in egg, vanilla, almond extract and salt and beat until mixed well.

Gradually add in flour (1/2 cup at a time) and mix after each addition. Be sure not to over mix. I use the electric mixer for the first 2 cups of flour and then hand mix the last 1/2 cup.

Then, bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes or until cookie all the way through. The cookie should not brown, but the edges can be slightly browned (that’s a good indication it’s done). Cool on a wire rack.

In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder and water.

Mix for 7-10 minutes, until the ingredients are well blended and the icing has a matte finish. This is the base consistency. I usually add about 1 tsp more of water for a good icing consistency (I use a 15 second rule) This means that when you drizzle icing over the bowl of royal icing then the icing will flow back in with the rest of the icing in 15 seconds. If you need to thin it out more then add more water. If you need to thicken it add more powdered sugar.

To decorate the cookie, I used a square cookie cutter.

Outline the cookie using pink icing (15 second icing) in a pastry bag fitted with a number 2 or number 3 tip.

Flood the cookies with pink icing (15 second icing) and allow to dry completely.

Once dry, make the cactus shape with 15 second green icing. Allow to dry and then add cactus needles with green icing in a pastry bag using a number 2 tip (I used number 3 in the video and number 2 in the photos and decided I like the number 2 tip better for this).

Allow to dry.