In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter until creamed. Add in the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until fully combined.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add half the flour to the creamed butter, mix, and repeat for the rest of the flour.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. On parchment paper, roll the dough out until its about ¼ inch thick. Cover with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Once the dough has chilled and firmed up, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keep one of the rolled out cookie batters in the refrigerator to work on one at a time. Batter will warm up very quickly while working with it and its much easier to be cutting out shapes from very cold and firm dough. If your dough warms up, place it in the freezer for a few minutes while working on the other batch.

You can either cut out your shapes and place the parchment paper its already on directly onto your baking sheet or transfer them with a spatula to the baking sheet. Re-roll the leftover dough into ¼ inch thickness and continue cutting until all the dough is used.

Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the cookies are lightly colored around the edges. They will be soft when taking them off, so be careful. Allow cookies to cool on wire racks completely before icing.

For the icing, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. If its too thick, add in ½ tbsp more water. If its too thin, add in a tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar. Separate into smaller bowls and mix in desired food coloring.

Decorate the cooled cookies however you like and leave the frosting to harden for at least 12 hours. You don’t need to cover the cookies as the icing sets.