• In a mixing bowl, cream room temperature butter.
• Slowly add powdered sugar and beat for 4-5 minutes. This allows the butter and sugar to get some air in it which helps make your cookies soft.
• Beat a room temperature egg and add half to the butter and powdered sugar bowl. Add vanilla and almond extract and blend.
• Whisk salt and flour in a bowl, add to main ingredients and mix.
• Place on plastic wrap and flatten slightly. Chill for 1 hour or overnight.

Cutting out your dough into shapes

• Dust your surface with flour and roll chilled dough 1/4-1/2 inch. Thicker cookies will be softer.
• Dip each cookie cutter in a small bowl of powdered sugar and cut out your shapes. Pick up extra dough and roll and cut again until all the dough is gone. Transfer each to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake until the edges set and the center is slightly puffy. Do not let the edge get any color or your cookies will be hard.
• Remove sturdier shapes with a spatula. For more delicate shapes, place edge of baking sheet on cooling rack and tilt slightly. Grab your parchment paper and slide off onto rack. Remove once cookies have cooled completely.
• Decorate with butter frosting, sprinkles, icing or colored sugars.
• The quantity of cookies you get will depend on cookie cutter size and thickness of dough.
• Store in an air tight container for up to two weeks.