In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and continue beating on high until the mixture is well blended, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl’s sides and bottom as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix at low speed until combined. The dough should be soft. If it feels too sticky for rolling, mix in 1 more tablespoon of flour.

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place each on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a floured silicone baking mat. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out each portion to about 1/4-inch thickness. Add a little extra flour to prevent sticking, but keep the dough thickness even throughout.

Lightly dust the top of one rolled-out dough portion with flour. Place the second rolled dough (still on parchment) on top of the first. Cover both tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Carefully peel off the top dough slab. If it sticks, gently slide your hand underneath to release it. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes, rerolling scraps and cutting more cookies until all the dough is used. Do the same with the second portion. Arrange cookies on the prepared sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 11 to 12 minutes, or until the edges appear just lightly golden and set. If needed, rotate baking sheets halfway through for even baking. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling completely.

Once the cookies are completely cool, decorate with royal icing, glaze, or buttercream as you like. Add sprinkles if desired. You can color the icings with gel food coloring and use decorating tools for designs. To speed up icing set time, place decorated cookies on a baking sheet directly in the refrigerator.

Serve the cookies fresh or after the icing has set. Store plain or iced cookies covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate tightly covered for up to 10 days. For buttercream-decorated cookies, store at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.