Two Cups Flour

Cookie Dough
0 Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line a rimmed cookie sheet with two layers of parchment paper.
1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3 Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
5 Scrape the bottom and side of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is being mixed properly.
6 Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract, mix again until combined. 
7 Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly spoon in the flour mixture. Once all the flour has been added, mix on medium a couple spins until a soft cookie dough has formed.
8 Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. This dough is soft and will roll and cut better with a lightly floured surface.
9 Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with desired cookie cutter and transfer to prepared baking pan. Space the cookies 1-2 inches apart.
12 Place tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes until the cookies are set and still pale up to when the edges begin to turn lightly golden.
14 Remove cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the baking pan for about 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
15 Repeat with remaining dough. Make sure to put cookie dough on cold baking pans. Cooke dough scraps can be re-rolled and cut into additional cookies.
Decorate
18 Once the cookies are cool, decorate with royal icing or buttercream. Allow the royal icing to set before stacking cookies.