Christmas Sugar Cookie with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 cups powered sugar
• 2 cups softened butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon almond extract
• food coloring of choice (optional)

Instructions:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• 2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
• 3. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and butter until smooth. Add egg and vanilla gradually, then mix in the flour mixture.
• 4. Roll the dough out with rolling pin. Use a Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter to get the tree shapes you want.
• 5. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges are golden.
• 6. Prepare the frosting: Begin by mixing together the butter and extracts until well combined. Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar into the mixture, adding it a little at a time and beating after each addition. Continue beating until you reach your desired frosting consistency. If you accidentally add too much sugar and the frosting becomes too thick, you can remedy this by adding a small amount of milk. If you wish to add color to the frosting, you can do so by blending in food coloring.
• 7. Apply the buttercream frosting to your cookies using either a spatula or a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can create a makeshift one by cutting a small corner off a Ziploc bag.