For the cookie dough:

• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar.
• Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and almond extracts.
• Stir in the flour.  Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare baking sheets by either lining them with parchment paper or spraying them with non-stick cooking spray.
• Roll the cookie dough out on a floured surface.  The dough may be a little sticky at first, just sprinkle the top of the dough so the rolling pin doesn't stick.   Roll out to ¼ inch thick and cut out in desired shapes.  If you are going to sprinkle the cookies with sanding sugar instead of frosting, do so before baking.
• Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  Larger cookies may take longer.  The cookies shouldn't brown except for on the very bottom edges very lightly.  Cool cookies completely before frosting.