1. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy and pale.

2. Mix in egg, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet in two additions until a soft dough forms.

5. Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill 1 hour.

6. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.

7. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

8. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and place on prepared sheets.

9. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges look lightly golden.

10. Cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool fully.

11. Make icing: whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder, then add water gradually until stiff peaks form.

12. Set thick icing for outlines; thin some with water for flooding that smooths in about 10 seconds.

13. Outline cooled cookies with thick icing, then flood interiors with thin icing.

14. Let cookies dry, then add details and sprinkles as desired.

15. Allow decorated cookies to dry 4 to 6 hours before stacking.