Sugar Cookie Dough

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until fully combined.
3. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating until combined. If the dough still seems too soft for rolling, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a workable consistency.
4. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Keep one portion white. Add red gel food coloring to one portion and green gel food coloring to the remaining portion.

To Make Striped Cookies

1. Line a container with plastic wrap. Choose a container tall enough for the cookie cutter you plan to use and large enough to hold all the dough layers. The original recipe uses a 4 x 5 x 3-inch container.
2. Prepare 3 large sheets of parchment paper. Roll each portion of dough on a separate sheet to about ⅛-inch thickness. Measure the bottom of the container and cut rectangles of dough to fit.
3. Stack the dough rectangles in the container in red, white, and green layers. Gently press the layers together with your hands. Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to slice, at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Chilling is mandatory.
4. Once the dough is completely firm, preheat the oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
5. Remove the dough from the container. Using a large sharp knife, slice it into thin, even slices about ⅙-⅛ inch thick. Arrange the slices on a large sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour. If the stripes separate, gently press them back together with your fingers.
6. Do not slice all the dough at once because it will become sticky at room temperature. Slice only enough for one batch of cookies and keep the remaining dough refrigerated until ready to cut and bake.
7. Use a large cookie cutter to cut the cookies into shapes. Use a smaller cutter to cut out the dough around the larger shape to reduce waste. Transfer the cut cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Gather any leftover dough pieces, press them together, and cut out a few more cookies.
8. Bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies, or until the bottoms are just barely golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.