Creating your own batch of Italian Christmas Cookies is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly every time:

1. Preheat the Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a dough forms.
6. Chill Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
7. Shape Cookies: Once chilled, remove the dough and roll it out on a floured surface. Use cookie cutters to create your desired shapes.
8. Place on Baking Sheet: Arrange the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
9. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
10. Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
11. Make Icing: While the cookies cool, prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar with milk until smooth. Add food coloring if desired.
12. Decorate: Once the cookies are completely cooled, drizzle or spread the icing on top and sprinkle with colorful decorations.

Following these steps will lead you to a batch of delightful Italian Christmas Cookies that are perfect for any holiday occasion.