Sugar Cookies

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture should be airy and fluffy and slightly lighter in color.
3. Crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup. With the mixer on low, slowly add eggs to the bowl one egg at a time, allow each egg to blend in completely before adding the next. Blend in the vanilla extract, followed by the almond extract. *hint, the mixture may slightly curdle when you add the almond extract. Don't worry, it will recede once the dry ingredients are mixed in.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a smooth consistency is achieved. The dough will be soft and sticky at this point.
5. Divide the dough into three equal disks and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in refrigerator for at least an hour up to overnight. This allows the dough to develop and firm up so it's easier to to roll out.

Cream Cheese Frosting

While the dough chills, prepare the frosting. If using freeze dried strawberries:

1. Crush the freeze dried strawberries with a mortar and pestle, in a food processor or by placing them in a sealed plastic baggie and gently rolling and pounding them with a rolling pin. Keep crushing them until a fine powder is formed.
2. Next, sift the strawberry powder through a fine mesh sieve to remove any large seeds. 
3. Sift the freeze dried strawberry powder together with the powder sugar. 

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese and almond extract until completely smooth.
2. Slowly add in sifted powdered sugar mix to taste - use 3 1/2 cups for a more tangy cream cheese frosting and 4 cups for a sweeter cream cheese frosting. Alternatively, if you are using food coloring, slowly add, one small drop at a time, until you are happy with the color. Blend until color is evenly distributed throughout the frosting. Place the frosting in refrigerator until ready to use.

Bake & Decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow it to soften for a few minutes. 
2. Be sure to have cookie cutters and a rolling pin available. For large cookies, I use a 4" round and 3.5" x 4" heart shape for the large cookies. For the medium cookies, 3" round and 2.5" x 3" heart shape.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out one of the dough disks into 1/4" thickness. 
4. Cut the rolled dough with cookie cutters, place cookies closely on a lined baking sheets. Gather the scraps and re-roll and cut dough. Repeat with remaining dough disks. Place the baking sheet of cut cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up for at least 15-30 minutes while the oven preheats. At this stage you can freeze the cut cookies solid on the baking sheets. Then transfer to a tight sealing baggie and store in the freezer up to two months. 
5. Place 6 large chilled cookies per baking sheet, at least 1" apart. Bake for 12-16 minutes (depending on size) until the edges start to brown slightly. Remove from oven and cool on cookie racks.
6. Once the cookies have completely cooled, frost them liberally using a small offset spatula. Add sprinkles if desired.