Preheat & prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat.

Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and light—about 2–3 minutes.

Add eggs & extracts: Mix in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully combined.

Incorporate dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together smoothly.

Roll out the dough: Lightly flour your countertop and rolling pin. Turn the dough out and roll it to about ½-inch thickness.

Add sprinkles: Evenly distribute the sprinkles over the dough and press them lightly so they stick.

Cut out cookies: Use Halloween-themed cookie cutters to create fun shapes. Carefully lift each cookie and place it on the lined baking sheet, leaving space between them.

Reuse scraps: Re-roll leftover dough, add more sprinkles if needed, and cut additional cookies. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes until the edges are just turning golden. Avoid overbaking for softer cookies.

Cool completely: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet to firm up before transferring to a cooling rack or serving plate.