To Make:

In your mixing bowl, mix 1/4 cup shortening and 1/4 cup of butter, both softened with 1 cup of sugar and 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

After it is beat well, add 1 teaspoon of almond extract.

In a separate bowl, sift your 2 and 1/2 cups of flour with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixing bowl at a medium speed for 3-4 minutes until well mixed.

Take the sugar cookie dough and wrap it in saran wrap and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

To Bake:

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/16″ thick

Cut the cookies to your desired shape using cookie cutters.

Spray the cookie sheets with Pam and place the cookies on the sheets and bake for 6-8 minutes (depends on your oven, so check on that first batch in the oven like a hawk) until only ever so slightly browned on the edges.

Immediately remove from the cookie sheets and place on a cooling rack. Wait to frost until completely cooled.

Frosting:

In your mixing bowl, mix 1/2 stick of butter softened with 3 cups of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of vanilla.

Beat until nice and creamy with peaks. Add food coloring, sprinkles and anything to decorate that is edible.

When cookies are cooled, frost and decorate.

Enjoy your perfect sugar cookies!