Beat butter and sugar until smooth. (Cover your mixer with a damp towel to keep powder from covering your surrounding area.)

Add in vanilla and almond extract with the egg.

Combine dry ingredients and stir in.

Wrap up 1/3 of the batter in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Repeat with remaining dough. It can also be placed in the freezer to bake at a later time.

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

Roll out 1 packet on a lightly floured surface or a silicon mat. Roll to 1/3 inch thickness and cut snowflake shapes. Place shapes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicon baking sheet and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes depending on the size. Remove from oven and let sit for 2 minutes before transferring to cool on a wire rack.

Cream the shortening and vanilla extract in a stand mixer for best results. Gradually alternate the sugar and milk until you have reached a thick, frosting consistency. Divide the batch of buttercream in half. One half will remain white, the second half will be colored blue.

Remove half from the white and add in another tablespoon of milk to thin it out. Transfer to a prepared piping bag with a Wilton No.3 tip.

Transfer the remaining white frosting to a prepared piping bag with a Wilton No.18 tip.

Color the remaining remaining frosting to a light pale blue. This was achieved using the Wilton Color Right system of 1 drop blue and ½ drop brown.

Remove half the blue buttercream and add an additional tablespoon of milk to thin it out. Transfer to a prepared piping bag with a Wilton No.3 tip.

Transfer the remaining blue frosting to a prepared piping bag with a Wilton No.22 tip.

Easy decorations : Pipe out the thicker frosting on a cookie and use an offset spatula to spread out the buttercream. Add sprinkles to decorate. The kids love this technique.

Moderate decorations : Pipe out a snowflake design with the thinner buttercream and add pearls and sugar to make them “sparkle”. Be sure to press the pearls into the frosting to be sure that they will stick once the buttercream dries.

Advanced decorations : If you’re comfortable piping shells, take the thicker frosting with the No.18 or No.22 tip and pipe shells on the tips of the snowflakes. Add pearls and sprinkles to decorate using your tweezers to help place the pearls exactly where you want them.