Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment.

Step 2

, In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

, In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese (if you're using it) until light and fluffy.

Step 4

, Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts, and the egg; scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Step 5

, Add the flour mixture, and mix at low to medium speed until the mixture is evenly moistened.

Step 6

, Place the 3/4 cup (149g) sugar in a large plastic bag, or in a shallow pan. Scoop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the sugar, rolling them in the pan or gently shaking them in the bag to coat them with the sugar.

Step 7

, Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2" between them. Using a flat-bottomed glass, flatten the cookies to about 1/4" thick.

Step 8

, Bake for 10 to 12 minutes — 10 minutes for softer cookies, 12 minutes for crunchier. The edges of the cookies will just barely begin to brown.

Step 9

, Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a rack to finish cooling completely.