Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Do not line your baking trays with parchment paper or grease them. Leave them bare.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and caster sugar together on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy.

Add the room temperature egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Beat again for another minute until everything is well combined and the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. The dough should be soft and pliable.

For the best results, wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape without making the dough too stiff to press.

Load the slightly chilled dough into your cookie press, fitted with your desired disc.

Hold the press flat against the cool, ungreased baking tray. Squeeze the trigger firmly to press out one cookie. Lift the press straight up. Repeat, spacing the cookies about 3-4 cm apart. What works best for me is a confident, single press for each cookie.

Decorate the unbaked cookies with your chosen sprinkles or coloured sugars.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a pale golden brown. The centres should still be quite pale.

Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 2-3 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.