Slice + Bake Cookies!

There's something magical about slice and bake cookies during the holidays. Maybe it's the way those colorful rounds transform into festive shapes in the oven, or how the house fills with that buttery, vanilla-scented warmth. For many of us, those memories of arranging perfect little circles on cookie sheets are woven right into the fabric of our Christmas traditions.

I remember the excitement of those store-bought cookies as a kid- But here's the thing: when you flip over that package and read the ingredient list, it's hard to ignore what's actually in there. Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, TBHQ, and a whole lineup of additives that have nothing to do with actual cookies. What should be simple—butter, flour, sugar, eggs—becomes a chemistry experiment designed for maximum shelf life.

The good news? You can absolutely recreate that same slice-and-bake magic at home, with ingredients you can actually pronounce. Your kids will still get those festive shapes, that anticipation of slicing through the dough, and the joy of eating their favorite cookies at Christmastime—but this time, you'll know exactly what went into them. Plus, they taste so much better when they're made with real butter and vanilla.

Ready to make your own? Here's the recipe!

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