Preheat your oven to 350°F. This is an important step, as a properly heated oven ensures even baking.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will prevent your cookies from sticking and make clean-up a breeze.
Place the sanding sugar in a small bowl. You can use any color to match your holiday theme!
Take the ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough and break it apart into pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then into the sanding sugar until fully coated.
Space the coated cookie balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. This gives them enough room to spread while baking.
Bake your cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 16 minutes. Keep an eye on them; you want them to be light golden around the edges and no longer glossy in the center.
Once done, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes. This allows them to firm up a bit before you transfer them.
After cooling, carefully remove them from the sheets and store them in an airtight container. They can last up to 3 days at room temperature or be frozen for up to 3 months!
