Cotton Candy Cookies (Printable)
Light, pastel-swirled cookies with delicate cotton candy flavor, perfect for parties and celebrations.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring (or to taste)
→ Color & Finish
11 - Pink and blue gel food coloring
12 - 1/4 cup colored sprinkles (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and cotton candy flavoring until well combined and smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into two bowls. Add pink gel food coloring to one bowl and blue to the other, folding gently until pastel shades are achieved.
07 - Pinch off a small piece from each colored dough and gently press them together to form a swirled ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart. Optionally, roll each ball in sprinkles before placing.
08 - Bake for 9-11 minutes, until edges are just set and centers appear slightly underbaked.
09 - Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cotton candy flavoring melts into the butter in a way that fills your whole kitchen with that nostalgic fairground sweetness before the oven even clicks on.
- Splitting the dough into two pastel colors and pressing them together takes maybe two extra minutes but makes people think you spent hours.
02 -
- Overbaking is the enemy of soft cookies and pulling them when the centers still look a bit wet will save you from disappointment every time.
- Gel food coloring is non negotiable because liquid coloring adds moisture that turns pillowy cookies into sad little puddles.
03 -
- Chill the shaped dough balls for ten minutes in the fridge before baking to help them hold their shape and keep those pastel edges defined.
- If you cannot find cotton candy flavoring, a blend of vanilla and a drop of bubblegum extract gets you remarkably close to that carnival taste.