If you love the whimsical, sweet flavor of cotton candy, you’re going to adore these Cotton Candy Cookies! These colorful and fun cookies bring the taste of a childhood favorite into a chewy, soft cookie. Whether you’re making them for a party, a special occasion, or just for fun, these cookies are sure to bring smiles with their delightful pastel colors and sweet, cotton candy flavor. Let’s jump into this simple and tasty recipe!
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- All-Purpose Flour (2 1/4 cups)
- Baking Powder (1 teaspoon)
- Baking Soda (1/2 teaspoon)
- Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
- Unsalted Butter (1 cup, softened)
- Granulated Sugar (3/4 cup)
- Brown Sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
- Eggs (2 large)
- Vanilla Extract (1 teaspoon)
- Cotton Candy Flavoring (1 teaspoon, or more to taste)
- Pink and Blue Gel Food Coloring (optional)
For the Decoration:
- Cotton Candy Sprinkles or Cotton Candy Flavored Candy (optional)
- Powdered Sugar (optional, for dusting)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Eggs and Flavoring: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and cotton candy flavoring. Mix until well combined.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
Step 2: Color the Dough (Optional)
- Divide the Dough: If you want colorful cookies, divide the dough into two equal parts. Add pink gel food coloring to one half and blue gel food coloring to the other, mixing each until you reach the desired color.
- Marble the Dough: Take a small piece of pink dough and a small piece of blue dough, roll them together gently to create a marbled effect. You can make them as swirly as you like or keep the colors separate for a fun look.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies
- Scoop the Dough: Scoop out about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft. Be careful not to overbake them, as you want them to stay chewy.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: Decorate and Serve
- Add Sprinkles (Optional): For extra fun, sprinkle the cookies with cotton candy sprinkles or small pieces of cotton candy-flavored candy while they are still warm.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar (Optional): You can also dust the cookies with powdered sugar for an extra touch of sweetness.
- Serve and Enjoy: Enjoy these whimsical cookies on their own or paired with cotton candy for a truly sweet experience!
Duration Time
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Baking Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Nutritional Information (per cookie, based on 24 cookies)
- Calories: 170
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
- Sodium: 95mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 23g
- Sugars: 14g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
FAQs
1. Can I use cotton candy extract instead of flavoring?
Yes, cotton candy extract is a great alternative to flavoring. Just start with a small amount (about 1/2 teaspoon) and adjust to taste.
2. How do I store leftover cookies?
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
3. Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. Just bring it to room temperature before baking.
4. Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?
Gel food coloring is preferred because it gives more vibrant colors without adding extra moisture. If you use liquid food coloring, you may need to add a bit more flour to keep the dough from becoming too wet.
5. Can I make these cookies without food coloring?
Absolutely! The food coloring is optional and won’t affect the flavor. The cookies will still have that delicious cotton candy taste without the colors.
6. How can I make these cookies gluten-free?
You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies gluten-free. Make sure all other ingredients are gluten-free as well.
7. Can I add other mix-ins to the cookies?
Yes! You can add white chocolate chips, pastel sprinkles, or cotton candy-flavored candy pieces to the dough for extra fun and flavor.
8. Can I freeze the dough?
Yes, you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
9. Can I use this dough for other flavored cookies?
Yes, the base dough is versatile and can be adapted with different flavorings such as vanilla, strawberry, or lemon for a variety of cookies.
10. How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much?
Make sure your butter is softened but not melted, and chill the dough for 20-30 minutes if your kitchen is warm. This will help prevent excessive spreading during baking.
These Cotton Candy Cookies are a whimsical and delightful treat, perfect for parties, holidays, or just because! Their soft, chewy texture combined with the fun cotton candy flavor makes them an instant hit. Enjoy the sweetness and nostalgia of cotton candy in cookie form!