Cotton Candy Cookies (Printable)
Soft pastel-swirled cookies with cotton candy flavor, perfect for parties and celebrations.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
10 - 1/2 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring
→ Coloring & Garnish
11 - Pink and blue gel food coloring
12 - 1/2 cup cotton candy (for garnish and extra flavor)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the 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. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
04 - Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and cotton candy flavoring to the butter mixture. Beat until smooth and well combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into two bowls. Add a few drops of pink gel food coloring to one half and blue to the other. Mix each until the color is uniform throughout.
07 - Pinch off a small amount of dough from each colored half and gently roll them together in your palms to form a 1.5-inch ball with a swirled marbled pattern. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still feel soft.
09 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - Just before serving, top each cookie with a small tuft of cotton candy for a whimsical presentation. Serve immediately, as the cotton candy dissolves quickly.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The marbled pink and blue dough looks like something out of a storybook, and kids lose their minds over them.
- That subtle cotton candy flavoring tucked into a buttery cookie is unexpectedly sophisticated, not just sweet.
02 -
- Gel food coloring is the only way to get those vivid pastel swirls without turning your dough into soup.
- That cotton candy garnish dissolves within minutes on a humid day, so add it at the very last second.
03 -
- Clear vanilla extract keeps the dough base as white as possible so your food coloring shines brighter.
- Chill the dough balls for fifteen minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm and the butter feels too soft.