These Cotton Candy Cookies are pure nostalgia in a bite—soft, swirled, and bursting with delightful pastel colors. Imagine the sweet, whimsical flavor of cotton candy spun into a chewy sugar cookie, with the magic of pink and blue marbled dough. If you’re craving a treat that looks as dreamy as it tastes, this recipe is about to become your new obsession!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Whimsical Swirls: The pink and blue marbled dough creates show-stopping cookies that feel straight out of a carnival.
- Unforgettable Flavor: Cotton candy extract gives these cookies a truly unique sweetness that’s both fun and nostalgic.
- Soft & Chewy Texture: With perfectly creamed butter and sugar, every bite is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Simple, Pantry Staples: No fuss or fancy equipment—just everyday ingredients with a magical twist.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These dreamy Cotton Candy Cookies come together with just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, but each one is important for that signature taste and swirl. Here’s how every addition plays its part in bringing carnival magic right into your kitchen!
- Salted Butter: Adds rich flavor along with the perfect soft texture—be sure it’s at room temperature for easy creaming.
- White Sugar: Sweetens your cookies and helps them turn out beautifully tender and chewy.
- Large Egg: Binds everything together and gives the cookies their classic soft bite.
- Cotton Candy Extract: The secret ingredient! This gives the cookies their irresistible flavor and lovely aroma.
- All Purpose Flour: Provides the structure while keeping the cookies light—remember to spoon and level for accuracy.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: A dynamic duo that ensures just the right amount of rise and softness.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out the delicate cotton candy notes.
- Pink and Blue Food Coloring: Just a few drops will create those magical pastel swirls reminiscent of carnival treats.
Variations
One of the best things about Cotton Candy Cookies is how easy they are to customize! Whether you want to tweak the colors, swap in dietary alternatives, or remix the flavor, there’s so much room to get creative and make this recipe your own.
- Gluten-Free Cotton Candy Cookies: Substitute your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to make these cookies celiac-friendly.
- Vegan Option: Use vegan butter and a flax egg and you’ll still get dreamy, pastel cookies that everyone can enjoy.
- Different Color Swirls: Try purple and teal for a unicorn theme or yellow and orange for a summery twist!
- Sprinkles Add-In: Fold in a handful of pastel sprinkles for extra color and funfetti vibes.
How to Make Cotton Candy Cookies
Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar
Using a stand mixer or large bowl with hand beaters, cream together the room temperature butter and white sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and almost cloud-like. Don’t rush this—5 minutes of mixing really makes the cookies super soft!
Step 2: Mix in Egg and Extract
Add in the large egg and cotton candy extract, then blend until completely smooth. This is where your kitchen will start to smell like a sunshiney carnival stand—seriously, it’s magical!
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour (spooned and leveled!), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This keeps everything light and guarantees your Cotton Candy Cookies have the right lift and texture.
Step 4: Form the Dough & Add Color
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mixing until just combined. Divide the dough into two equal parts—add a drop or two of pink food coloring to one half, blue to the other, and gently knead each separately until the colors are pastel and even.
Step 5: Swirl, Shape, and Bake
For those signature cotton candy swirls, pinch off sections from both colored doughs and lightly squish them together—rip and re-form a few times for that perfectly marbled effect. Scoop the dough into large 3-tablespoon balls, place on prepared baking sheets, and bake at 350°F for about 12 minutes until the bottoms are just golden. Let the cookies cool right on the tray for the softest centers!
Pro Tips for Making Cotton Candy Cookies
- Creaming for Clouds: Beat the butter and sugar for a full five minutes—this step gives your cookies that irresistibly light, fluffy texture.
- Gentle Coloring: Use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to add food dye gradually—the colors can get intense fast, so go slow for perfect pastels!
- Marble, Don’t Overmix: When swirling the doughs, be careful not to overwork them, or the colors will blend instead of swirl.
- Let Them Cool Completely: For the softest, chewiest centers, resist moving the cookies until they’re totally cool—promise, it’s worth the wait!
How to Serve Cotton Candy Cookies
Garnishes
Make these cookies even more magical with a sprinkle of pastel confetti sprinkles right after baking. For a touch of shimmer, edible glitter dust looks absolutely enchanting, especially if you’re serving Cotton Candy Cookies at a party or for birthday celebrations.
Side Dishes
Serve these with a tall glass of cold milk, a frothy strawberry milkshake, or alongside fresh fruit like strawberries or blueberries for a light, summery contrast. Their playful flavor also pairs beautifully with classic vanilla ice cream for a whimsical sundae bar!
Creative Ways to Present
Try stacking the cookies high on a tiered dessert tray, or wrap individual cookies in cellophane tied with pastel ribbons for the sweetest party favors. For birthdays or baby showers, arrange Cotton Candy Cookies in a swirl on a platter alongside mini cones of actual cotton candy—guaranteed smiles all around!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Cotton Candy Cookies keep beautifully at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To maintain maximum softness, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper.
Freezing
Both the prepared dough and the baked cookies freeze well! For dough, swirl and portion the balls, then freeze on a sheet pan before transferring to a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Baked cookies can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for about the same amount of time—just let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Reheating
If your cookies need a little softening after storage, pop them in the microwave for 8–10 seconds. They’ll taste warm and just-out-of-the-oven fresh again!
FAQs
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Where can I find cotton candy extract?
You can find cotton candy extract online, at specialty baking stores, or in the baking aisle at some well-stocked supermarkets. It’s usually sold in small bottles near the vanilla and other flavor extracts.
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Can I use gel food coloring instead of liquid?
Absolutely! Gel food coloring is actually preferred because it yields vibrant shades with less liquid, helping to keep your dough the perfect consistency. Start with a toothpick’s worth—just a little goes a long way!
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Can I make Cotton Candy Cookies smaller?
Yes! Simply use a smaller cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough and reduce the baking time to 8–10 minutes. Keep an eye out so they stay soft and don’t overbake.
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Why do my cookies sometimes come out dry?
Dry cookies usually mean too much flour was packed into the measuring cup. Be sure to spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly, and avoid overbaking for the dreamiest soft texture.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re making them for a party, a bake sale, or just to brighten up an afternoon, these Cotton Candy Cookies are guaranteed to put smiles on faces. Grab your food coloring and extract, and let’s swirl up a batch of sweetness—you’ll be amazed at how quickly they disappear!
Print
Cotton Candy Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 16 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Cotton Candy Cookies are a fun and colorful treat that are perfect for any occasion. The sweet cotton candy extract gives these cookies a unique flavor that kids and adults will love. With swirls of pink and blue dough, these cookies are as pretty as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 & 1/3 cups white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp cotton candy extract
- 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 drops pink and blue food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add egg and extract: Mix in the egg and cotton candy extract until well combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine well.
- Add food coloring: Divide dough into 2 pieces and color each with pink and blue food coloring, mixing well.
- Swirl dough: Rip off parts of each colored dough and squish them together to form a large ball. Rip the dough ball apart a few times to swirl the colors together.
- Form cookies: Scoop dough into 3 tbsp balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before moving.
Notes
- *Spoon and level flour: To properly measure flour, spoon it into a measuring cup and level off the excess with a knife.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
