Cotton Candy Cookies Recipe – Fun & Colorful Treats Recipe
These Cotton Candy Cookies are fun, colorful treats that bring the nostalgic flavor of cotton candy into a soft, swirled cookie. Featuring vibrant pink and blue doughs swirling together, these cookies are a delightful blend of classic sugar cookie flavors with a whimsical twist. Perfect for parties, special occasions, or when you want a playful, sweet snack, these cookies are easy to make and sure to impress.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coloring and Flavor
- Gel food coloring (pink and blue)
- Cotton candy flavoring (optional, for an added burst of cotton candy flavor)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy, which is key for the cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until smooth and creamy.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid making the cookies tough.
- Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough evenly into two bowls. Add pink gel food coloring to one and blue to the other. Mix each until the color is evenly incorporated.
- Form Cookies with Swirled Dough: Take small amounts of pink and blue dough, roll them together into balls and gently swirl to create a cotton candy effect. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Monitor closely to prevent overbaking.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without affecting dough texture.
- If dough is too soft, chill it for 20-30 minutes to make shaping easier.
- When combining colored doughs, gently swirl rather than fully mixing to maintain the colorful cotton candy effect.
Keywords: cotton candy cookies, colorful cookies, fun cookies, party treats, sugar cookies, swirled cookies