Description
Sweet cotton candy cookies bring whimsical childhood memories dancing across delicate, pastel-colored treats. Delightful confections blend nostalgic flavors with playful sugar-spun magic that delights dessert enthusiasts and sparks pure joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113 grams)
- 1 large egg
Sugars:
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (100 grams)
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cotton candy sprinkles (or colorful nonpareils)
- Optional: Pink and blue gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by heating the oven to 350F (175C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Create a creamy base by whipping softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until the mixture becomes airy and light.
- Incorporate egg, vanilla, and cotton candy extracts into the butter mixture, blending thoroughly until smooth and uniform.
- In a separate container, gently combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt using a whisk.
- Gradually integrate the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring carefully to prevent overmixing.
- Introduce cotton candy sprinkles into the dough, folding them delicately to distribute evenly.
- Optional color technique: Separate the dough into two portions, tinting one pink and the other blue, then softly swirl the colors to create a marbled appearance.
- Form uniform cookie portions by scooping tablespoon-sized dough and rolling into smooth balls.
- Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, maintaining approximately 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for set edges and slightly underbaked centers.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to stabilize, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Once completely cooled, serve and relish these whimsical, cotton candy-inspired treats.
Notes
- Precision matters when measuring extracts to ensure the cotton candy flavor shines without overwhelming the cookie’s sweetness.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading and maintain the cookies’ shape.
- Use clear cotton candy extract for the most authentic flavor without changing the cookie’s color.
- For gluten-free options, swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend to maintain the same soft texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg