Description
Delightfully fun and whimsical, these Cotton Candy Cookies feature a soft, tender crumb infused with a sweet cotton candy flavor and swirls of pastel pink and blue. Perfect for parties or a playful treat, their subtle sweetness and unique color make them stand out on any cookie platter.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Coloring
- 3 drops pink food coloring (adjust based on brand)
- 3 drops blue food coloring (adjust based on brand)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat together the room temperature butter and white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 5 minutes using a mixer on medium speed.
- Add Egg and Extract: Incorporate the large egg and cotton candy extract into the creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly until well combined to infuse the cookie dough with the signature flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and seasonings.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined to form a cookie dough without overdeveloping gluten.
- Divide Dough: Split the dough evenly into two separate portions to prepare for coloring.
- Color the Dough: Add a few drops of pink food coloring to one portion and a few drops of blue food coloring to the other. Start with a small amount and mix thoroughly until the dough is evenly tinted but still light in color.
- Create Swirls: Take parts of each colored dough and press them together to form a large dough ball. Then tear and fold this ball multiple times to create a marbled swirl effect without fully blending the colors.
- Scoop Cookies: Using a scoop or spoon, portion the swirled dough into 3-tablespoon balls and place them onto the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, or until the bottoms just start to turn golden brown, indicating they are cooked through but still soft.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack or serving plate to set properly and maintain shape.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and better texture.
- Adjust the amount of food coloring depending on the brand to achieve the desired pastel tone without overpowering the dough.
- Be careful not to overmix when combining the dry and wet ingredients to avoid tough cookies.
- Cooling cookies on the baking sheet helps them set and prevents breaking.
- Cotton candy extract is key to achieving the unique flavor; do not substitute with vanilla.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cotton candy cookies, pastel cookies, swirled cookies, soft cookies, party cookies, flavored cookies
