Description
Sweet cotton candy cookies bring nostalgic carnival memories to classic dessert lovers. Pastel-colored treats deliver whimsical sugar-spun flavor with playful sprinkle accents that delight both children and adults.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cotton candy extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cotton candy sprinkles (or colorful nonpareils)
- Optional: pink and blue gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat Setup: Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat, creating an ideal baking environment.
- Base Mixture: Whip softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until the mixture transforms into a fluffy, aerated consistency, establishing a rich foundation.
- Flavor Infusion: Blend egg, vanilla, and cotton candy extracts into the butter mixture, ensuring a smooth, homogeneous incorporation of flavors.
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together, creating a uniform dry ingredient blend.
- Dough Formation: Merge dry ingredients with wet mixture, gently folding until just combined, then introduce cotton candy sprinkles, distributing them delicately throughout the dough.
- Color Technique (Optional): Divide dough into two portions, tinting one pink and the other blue, then softly swirl to create a mesmerizing marbled effect.
- Shaping and Positioning: Craft uniform dough balls and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Baking Process: Slide the sheet into the preheated oven, baking for 8-10 minutes until edges set and centers remain slightly tender.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before presenting these whimsical, cotton candy-inspired delights.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Stop stirring the dough as soon as dry ingredients blend with wet ingredients to maintain soft, tender cookie texture.
- Control Color Swirling: When creating marbled effect, gently fold pink and blue doughs together using minimal strokes to keep distinct color patterns.
- Manage Sprinkle Distribution: Fold cotton candy sprinkles delicately to prevent breaking or crushing, ensuring even spread throughout the dough.
- Precise Baking Time: Watch cookies closely during 8-10 minute baking window; remove when edges are set but centers remain slightly soft for perfect chewy consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 158
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg