Cotton Candy Cookies (Print version)
Soft pastel cookies swirled with pink and blue, bursting with sweet cotton candy flavor.
# What you need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon cotton candy flavoring (adjust to taste)
→ Color & Finish
11 - Pink and blue gel food coloring
12 - 1/4 cup colored sprinkles (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and cotton candy flavoring to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully combined and smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into two separate bowls. Add pink gel food coloring to one bowl and blue gel food coloring to the other. Fold gently until each portion reaches a soft pastel shade.
07 - Pinch off a small portion from each colored dough and gently press them together to form a swirled ball. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing each ball about 2 inches apart. Optionally, roll each dough ball in sprinkles before placing on the sheet.
08 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers appear slightly underbaked. Remove from the oven promptly to maintain a soft texture.
09 - Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The swirl of pastel pink and blue dough looks like something out of a fairy tale but takes zero artistic skill to pull off.
- Cotton candy flavoring gives these a magical taste that disappears fast at any gathering.
02 -
- Gel food coloring is non negotiable because liquid coloring will make the dough sticky and cause the cookies to spread into flat puddles.
- Underbaking slightly is the key to a soft chewy center that holds up for days.
03 -
- Chill the dough for twenty minutes before shaping if your kitchen runs warm because cold dough holds its swirl pattern much better during baking.
- A light dusting of edible glitter on top right before baking makes these look absolutely otherworldly.