Description
These Cotton Candy Cookies are a fun and easy recipe with soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and dreamy pastel swirls that make them perfect for party desserts, holiday baking, easy snack ideas, and colorful food ideas when you want a quick sweet treat everyone will remember.
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
pink gel food coloring
blue gel food coloring
yellow gel food coloring
1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and almond extract if using.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
6. Divide the dough evenly into three bowls and tint one pink, one blue, and one yellow with gel food coloring.
7. Pinch small pieces from each color, press them together, and gently roll into balls without overmixing the shades.
8. Roll each dough ball in the extra granulated sugar.
9. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
10. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
11. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Chill the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm to help the cookies keep their shape.
Use gel food coloring instead of liquid coloring for brighter pastel shades and better dough texture.
Do not overbake the cookies if you want the centers to stay soft and tender.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 28mg