Cotton Candy Cookies
Soft, chewy cookies flavored with nostalgic cotton candy and a hint of vanilla.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus extra for rolling
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cotton candy extract or flavoring
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup pastel sprinkles or crushed cotton candy
- Optional: colored sanding sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla bean paste, and cotton candy extract to the bowl and beat on low until smooth and fully combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until no dry streaks of flour remain and a soft dough forms.
- Gently fold in the sprinkles or crushed cotton candy with a spatula until evenly distributed, being careful not to overmix.
- If the dough feels very soft or sticky, cover the bowl and chill it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to help it firm up.
- Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon portions and roll each portion into a ball between your palms.
- Roll each dough ball lightly in granulated or colored sanding sugar, then place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and just turning slightly golden and the centers look puffed but still pale.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- For the strongest but balanced cotton candy flavor, start with 1 1/2 teaspoons extract; if your brand is very strong, you can reduce it slightly next time.
- Chilling the dough helps keep the cookies thick and soft; do not skip this step if your kitchen is warm.
- For a cotton candy look, divide the dough in half and tint each half a different pastel color, then gently swirl together when shaping balls.
- You can freeze pre-portioned dough balls for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
- Chilling the dough helps keep the cookies thick and soft; do not skip this step if your kitchen is warm.
- For a cotton candy look, divide the dough in half and tint each half a different pastel color, then gently swirl together when shaping balls.
- You can freeze pre-portioned dough balls for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.