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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Cotton Candy Cookies

    Published: Feb 7, 2023 · Modified: Aug 21, 2024 by Eileen Murphy Kelly

    Jump to Recipe
    A Pinterest pin with text overlay for a cotton candy cookie.

    These Cotton Candy Cupcakes are so stinkin’ cute and perfect for any party! They are fluffy, pink, and blue like cotton candy, and the best part is that they actually taste like cotton candy too! This is the perfect copycat for the cookies at a large cookie chain.

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    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🔪 Ingredients
    • 🍲 Equipment
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • ⭐ Storage
    • 💭 Expert Tips
    • 📋 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥗 Serving Suggestions
    • 🍽 Similar recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • These Cotton Candy Cookies are fluffy and have a great cotton candy flavor.
    • And, they're perfect for any party or get-together.
    • They are also easy to make and don't require any special ingredients.

    🔪 Ingredients

    • unsalted butter, room temperature
    • canola oil
    • granulated white sugar
    • confectioners sugar
    • large egg
    • heavy whipping cream
    • cotton candy extract
    • all-purpose flour
    • corn starch
    • Kosher salt
    • baking powder

    Cotton Candy Frosting

    • unsalted butter, softened
    • confectioners sugar
    • heavy whipping cream
    • cotton candy extract
    • pink gel food coloring
    • sky blue gel food coloring
    • pink nerd candy
    • purple nerd candy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    🍲 Equipment

    • Disposable Piping Bags
    • large round decorating tip
    • Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
    • silicone baking mat
    • Cookie Scoops
    • food scale, optional

    🔪 Instructions

    This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.

    Steps to make cotton candy cookies.
    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats.
    2. Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and beat the butter, oil, sugar, and confectioners sugar until combined.
    3. Beat in the egg, cotton candy extract, and heavy whipping cream until combined
    4. Mix dry ingredients; in a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder.
    5. Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet and continue beating until a dough forms.
    6. Using a medium cookie scoop and food scale (optional)scoop out a small amount of dough and weigh it. You want your dough to be 2.2oz or close to make 12 equal size cookies.
    7. Roll the cookie dough into a ball and place it on the cookie sheet, pressing into a thick disk.
    8. Repeat steps until you have 6 even-size cookie dough disks on your cookie trays Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
    9. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire cooling wrack while you make the frosting.

    Cotton Candy Frosting

    1. Use a standing mixer with beaters attached, beat the butter, confectioners sugar, heavy whipping cream, and cotton candy extract until creamy.
    2. Split the frosting between two small bowls.
    3. Mix in 3 drops of the pink gel food coloring into 1 bowl of frosting,
    4. Mix in 3 drops of the sky blue gel food coloring into the second bowl of frosting.
    5. Scoop the pink frosting onto 1 side of the piping bag and the blue frosting onto the other side of the piping bag.
    6. Then pipe swirls around each cookie and sprinkles some pink and purple nerd candies on top.
    7. Cookies are ready to serve.
    Copycat Crumbl Cotton Candy Cookies in a pile.

    ⭐ Storage

    Store these in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

    You can also freeze these cookies. I like to freeze them without the frosting, and then thaw and add the frosting when I’m ready to serve them.

    To Freeze: place cookies on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 1 hour. Then place them in a freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months.

    Thawing: Place frozen cookies on the counter for 30 minutes, then add the frosting.

    💭 Expert Tips

    Expert Tip:If your frosting is too thick, you can add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

    • If your frosting is too thin, you can add more confectioners' sugar ¼ cup at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
    • Be careful not to overmix the dough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
    • I use a small cookie scoop to get evenly-sized cookies. If you don't have one, you can use a tablespoon or your hands to roll the dough into balls.
    • For perfectly even cookies, you can weigh the cookie dough with a cookie scale so that it is all the same size.

    📋 Frequently Asked Questions

    What does the cotton candy cookie taste like?

    These cookies have a light and fluffy texture with a sweet vanilla flavor. The cotton candy frosting is slightly tangy and has a strong cotton candy flavor.

    Do I need to use a cookie scoop?

    No, you don't need to use a cookie scoop, but it does make the cookies more uniform in size.

    What is the best cotton candy extract?

    I get a lot of questions about what brand of cotton candy extract I use, and the answer is Lorann Oils. It’s a concentrated oil, so a little goes a long way. You can find it on Amazon or at your local craft store.

    📖 Variations

    • If you want to change up the flavor of these cookies, you can use any extract that you like in the frosting.
    • You could also change the food coloring to the frosting to make it any color that you want.
    • If you want to make these cookies without the frosting, you can just leave it off. They will still be delicious!
    • For a fun twist, you could add sprinkles to the dough before baking.

    🥗 Serving Suggestions

    • Linguine with White Clam Sauce is a perfect meal for any weeknight and so easy for a dinner party.  This is a special meal that you can serve before you enjoy these flavorful cookies.
    • This Simple Arugula Salad is a peppery and crunchy salad with sweet corn and juicy tomatoes, sprinkled with bold blue cheese. It is always my go-to side dish when I need something delicious but simple.
    • Are you looking for a flavorful drink that is both sweet and refreshing? Look no further than this Strawberry Iced Tea recipe. It's a light fruity drink that the whole family will love.
    Cotton Candy Cookies on a plate.

    🍽 Similar recipes

    • These Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are fabulous peanut butter base cookies with a decadent chocolate kiss center. You will love this classic cookie recipe.
    • These Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies are so simple to make you only need a few ingredients, and they bake in just 10 minutes.
    • Crumbl Heath Bar Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of Heath toffee bits. They are the perfect cookie for any occasion!

    I love any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below.

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    Thank you for your continued support. I am forever grateful.

    Eileen  xo

    If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

    If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    📖 Recipe

    Cotton candy cookies stacked up.

    Cotton Candy Cookies

    Enjoy this copycat cookies Cotton Candy Cookie recipe from a popular cookie chain at home any time. These cookies are pretty, sweet, and crunchy.
    Print (Email Required) Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Baking
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cotton candy cookie, cotton candy cookies, crumbl cotton candy cookie
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    cool time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 cookies
    Calories: 481kcal
    Author: Eileen Kelly

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

    Equipment Needed:

    • As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
    • Disposable Piping Bags
    • large round decorating tip
    • Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
    • silicone baking mat
    • Ice Cream/Cookie Scoops, various sizes
    • food scale, optional

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • ¼ cup canola oil
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 Tablespoons confectioners sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
    • 1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
    • 2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
    • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder

    Cotton Candy Frosting

    • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 2 cups confectioners sugar
    • 4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
    • 3 teaspoon cotton candy extract
    • pink gel food coloring
    • sky blue gel food coloring
    • pink nerd candy
    • purple nerd candy

    Save the Recipe?

    Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox to view anytime. Plus the bonus of regular recipes to you for inspiration!

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F, line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats.
    • Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, sugar, and confectioners sugar until combined.
    • Beat in the egg, cotton candy extract, and heavy whipping cream until combined
    • Mix dry ingredients; in a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, salt, and baking powder.
    • Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet and continue beating until a dough forms.
    • Using a medium cookie scoop and food scale (optional)scoop out a small amount of dough and weigh it. You want your dough to be 2.2oz or close to make 12 equal size cookies.
    • Roll the cookie dough into a ball and place it on the cookie sheet, pressing into a thick disk.
    • Repeat steps until you have 6 even-size cookie dough disks on your cookie trays Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
    • Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire cooling wrack while you make the frosting.

    Cotton Candy Frosting

    • Use a standing mixer with beaters attached, beat the butter, confectioners sugar, heavy whipping cream, and cotton candy extract until creamy.
    • Split the frosting between two small bowls.
    • Mix in 3 drops of the pink gel food coloring into 1 bowl of frosting,
    • Mix in 3 drops of the sky blue gel food coloring into the second bowl of frosting.
    • Scoop the pink frosting onto 1 side of the piping bag and the blue frosting onto the other side of the piping bag.
    • Pipe swirls around each cookie and sprinkle some pink and purple nerd candies on top.
    • Cookies are ready to serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 823IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Everyday_Eileen or tag #everydayeileen!

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    Thank you for sharing!

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