Cotton Candy Cookies
150kcal
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- to taste gel food coloring (pink and blue)
- to taste cotton candy flavoring (optional)
Method
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Mix until smooth, adding cotton candy flavoring if desired.
- Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mix and stir until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts and add pink gel color to one part and blue gel color to the other. Mix each until color is even.
- Take small pieces from each color, press them together briefly to stick, and roll into 1-inch balls. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Baking
- Bake for 9–12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
For best results, use gel food coloring for bright shades without thinning the dough. If dough is sticky, chill for 15–30 minutes before shaping. Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies. Add cotton candy flavor gradually since it is strong. For a soft texture, avoid overbaking.