Description
Bright, beautiful, and blissfully soft, these Fluffy Cotton Candy Cookies are a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Inspired by the whimsy of fairground sweets, they swirl vibrant pastel hues with a melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie base. These easy cookies are perfect for a quick dessert, birthday celebration, or a fun weekend bake with the kids. With a rich vanilla flavor, delicate crunch from sparkling sugar, and colors that pop, they’re one of those easy recipes that instantly become food ideas you’ll want to revisit. Whether you’re searching for a creative snack, easy dessert, or fun baking project, these cookies deliver on color, flavor, and joy.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pink food coloring
Blue food coloring
Purple food coloring
½ cup sanding sugar (optional, for coating)
Instructions
1. Beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
2. Add the granulated sugar and mix until light and creamy.
3. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
6. Divide the dough into three parts and color each with pink, blue, and purple food coloring.
7. Swirl the colored dough pieces together gently to create a marbled effect.
8. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls and roll in sanding sugar if desired.
9. Place on a lined baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
10. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes until edges are set.
11. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
Avoid overmixing the colored dough to maintain distinct swirls.
Use gel food coloring for vibrant shades without thinning the dough.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: cookies, easy dessert, fun baking, colorful cookies, cotton candy, cream cheese cookies