Easy cotton candy cookies recipe with cake mix. These crispy, chewy sugar cookies are topped with buttercream frosting plus pink and blue candy. Great for serving at kids birthday parties or using up Halloween leftovers!
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There is something about carnival food that stirs up all these feelings of childhood nostalgia, just like this Homemade Funnel Cake or even these Chocolate Caramel Apples. Today's crispy cookies have a strong vanilla flavor, which balances out the sweetness from the toppings perfectly. They are awesome to serve at a carnival themed birthday party along with this stunning Cotton Candy Cake (With Cake Mix) and these Cotton Candy Cupcakes.
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Key ingredients
- Sugar cookies- I like to use small cut out cookies with vanilla flavor.
- Buttercream frosting- Color it pink with gel colors.
- Cotton candy- I used the classic pink and blue colors but you can use whatever color and flavor you like.
Variations
- Cotton candy Oreos- Make things even easier. Replace the chocolate cookie with store-bought Oreos and then add the toppings. You can even add the cotton candy toppings to these Chocolate Covered Oreos (Dipped Oreos).
- Try other store-bought cookies- Such as graham crackers, chocolate chip cookies, gingersnaps, sugar cookies, sandwich cookies.
- Make homemade cookies from scratch instead of a cake mix- Try this Small Batch of Sugar Cookies or these Easy Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies. Both of these recipes are simple to make and delicious!
- Pair with another frosting- Such as Brown Sugar Frosting or Best Sugar Cookie Frosting or even Marshmallow Frosting or even this Easy Sour Cream Frosting (Vanilla).
- Try jams and nut butters- Replace frosting with peanut butter, almond butter, Biscoff, Nutella, marshmallow fluff or even Strawberry Jam. You can even make cookie sandwiches with these fillings. Then, add the buttercream plus cotton candy topping.
- Add other toppings- Such as sprinkles, crushed candy bars, chopped up nuts, mini chocolate chips or drizzle some melted white chocolate or Chocolate Ganache (2 Ingredients).
- Decorate- With Fondant Flowers or Easy Fondant Bows or Wafer Paper Flowers.
- Try other colors and flavors of cotton candy- There is so much variety these days. Choose anything you like!
How to make easy cotton candy cookies recipe with cake mix?
- Bake cookies- Allow them to cool to room temperature.
- Ice cookies- With pink buttercream icing.
- Stick cotton candy- Do this just before serving to prevent them from dissolving into the icing.
Tips and techniques
- Make sure all ingredients are room temperature- Because they blend together smoothly and evenly.
- Serve immediately- Once the toppings have been added, especially the cotton candy, it's best to enjoy as soon as possible to prevent the cotton candy from dissolving.
- Don't assemble warm cookies- Because the icing will melt. Also, cotton candy will dissolve and melt into a sticky mess.
- Chill cookie dough- Because it prevents cookies from over-spreading during baking.
- Line baking tray with parchment paper- Because it prevents cookies from sticking to pan and makes clean up easy too.
- Don't over-bake cookies- Because they become dry and hard.
- Don't under-bake cookies- Because they will be raw in the center.
Another idea with chocolate cookies
- Bake chocolate cake mix cookies- Allow them to cool completely.
- Add toppings- This includes marshmallow fluff and cotton candy.
- Serve immediately- And enjoy.
Storage
- Refrigerate- Frosted cookies can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, cotton candy must be added, just prior to serving, to prevent it from dissolving.
- Freeze- Frosting and cookies can be stored in separate sealed containers for up to 1 month. When you are ready to enjoy this treat, let it all thaw and assemble.
- Room temperature- Frosted cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Cotton candy must be added just before serving to keep it from dissolving into the icing.
More fun cookies for kids
- Froot Loops Chocolate Cookies
- Crispy Rainbow Sugar Cookies
- Easy Fall Cookies (Leaf Cookies)
- Funfetti Cookies (Cut Out Recipe)
- Easy Turkey Cookies
- Acorn Cookies
- Snowflake Cookies
- Snowman Cookies (Snowman Oreos)
- Emoji Cookies (Emoji Oreos)
Recipe
Cotton Candy Cookies (With Cake Mix)
Easy cotton candy cookies recipe with cake mix. These crispy, chewy sugar cookies are topped with buttercream frosting plus pink and blue cotton candy.
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Ingredients
- 1 batch Easy cut out sugar cookies with cake mix
- 2 cups American buttercream frosting Colored pink
- 3 cups Cotton candy Pink and blue
Instructions
- Prepare round sugar cookies, as per the recipe.
- Allow them to cool to room temperature.
- While the cookies are baking and cooling, prepare the pink buttercream frosting.
- Fill a piping bag with icing and attach a large round tip (Wilton tip #12 or bigger).
- Pipe a big blob of icing on top of each cookie.
- Stick cotton candy on top of the frosting, just prior to serving and enjoy.
Notes
- Don't frost warm cookies because that will cause the icing to melt.
- I used classic blue and pink cotton candy but you can use other flavors and colors that are available these days.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Once assembled, serve immediately. Frosted cookies can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days and cotton candy can be added, just prior to serving. If cotton candy is added too far in advance, it will melt and dissolve into the frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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Nanajee Travels
These cotton candy cookies sound delicious and super fun to make! The soft, chewy texture paired with the creamy buttercream frosting and colorful candy is perfect for any celebration. Whether it’s a birthday party or using up Halloween treats, they’re sure to be a hit!