Cotton Candy Cookies {With Cake Mix}
Quick and easy cotton candy cookies recipe with cake mix. These crispy, chewy chocolate cookies are topped with buttercream icing and pink cotton candy. Great for serving at kids birthday parties!
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 chocolate flavor, which balances out the sweetness from the toppings perfectly. They are awesome to serve at a carnival party.
How to make cotton candy cookies with cake mix?
- Bake cookies– And allow them to cool completely.
- Add toppings– This includes buttercream and cotton candy.
- Serve immediately– And enjoy!
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 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 chocolate cookies from scratch– Try these Triple Chocolate Cookies and Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Cut Out 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.
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 and 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!
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.
Omit the granulated sugar topping- It adds a little crunch to the cookies but can easily be omitted if you want a simple soft and chewy chocolate cookie. You can even roll in powdered sugar for a “crinkle” appearance.
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.
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 and cotton candy can be added before serving.
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)
Cotton Candy Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Box Chocolate cake mix
- 2 Eggs, Large
- 1/3 cup Oil
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Granulated sugar, For rolling cookie balls
- 2 cups Cotton candy
- 2 cups American buttercream frosting
Instructions
- Add the the cake mix powder, eggs, oil, baking powder and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
- Mix everything until just combined.
- Chill the dough for 20-30 minutes so that it's easier to handle.
- Scoop out small portions of the cookie dough and shape them into balls.
- Roll the cookie balls in a bowl filled with granulated sugar.
- Place these balls on a cookie tray lined with parchment paper.
- Flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are hard and crispy on the edges.
- When the cookies have cooled down to room temperature, top off each cookie with frosting and some cotton candy. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips 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.
