1-Ready to dive into making cotton candy cookies? Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining baking sheets with parchment paper. This sets the stage for those beautiful swirled cookies that will wow your family. You’ll want to measure out all ingredients ahead of time to keep things flowing smoothly in your kitchen.

2-Next, in a large mixing bowl, cream the granulated sugar and unsalted butter until light and fluffy, creating a creamy base that captures the essence of cotton candy cookies. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and cotton candy flavoring or liquid cotton candy, then slowly add this to the butter mixture and combine for a smooth blend. Now, add the dry ingredients all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder and mix until the dough forms, adding a bit more buttermilk if it feels too dry.

3-Divide the dough into two parts and color one with soft pink gel food coloring and the other with sky blue, then gently swirl them together without overmixing to keep those pretty patterns. Scoop the dough onto your prepared sheets, flatten each to about 2.5 inches, and bake for 6 to 10 minutes until the edges brown. Let them cool on the sheets before moving to wire racks, and if you’re making adaptations for dietary needs, swap in gluten-free flour or vegan substitutes as you go.

4-For the buttercream, beat the unsalted butter until smooth, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, and mix in the cotton candy flavoring until it’s light and fluffy. Divide it, color half pink and half blue, and fill a piping bag by alternating the colors for those fun swirls. Pipe it onto the bottom of half the cookies, leaving a border, then sandwich with the other halves. Finally, chill in the fridge for easier handling and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Baking these is a fun, cotton candy cookies adventure that’s worth every step!