Return to your childhood by cooling off with a double scoop of this cotton candy ice cream recipe. This candy floss frozen treat will impress even the ice cream man!
Cotton candy reminds me of the county fair.
The long strands of pink and blue spun sugar or what is better known as fairy floss, are a special treat.
It inspired me to create an ice cream with real cotton candy flavoring that would be delicious and popular.
My kids have always been fans of the sugary novelty but it’s hard to find and when we do discover it, it’s expensive.
Quandry solved!
Make this easy churn recipe at home in your own ice cream maker. No other special equipment necessary.
My fun recipe couldn’t be easier.
It’s the perfect flavor for a birthday party. After all, what kid will turn down creamy cotton candy ice cream.
Serve it up in a bowl or your favorite waffle cone.
Are pink and blue cotton candy the same flavor?
While cotton candy comes in different colors, generally the pink flavoring is vanilla while the blue is blue raspberry.
Most cotton candy vendors just buy sugar and add the color and flavor mix to it. That’s why sometimes you see different offerings at theme parks.
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Luckily, I found spun cotton candy at the grocery one summer day and an idea was formed. This delicious ice cream flavor was born.
Now my kids usually enjoy cotton candy at the Great American Ballpark and they usually always indulge in the sticky blue and pink strands.
Amazingly enough I’m OK with it. Know why?
A typical serving of cotton candy at the ballpark is made up of about 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Spun sugar spreads and looks like so much more.
We only used a few handfuls of the stands and added them to the ice cream mixture during the final stages of production.
I reduced the amount of sugar because I used cotton candy syrup in my recipe.
According to the kids, it turned out AMAZING!
Better than Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone Creamery!
Where can I find cotton candy?
Because it is summertime, I found the pink syrup and the spun sugar prepackaged cotton candy at my local Kroger grocery store in the summer seasonal section.
You can also find cotton candy and pink or blue syrup for sno cones and ice cream using this Amazon link.
Check your local craft stores if you are unable to find the syrup or cotton candy. Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart also stock syrups in the summer.
My boys were ecstatic when I came home with these simple ingredients. This was great bonding with my boys.
After all, we are talking cotton candy!
Make this cotton candy ice cream recipe
This easy churn cotton candy ice cream recipe uses basic ingredients including milk, cream and sugar plus a few specialty items.
The boys were my official taste testers and had so much fun on a summer afternoon.
The next ice cream creation they have requested is s’mores ice cream. Time to get creative.
What is your favorite flavor? Try a few of mine.
More Great Ice Cream Ideas
Lemon Curd & Blueberry Ice Cream
Rosemary Honey Peach Frozen Yogurt
Gelato Pizzelle Cookies – Sicilian Ice Cream Sandwiches
Strawberry Watermelon Popsicles
Banana Berry Smoothie Popsicles
Raspberry & Blueberry Yogurt Granola Popsicles
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Easy Homemade Cotton Candy Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cotton candy flavored syrup (I used Jelly Belly}
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cotton candy
Instructions
- Freeze the base of your ice cream maker for at least 24 hours prior to making the ice cream.
- Pour all but 2 tablespoons of whole milk into a medium sauce pan along with the heavy cream, granulated sugar, salt and cotton candy flavored syrup.
- In a separate medium bowl mix together the 2 tablespoons of whole milk with vanilla extract and cornstarch until smooth.
- Over medium heat, consistently stir the cream and milk mixture until the sugar has dissolved, about five minutes.
- Next, stir the cornstarch mixture again till smooth and then slowly add to the ice cream base while stirring consistently. The base will thicken slightly after adding the cornstarch.
- Prepare a large bowl and fill it with ice cubes and water and submerge the bottom of sauce pan into the ice bath and continue to stir to cool.
- Once cooled, put the pot in the fridge and continue to cool for about an hour. Once the base has completely cooled, take the ice cream machine base out of the freezer.
- Plug in the machine, add the ice cream base and let the machine churn at low speed for about 45 minutes until the ice cream has a soft serve like consistency
- .Add in long strands of blue and pink cotton candy to your liking before turning off the ice cream machine.
- Remove the ice cream to a tight container and freeze it for a couple of hours or until it has hardened completely.
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This is the most good looking ice cream I have ever seen, the colors are gorgeous!
Thanks Katalina. It was a hit with all the neighborhood kids. Gone in minutes.
Wow! This looks awesome Ali!!! Yum
Thanks Erin. It didn’t last long in my house.
That looks EPIC!
What an adorable idea! I love it and the colors! I am making a batch of cake batter ice cream today 🙂
I’m sure my kids would love cake batter ice cream. Yum.
What a tasty and good-looking ice cream! My kids would go crazy for this!!!
It’s a special treat. Thanks!
So creative!
What s fun & delicious flavour!! Perfect for the summer!!