This homemade cotton candy ice cream with swirls of pink and blue cotton candy flavor is just like your favorite carnival treat but in a delicious ice cream!
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This cotton candy flavored ice cream has all the fun of the fair. With brightly colored swirls of pink and blue with a hot, burnt sugar taste reminiscent of its fluffy pink and blue cotton candy namesake.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy no churn recipe - no ice cream machine needed.
- Pretty pink and blue color.
- Your favorite fairground flavor, in an ice cream!
Toppings for cotton candy ice cream
This homemade candy floss ice cream is delicious on its own or try it with one of the following fun toppings
- Some pink and blue cotton candy
- Some fun colored sprinkles or jimmies
- Some popping pop rocks!
- Some sweet chocolate chips
- Some colorful gummy bears
- Some soft, pillowy marshmallows
Looking for more fun dessert recipes? Why not try making my homemade ice cream sundae, rainbow ice cream, caramel popcorn or cinnamon sugar pita chips. Delicious!
Ingredients
Cream: I use thickened cream which has a fat content of about 34%. You could also use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream which is similar.
Sweetened condensed milk: The sugar and other ingredients in the sweetened condensed milk mean no additional sugar is needed and helps keep a smooth texture when the ice cream is frozen without the need for an ice cream machine. This is not the same as evaporated milk and you can not substitute with it.
Food coloring: gel food color will give a good intensity of color compared to regular water-based color. For cotton candy I've used pink and aqua.
Cotton candy flavoring: also called candy floss or fairy floss flavoring, it's available from specialty baking stores and online.
Glucose syrup (optional): also called confectioner’s glucose. You can get in from specialty baking shops, online and some supermarkets. A small amount of glucose syrup helps lower the freezer point of ice cream and improves the texture and scoop-ability of the ice cream.
You can substitute with the same amount of light corn syrup or powdered dextrose. Measure carefully, preferably using a digital kitchen scale, and don't add too much or your ice cream will melt in a red hot minute!
Cotton candy: a little cotton candy is a fun way to top this ice cream, but don't put it on until the last possible second just before eating or it will melt into a brightly colored puddle on the ice cream within seconds! (ask me how I know 🙂 )
How to make cotton candy ice cream
See the full recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient amounts and instructions.
Put your storage container in the freezer to chill.
Add about two tablespoons of the cream and the glucose syrup to a small microwave bowl or pot on the stove. Heat for several seconds until warmed. Mix well so the glucose syrup is thoroughly mixed in, then allow to cool.
Divide the sweetened condensed milk evenly between two bowls. Add the pink food color to one bowl and the aqua food color to the other bowl. Mix well. Add enough food color to get the depth of color you want, keeping in mind the color will get diluted when you add the cream.
Put the rest of the cream in a mixing bowl. Add the cotton candy flavor and glucose syrup and cream mix. Whip the cream until firm peaks form.
Divide the whipped cream between the two bowls of colored sweetened condensed milk. Carefully mix in the whipped cream, taking care to knock as little air as possible out of the cream.
Layer the two colors in the chilled storage container. I find a vaguely checkered pattern works well. Cover and freeze for at least four hours or until firm.
How to serve
To serve this fairy floss ice cream remove it from the freezer, scoop and enjoy! Fabulous on its own or with a little cotton candy on top! Delicious!
How to store
Like most homemade ice creams this no churn candy floss ice cream will store well in a covered container in the freezer for up to two weeks. After this it may start to go a little icy, but it will still taste delicious!
Recipe tips and frequently asked questions
Where can I get cotton candy flavoring?
Cotton candy essence for ice cream is available from specialty baking stores and from big retailers online such as Amazon (not sponsored). Also look for candy floss or fairy floss flavoring or extracts, which are other names for cotton candy.
What is cotton candy ice cream made of?
Candy floss ice cream is made of the usual ice cream ingredients - cream, sugar and cotton candy flavorings. Some easy no-churn versions are made with simple whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, plus flavoring and food color.
Is cotton candy ice cream just vanilla?
Nope. Pure cotton candy flavor is a sort of hot, burnt sugar taste. This is because cotton candy is made by heating up sugar in a special cotton candy machine. Sometimes cotton candy is flavored and colored, the two most common being blue raspberry and pink vanilla.
Can I make blue raspberry and pink vanilla cotton candy ice cream?
You sure can. Simply add some blue raspberry flavoring to the blue-colored condensed milk, and vanilla flavoring to the pink condensed milk. You may or may not what to leave out the cotton candy flavoring if doing this.
Have you made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below and tag me on instagram so I can see your delicious creations! @keep_calm_and_eat_icecream
Looking for more yummy dessert recipes?
Why not try making
- No Churn Rainbow Ice Cream
- No Churn Galaxy Ice Cream
- 3 Ingredient Vanilla Ice Cream
- No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream
- No Churn Strawberry Ice Cream
Follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for many more delicious recipes.
📋 Recipe
Cotton Candy Ice Cream
Equipment
- Electric hand beaters or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 x 14 oz (397 gms) can sweetened condensed milk
- several drops pink and aqua food coloring
- 2 cups (500mls) thickened cream
- 1 & ¼ teaspoons (10gms) glucose syrup
- Several drops cotton candy flavoring
Instructions
- Put your storage container in the freezer to chill.
- Divide the sweetened condensed milk into two bowls. Add the aqua food color to one bowl and the pink food color to the other and mix well untill you are happy with the depth of color. Keep in mind the color will dilute when you add the cream.
- Measure the cream. Add the glucose syrup to a small microwave proof bowl with two tablespoons of the cream. Heat the cream and glucose syrup for a few seconds until jus warm. Stir well to combine.
- Put the rest of the cream into a bowl or stand mixer. Mix on low and slowly add the glucose syup mix and cotton candy flavoring. Increase the speed and whip until firm peaks form.
- Divide the whipped cream evently between the two bowls of colored condensed milk. Gently fold in the cream, taking care to knock out as little air as possible.
- Layer the two mixed into your storage container. Cover and freeze for four hours or until firm.
- To serve remove from the freezer, scoop and enjoy! Fabulious on its own or topped with a little cotton candy. Delicious!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online database. The nutritional content of ingredients may vary by brand. If you require accurate nutritional information, you should calculate this based on the specific brands and products you are using.
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