Description
Cotton Candy Popcorn is a fun and whimsical sweet snack that combines the light crunch of popcorn with the nostalgic flavors of cotton candy. Perfect for parties, movie nights, or carnival-inspired treats, this recipe uses a homemade cotton candy flavored sugar syrup to coat the popcorn, resulting in a crispy, colorful, and irresistible snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Popcorn
- 8 cups popped popcorn (plain, unsalted)
Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 packet cotton candy flavoring or ½ teaspoon cotton candy extract
- 1–2 drops pink or blue food coloring (optional)
Decoration
- Sprinkles (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 250°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the popped popcorn evenly on the baking sheet and set aside to prepare for coating.
- Make the Cotton Candy Syrup: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar, light corn syrup, water, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves then bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Do not stir once boiling as you need to reach the soft-ball stage (235–240°F) using a candy thermometer.
- Add Flavor and Color: Remove the saucepan from heat once the syrup reaches the correct temperature. Quickly stir in the vanilla extract, cotton candy flavoring or extract, and food coloring if using, to infuse the syrup with the signature cotton candy taste and color.
- Coat the Popcorn: Immediately pour the hot syrup over the prepared popcorn on the baking sheet. Use a spatula to gently toss and coat the popcorn evenly without crushing it.
- Bake to Set: Place the coated popcorn in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring gently halfway through to ensure even coating and crisping. The baking helps the coating to harden and become crisp.
- Cool and Decorate: Remove the popcorn from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, break into pieces and optionally sprinkle with colorful sprinkles for decoration.
Notes
- Cotton candy flavoring can be found in specialty baking stores or online.
- Store the popcorn in an airtight container for up to 1 week to maintain crispness.
- Be careful while working with hot sugar syrup to avoid burns.
- Using plain, unsalted popcorn ensures that the sweetness and cotton candy flavor shine through.
