Luckily, learning how to make cotton candy without a machine isn’t as hard as you might think. Do not walk away from the stove while the mixture is boiling because it can easily bubble over. This article has been viewed 5,432 times. You can omit the sprinkles if you prefer. Once I frosted the cupcakes, I sprinkled non nonpareils on top. The sugar will start to thicken after about 10 minutes but can be microwaved to return it to the right consistency. The finished syrup shouldn’t be golden. After a week, give your sugar flavours a little taste and increase the time (if needed) for a stronger flavour. If you want to make the popcorn balls easier to hold, you can stick popsicle sticks or straws into the bottom of the balls to serve as handles. From here, you can either eat the cotton candy in clumps or spin it onto lollipop or popsicle sticks. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. than using a machine. Start with just 2 minutes and only microwave it longer if there are a large number of unpopped kernels. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 Browse our other DIY projects today to get your creative juices flowing, or check out our subscription boxes and have candy delivered right to your door! Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Learn more... Cotton candy is a sweet treat that's enjoyed for children and adults alike. If you want to make colored cotton candy popcorn balls, you can add a few drops of blue or pink food coloring to the syrup too. concentrated candy flavorings The process for making your gown gourmet cotton candy sugar couldn't be easier. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Plus, it has such a distinct flavor, cotton candy worked its way into a whole host of other treats and drinks, from ice cream to cocktails. To learn how to make cotton candy without a machine, you’ll need to heat, liquefy, and spin the sugar out into very thin strands. Candy Club is always here for your sweet tooth. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Is Pectin Vegan? What Americans call cotton candy is called “fairy floss” or “candy floss” in many other parts of the world. If you don’t want to be bothered by going out and buying a cotton candy machine, no worries! The Iranian dessert pashmak, also a spun-sugar dessert, is sometimes called Persian cotton candy. (Plus How to Make Your Own), Our Favorite International Candies from Around the Globe, 5 Summer Candy Recipes To Help Your Kids Stay Busy, Celebrate Pumpkin Spice Everything with These Pumpkin Candy Recipes, What Americans call cotton candy is called “fairy floss” or “candy floss”, Machine-made cotton candy was invented in 1897 by – wait for it –, Raspberry, lemon, almond, vanilla, or other extract or oil for flavoring. You can substitute marshmallow flavored candy melts for the vanilla if you prefer. Dip the cut off tines of the whisk into the syrup solution and slowly wave back and forth over an oven-cooling rack, and the liquid strands falling from the whisk will make cotton candy. You get a really fun snack when you combine the flavor of fluffy cotton candy with the tasty crunch of popcorn. You can usually find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store, but a variety of online stores sell it as well. If you missed the last county fair or just need a fix for your sweet tooth, scroll down to learn everything you need to know about making cotton candy from scratch with this super easy cotton candy recipe. It should work very well for making cotton candy. A heavy-duty aluminum pan will give you good, even heat distribution and make the process easier. Making hand-spun cotton candy is pretty simple if you have the right tools. Dump 5 cups of granulated sugar into a two-quart saucepan. You don’t want to break the popcorn pieces. Just add a few drops of the candy flavoring (I like using Lorann Oils brand … Once labor-intensive and costly to make, this spun-sugar treat exploded in popularity thanks to the industrial revolution plus the spread of affordable sugar. This will keep the sugar from continuing to cook and burn. Line parchment over your work table. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. % of people told us that this article helped them. If the syrup solution becomes too cool, you can re-heat it in a microwave oven. Don’t stir the mixture as you’re boiling it. Follow these steps to make cotton candy at home! This method is a bit more time-consuming (and messier!) wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The popcorn makes ideal party favors for a birthday or baby shower. Pour one cup plus one tablespoon of cold water into the sugar and syrup solution and stir to mix all the ingredients until they are well blended. Place it in small cellophane bags and tie them off with blue and pink ribbon. Cotton candy flavor oil is like flavored extract that you’d use for baking. Be gentle as you’re stirring the popcorn and candy melts together. The sugar should remain clear. But who would have guessed we’d be back where we started, wanting to flex our DIY muscles, figuring out how to make cotton candy without a machine? Ratios vary by cotton candy recipe, but at minimum, you’ll need: Something to spin your cotton candy – this recipe suggests cutting the ends off an old wire whisk, while this recipe calls for a normal whisk. Because the next best thing to learning how to make cotton candy without a machine is enjoying candy without the hard work. Use light corn syrup because it is clear, and you don't want the color of the syrup to affect the final product. You may want to use a piece of tape to secure the bag closed. Add one and a half cups of light corn syrup to the sugar. Just know that you’ll want to keep your batches small. Mix in any flavoring or food coloring you wish to use. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixer and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high until frosting is smooth. 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