Made with just a few simple ingredients, Cotton Candy Ice Cream is easy to make without an ice cream maker. This no churn ice cream is a creamy and colorful sweet treat!
Make homemade Cotton Candy Ice Cream and conjure up childhood memories of this favorite colorful candy.
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Easy no churn ice cream
Are you ready to make your new favorite ice cream?
If you love the sweet, nostalgic flavor of cotton candy, then you need to make this homemade no-churn ice cream asap!
No fancy equipment and no egg yolks were needed to create this in the creation of this recipe.
This creamy, dreamy, and colorful treat tastes just like your favorite fairground cotton candy.
I used blue pastel and pink pastel food colors to make my ice cream but you can easily change those colors to your favorites.
Another popular cotton candy color combination is yellow and green.
Mix and match your favorite cotton candy colors when you make this frozen dessert.
Everyone loves a fun, whimsical dessert that brings back delicious childhood memories!
This homemade cotton candy no-churn ice cream is perfect for birthdays and celebrations.
Whip up a batch of homemade cotton candy ice cream with just five simple ingredients. This no-churn recipe is smooth, sweet, and swirled with pastel colors for a fun and festive treat.
Go ahead and indulge in a bit of nostalgic sweetness!
And while you're at it, be sure to give my Snickers Ice Cream a try too!
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How to make a homemade ice cream recipe
This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Step 1: In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream, vanilla extract and cotton candy extract until stiff peaks form.
- Step 2: Gradually fold the sweetened condensed milk into the whipped cream until blended.
- Step 3: Divide the ice cream mixture evenly between two bowls.Add blue pastel food color to one bowl, stirring until blended. Add pink pastel food color to the second bowl, stirring until blended.
- Step 4: Transfer the colors alternately ½ cup at a time into a freezer safe container, cover, and freeze 8 hours or overnight.
Hint: You can use your favorite food colors to make the cotton candy look that you love!
Expert recipe tips
- Be sure to whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This ensures a light and fluffy texture in your ice cream.
- Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk into the whipped cream to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Swirl the colors together gently for a more classic cotton candy effect.
- I used blue and pink food colors for the cotton candy colors but you can also use yellow and/or green pastel food colors.
Substitutions
- Dairy-Free Option - Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and use a dairy-free condensed milk alternative.
- Natural Coloring - If you prefer to avoid artificial food coloring, try using natural alternatives like beet juice powder (for pink) and butterfly pea flower powder (for blue). Just be sure not to add too much liquid to the mixture or it will freeze up with an icy texture
- Cotton Candy Extract Alternative - If you don’t have cotton candy extract, you can use vanilla extract with a bit of marshmallow flavoring for a similar taste.
Variations
- Rainbow Swirl - Add additional food coloring to create a variety of pastel colors for a more colorful effect.
- Toppings - Serve with cotton candy pieces, sprinkles, or white chocolate chips for extra fun.
- Cotton Candy Milkshake - Blend a few scoops of the ice cream with milk for a deliciously sweet cotton candy milkshake.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Spatula
- Freezer safe container or loaf pan
Storage
- Store your homemade cotton candy ice cream in a freezer-safe airtight container or a loaf pan that you cover tightly.
- It’s best to press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap against the surface before sealing to prevent ice crystals from forming.
- This ice cream stays fresh for about one month in the freezer.
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Ingredients
Cotton candy ice cream recipe ingredients:
- Heavy Cream - Heavy cream is the key to the rich and creamy texture in this no-churn ice cream. When whipped, it creates the light and airy base that duplicates traditional churned ice cream.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk - Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and helps create a smooth, creamy and scoopable consistency.
- Cotton Candy Extract - Cotton candy flavoring gives this ice cream its signature flavor. Just a small amount infuses the ice cream with that classic flavor reminiscent of carnival treats.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds a depth of flavor and balances out the sweetness.
- Pink Pastel Food Coloring & Blue Pastel Food Coloring - A few drops of red and blue food coloring create the signature pink and blue swirls that make this ice cream so pretty. You can adjust the amount of food color to get your desired color intensity.
Easy Ice Cream Recipes
Looking for more no-churn recipes? Be sure to give these a try too!
More Easy Ice Cream Recipes
Cotton Candy Ice Cream Recipe
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Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
- freezer safe container
Ingredients
- 2 cups 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cotton candy extract
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- Blue pastel food color
- Pink pastel food color
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Instructions
- In a mixer, beat the heavy cream, vanilla extract and cotton candy extract until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually fold the sweetened condensed milk into the whipped cream until blended.
- Divide the ice cream mixture evenly between two bowls.
- Add blue pastel food color to one bowl, stirring until blended. Add pink pastel food color to the second bowl, stirring until blended.
- Transfer the colors alternately ½ cup at a time into a freezer safe container, cover, and freeze 8 hours or overnight.
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