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Cotton Candy Ice Cream

Cotton candy ice cream with vivid pink and blue swirls made from a silky custard base. You’ll warm, strain, color, chill, churn, then freeze until firm for a whimsical carnival-style frozen dessert.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ice cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp cotton candy flavoring or extract
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
swirls and topping
  • 1 Pink and blue food coloring
  • 1 Cotton candy for topping

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 ice cream maker

Method
 

Make the custard
  1. Heat the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, then whisk slowly into the egg yolks that have been beaten with the granulated sugar. Keep whisking to prevent scrambling and look for a smooth, glossy mixture.
  2. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175F. The custard should coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear path when you run a finger through it.
  3. Strain the custard into a bowl, then whisk in the cotton candy flavoring or extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated and evenly fragrant.
Color and chill
  1. Divide the custard into two bowls and add pink food coloring to one and blue food coloring to the other. Stir until the colors are vivid and consistent throughout.
  2. Chill both bowls completely in the refrigerator before churning. The base should feel fully cold to the touch before you proceed.
Churn and freeze (swirl option)
  1. Churn the pink and blue bases separately in an ice cream maker. Stop when the texture looks like soft-serve with thick, scoopable ribbons.
  2. Freeze until firm, layering colors if you want a blue-pink swirl. You should see distinct swirls once it hardens, with no liquid pooling on top.
  3. Top the finished cotton candy ice cream with cotton candy right before serving. Aim for a small tuft that stays perched on the center for a carnival look.

Notes

Pro tip: cook the custard to a true 175F and stir constantly so it thickens without turning grainy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freeze for up to 1 month (texture may soften slightly after thawing). For a dietary swap, use lactose-free whole milk and lactose-free cream to reduce lactose while keeping the same creamy custard method.