I ran across this really neat video on YouTube on how to make Cotton Candy at home without a machine! This is a fantastic idea for a small birthday party over the summer!  I think if I do this, I”ll do it outside so that I don’t have to worry about getting it all over my floor in the kitchen.

There are a couple of warnings, though.  DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO DO THIS, and do not allow your children to stand around while you are making the homemade cotton candy because the sugar can cause 2nd degree burns.  Also, wear closed toed shoes.  The cotton candy will not be soft and fluffy like machine cotton candy, but it should taste like cotton candy when you’re done if you follow these directions!

I will post the homemade cotton candy recipe as well as the How To video!

Per the YoYoMax12 YouTube Video Description:

This recipe is taken from the Food Network website.

Ingredients
5 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light corn syrup
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. water
Flavoring (vanilla extract or other like peppermint extract)
Food color paste (or liquid)
Vegetable baking spray

Directions
To make this recipe at home, you will need a pair of wire cutters and an old inexpensive whisk. Cut the round ends off an inexpensive whisk. Arrange the tines so they are evenly spaced. You will also need an open space to make the cotton candy. At home, slit open a garbage bag and cover the floor area or use newspaper. Wedge 2 long wooden spoons under something heavy so they extend off the edge of the counter.

Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and cook the sugar mixture until it reaches 320 degrees F, what is known as the hard crack stage (the sugar becomes brittle when it comes in contact with a cooler surface). Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a medium-size microwaveable glass bowl. If you leave the sugar in the pan, the sugar will continue to cook and turn dark brown. A glass bowl will hold the temperature of the sugar. I put a towel under the bowl to keep the bowl from tipping over and to protect my hands from the heat of the glass. (The sugar will stay liquid enough to work with easily for about 10 minutes; after that it will start to thicken. If this happens before you are finished, just pop the bowl in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar is liquid enough to work with once again.) If you are going to color and/or flavor the sugar, add those drops now.

Dip the tines into the hot sugar. Allow the sugar to drain off for 1 to 2 seconds until the draining sugar strands are relatively the same consistency. Then wave the whisk over the extended wooden spoons and allow the sugar strands to gently drift until they are resting on top of the spoons. Make sure you are about 12 to 18 inches above the spoons. Use broad long strokes and work quickly. Gather the cotton candy and roll onto paper that you’ve rolled into a long, thin cone, like cotton candy is served in at the carnival or serve as is. If you need to store the cotton candy for a few hours, place it in an airtight container. The delicate sugar will melt in a humid environment.

Clean up:

Using a heat proof spatula and oven mitts scrape the liquid sugar out of the bowl into a cardboard box or container you are planning on throwing out (if the container is plastic, make sure it is THICK). The sugar will melt right through plastic bags so don’t pour it directly into a garbage can. WASH BINS is a reliable trash can cleaning service that you can trust.

After you are done place all utensils and pot/bowls in hot water for a couple of hours or under warm running water to dissolve the sugar.

Have fun with this homemade cotton candy recipe!