Cotton Candy Vodka: soft candy meets hard liquor

Cotton candy vodka is a flavored alcoholic beverage that tastes like cotton candy or spun sugar. It is made with a base of traditional vodka which is combined with natural and/or artificial flavors.

What is it made out of?

This cotton candy-flavored vodka is typically made with the base of traditional vodka (usually fermented grains, vegetables, or fruits), but incorporates added sugars and flavors to give it an especially sweet taste.

What does cotton candy vodka taste like?

When sipping on it neat, this vodka often tastes distinctly sweeter than traditional vodka. It also typically has the aroma of cotton candy.

However, this type of vodka is usually supposed to be paired with a mixer which can significantly alter and (ideally) improve the taste. These include cranberry juice, grenadine, Coca-Cola, Mello Yello, Mountain Dew or Sprite.

What brands make vodka that tastes like spun sugar?

Pinnacle Vodka has offered its “County Fair Cotton” vodka for a limited time. It is still available for purchase at select liquor stores and online.

Most other vodka brands do not offer a cotton candy flavor, but do have similar sweet-tasting alternatives like caramel, which is pretty much just melted sugar (whereas cotton candy is air spun sugar). These vodkas are highly-rated alternatives: Veil Caramel Vodka and Van Gogh Dutch Caramel Vodka.

Are there other types of cotton candy liquor or alcoholic beverages?

The most popular type of cotton candy flavored alcohol is cotton candy wine, which you can find out about here.

How can I make a vodka that tastes like cotton candy?

This isn’t so much about how to make your own flavored vodka as it is how to make a vodka-based beverage that tastes like cotton candy. Nonetheless, here are a couple of options to make fun drinks that contain that desired sweet flavor.

Option #1 (with ice cream)

Special Tools

blender

Ingredients

2 tablespoons your favorite vodka (either non-flavored or cotton candy-flavored)
3-4 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup cotton candy (plus extra as a topping)

Directions

Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
Pour into glasses.
Top with cotton candy just before serving (as it will melt quickly).
Enjoy!

Option #2 (without ice cream)

Special Tools

Ingredients

2 cups your favorite vodka (non-flavored)
2 cups cotton candy (plus extra for toothpicks)

Directions

First, put a cup of cotton candy into each martini glass. Divide the rest evenly and skewer with the toothpicks.
Just before serving, pour vodka in each glass. This will instantly melt the cotton candy.
Finally, lay the cotton candy toothpicks over each of the glasses to garnish. (These can be eaten separately or mixed into the drink.)
Enjoy!

Kristina Reynolds is the Founder & CEO of Glutto and an alumna of the University of California, San Diego. She writes articles & posts for Glutto Digest with insights from fellow industry experts. Furthermore, she is the author of The Fittest Food Lovers: How EVERY BODY Can be Incredibly Fit and Still Enjoy Food, a collaborative philanthropic book with proceeds going to charities that fight world hunger.