Whip Up a Sweet Treat With The Real Cotton Candy Maker

Summer is here, and that means carnivals are starting to pop up across the country.

Beyond the games and rides that dot the Midway, those sweet carnival treats really add to the whole vibe as families bond over elephant ears, funnel cakes, and cotton candy. Now, families can make one of those treats at home, and no, a deep fryer is not involved (sorry, funnel cakes and elephant ears).

The Real Cotton Candy Maker from Cra-Z-Art is a simple way that tweens and teens ages 14 and up can whip up some sweet, sugary goodness without having to wait for the carnival to roll into town.

The Real Cotton Candy Maker uses regular sugar to create cotton candy by heating it up and blowing it out. The concept is just like the commercial-grade machines you see at the carnival or theme park, but this is in tabletop form. Kids just slowly pour household sugar into the machine using the included measuring scoop to create one, single-serving batch of cotton candy. Once the sugar is poured, kids can use one of the included paper cones to whirl around the machine to craft their treat — that’s all there is to it!

While the process is simple, there are some things that grownups should know about to make the experience even better: This is an electrical toy that plugs into a wall and should be used inside, preferably in the kitchen. It does not come with any sugar, so you’ll need to have some at home, but household sugar makes cotton candy that’s just a white ball of fluff. If the kids want flavored cotton candy in a rainbow of colors (and trust me, they will), you’ll need to either purchase flavor packs (available from Cra-Z-Art) or you will need to order “flossing sugar” that comes in different colors and flavors. My girls wanted a full range, so we ordered an assortment of flossing sugar and additional paper cones from a place called Cotton Candy Express on Amazon.

Once the kids get going, it’s important to note that a single serving is about the size of a baseball. Families should also make sure to read and follow the instructions and let the Cotton Candy Maker run through its full cycle of heating and cooling for the best results (a 38-minute process). In the end, it should be unplugged from the wall and the bowl and accessories (not the heating element or motor) should be washed and dried before putting the Cotton Candy Maker away for its next use.

Overall, The Real Cotton Candy Maker is a fun novelty that will be right at home among other carnival-themed toys and games that have been rolling out over the past few years. Just be on the lookout in case enterprising kids start trying to get the neighbors to buy tickets!