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The history of cotton candy and how this spun candy is made

Most Americans remember reaching for huge pink swirls of cotton candy at the circus or an amusement park. It brings back memories of hot summer days, crunchy candies you can only eat with your hands, and of course gooey pink faces and clothes.

Cotton candy is also known by charming names like spun sugar or fairy floss. As early as the 1400s, European chefs were making extravagant desserts with sugar. However, the little hands reaching for this sweetie were probably wearing gold rings and Mom and Dad warned the kids not to wear the sticky robes and crowns. The sugar strands were thicker and more akin to blown glass than today’s cottony spun sugar. Candy can be formed into golden webs, eggs, bird’s nests, castles and other fanciful creations.

Until the late 1800s, spinning sugar was a difficult and somewhat dangerous business. Stick sugar, made from cane or beets, was used, as granulated sugar was not invented until after World War I. Sugar, water, and other secret ingredients were boiled in large pots to the right temperature and consistency. Cooks were advised to use only the best sugar cane “so that failures do not occur” and to use copper bowls for best results. When the molten concoction was ready, the confectioner had a few moments to scoop it out of the container with a fork or whisk, then toss the hot mixture into the air. The threads would quickly cool and solidify in air. The cook had to watch out for burns and early recipes warn to use a lot of oil on the skin to prevent the scorching liquid from sticking.

It took good American ingenuity to supercharge spun sugar into the fluffy, wispy cotton candy we know today. The sugar and food coloring are heated in a small rotating container that sits in the middle of a large metal drum. The spinner has small holes that cause the liquid sugar to fly out in strands. Once the strands come into contact with the air, they become solid and form threads on the sides of the container.

Several American inventors are credited with making the first modern cotton candy machines. The first patent was issued to John C. Wharton and William Morris for their cotton candy machine in 1897. The two partners introduced their new ‘fairy floss’ at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, where it became exit. Another American, Thomas Patton, patented a slightly different cotton candy machine a year later and partnered with Ringling Bros. Circus where the sticky candy is still served.

Sugar has also improved since colonial times. Special sugars are now formulated to create longer strands, giving the caramel a fluffier texture. Warm candy is usually swirled in a cardboard tube or stick. In the 1970s, new machines were invented to produce cotton candy on a large scale. These machines produce a long, continuous mass of cotton candy that is then cut into rectangles. Now it can be found in stores packed in plastic bags.

In ‘the trade’ cotton candy is simply known as ‘dental floss’. Machine operators will tell you that there is an art to collecting and forming the warm product correctly. The most popular color for cotton candy is pink, followed by blue. Sometimes other colors such as yellow, purple and green are also seen. Almost all cotton candy has food coloring added. Without color, it would be white or light tan. Purists like to eat their cotton candy plain, but it can also be flavored. Popular flavors include bubble gum and ice cream.

Adventurous cooks, indulgent parents, and cotton candy addicts can now make their own fluffy creations at home. Small machines (more like toys than kitchen tools) can be found for less than $100. The largest and most reliable machines can cost up to $1,000, though you’ll still need to add your own circus. America even has a day dedicated to this sweet and ethereal creation, so don’t forget to celebrate National Cotton Candy Day on December 7th. Happy cooking!