Your Next Glass Of Lemonade Needs A Cotton Candy Upgrade

A refreshing glass of lemonade is crave-worthy. But did you know you can add cotton candy for a fun upgrade? This trick creates a colorful concoction and balances the tart flavor of the lemonade. Simply stir in a handful of cotton candy to the drink, tearing some extra to secure it to the rim of the cup for display. As it dissolves, the different colors swirl together, creating a beautiful visual effect. It's an easy way to upgrade a simple classic lemonade recipe. Just adjust the sweetness with more or less candy as you see fit.

Don't have fresh cotton candy nearby? It is possible to still get the flavor by adding an extract. This liquidized flavoring contains ethyl maltol, the primary ingredient that gives the treat its sweet taste. Think of it as a quick-fix option. But, if you can, adding actual cotton candy just changes the entire aesthetic of the lemonade. It's incredibly nostalgic and will impress anyone at social events like birthdays.

How do you put this trick into action? The success is in the pairing. While ethyl maltol is the base of cotton candy's flavor, there are further variations, including strawberry and vanilla. Different-tasting cotton candy comes from artificial or natural flavorings. You could find anything from chai to blueberry and chocolate.

For the most part, lemonade has a single flavor, only varying on the sweet-to-bitter scale. However, pink lemonade can cause more of a difference in taste. This colorful variation usually incorporates food dyes, like the natural pink lemonade recipe that uses beetroot juice. But it can also include different fruits, like cranberry or raspberry, which create a different taste profile to consider.

As a general rule, tropical or berry fruits match perfectly with lemonade, so look for cotton candy with these flavors. Whichever pairing you choose, consider applying the muddling technique for state-fair-worthy lemonade. Manually crushing the fruit for its juice and oils helps unlock the lemons' true taste potential. This way, you've got the best base possible before you add your tasty cotton candy.