Knott's Berry Farm Boysenberry Cotton Candy Recipe

Make flavored sugar

Line a baking sheet with parchment and allow it to cool nearby. In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water. Stir gently to moisten the sugar but avoid splashing sugar onto the sides. Add a pinch of fine sea salt. Place the pan over medium-low heat and stir gently until sugar dissolves and the mixture is uniform and clear (about 2–3 minutes).

Add boysenberry flavor

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer but do not let it boil vigorously. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons seedless boysenberry jam (or 3 tbsp reduced boysenberry purée) and 1 teaspoon concentrated boysenberry flavoring (or extra jam if you don't have flavoring) until fully incorporated. If the jam contains fruit pieces, press them through a fine mesh sieve first so the liquid is smooth. If necessary, place the mixture back over very low heat and stir until completely smooth and homogeneous (about 30–60 seconds).

Color and dry

Add 1 teaspoon purple gel food coloring and whisk to uniform color. Pour the warm syrup onto the prepared parchment in a thin layer and let it sit at room temperature to dry slightly until tacky but not fully crystallized (15–25 minutes). The goal is a tacky ribbon you can break into shards. Alternatively, you can place the warm syrup in a shallow oven-safe dish and dry in a 200°F (95°C) oven for 8–12 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.

Pulverize into superfine sugar

When the syrup has set to a brittle/tacky candy, break into pieces and pulse in a food processor or spice grinder until it becomes a superfine flavored sugar. Sift through a fine mesh sieve to remove any larger bits. You should end up with about 2 cups of scented, colored, superfine boysenberry sugar suitable for feeding into a cotton candy machine.

Warm and set up machine

Place your cotton candy machine on a stable, level surface. Spray or lightly brush the spinning head/bowl contact points with a small amount of oil if recommended by the manufacturer (use sparingly). Preheat the machine according to the manufacturer's instructions (usually 3–5 minutes).

Feed the boysenberry sugar

With the machine running at full heat and speed, carefully spoon the boysenberry superfine sugar (use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per cone) into the center of the spinning head. Allow threads to form and begin collecting on a paper cone or stick. Hold the cone at a slight angle and rotate it around the bowl while drawing the sugar inward to get even, fluffy layers. Continue feeding small amounts of sugar until each cone reaches the desired size; typical cones use 1/4–1/3 cup of sugar for small servings, up to 1/2 cup for large servings.

Shape and finish

Once the cotton candy is formed, gently compress the outer layer with two cones or a cone and your fingers (clean) to shape or trim loose wisps. If you want a stronger boysenberry scent or color, lightly dust the finished floss with a pinch of the flavored superfine sugar. Serve immediately for best texture.

Cleanup

Turn off and unplug the machine and allow it to cool according to the manufacturer's instructions. Wipe the bowl and head with warm soapy water (or follow your machine's cleaning recommendations). Store any unused flavored sugar in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; if it absorbs moisture, dry it briefly in a low oven (200°F/95°C) before using again.