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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Homemade Sprinkles

    Homemade Sprinkles

    Published: July 22, 2020 · Modified: Jul 24, 2020 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    These EASY homemade sprinkles are fun to make, only need a few ingredients, and are guaranteed to be the best tasting sprinkles you've ever had. Use them to decorate your favorite cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods.

    Pink homemade sprinkles in glass bowls on a marble counter.
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    Pink piped homemade sprinkles drying on parchment paper.
    pink sprinkles on a marble surface.
    three glass bowls of pink sprinkles.
    pink and white homemade sprinkles.
    Various shades of pink homemade sprinkles on a marble counter.
    A set of homemade sprinkles getting chopped.
    Freshly made pink homemade sprinkles.
    Piped homemade sprinkles halfway through getting chopped.
    Light and deep pink homemade sprinkles.
    Three glass bowls filled with homemade sprinkles.
    Pink homemade sprinkles on glass bowls.
    Pink and white homemade sprinkles.
    Once glass bowl of homemade sprinkles.
    Light pink and white homemade sprinkles on a counter.
    Many pink and white homemade sprinkles on a counter.
    Vibrant pink homemade sprinkles.
    Dark pink and white homemade sprinkles.
    A bowl of homemade sprinkles.
    Three types of homemade sprinkles on a counter.
    Piped homemade sprinkles before getting cut.
    Pink homemade sprinkles on a marble counter.

    Sprinkles are so fun to make and they last a LONG time. You can make them long, short, bright or muted and add an easy but very festive and personal flourish to any dessert.

    What You’ll Need for This Recipe

    Ingredients to make sprinkles on a marble counter.

    Vanilla: This is totally optional, feel free to use more water if you’d like to skip or add another flavor like almond extract..

    Food Coloring: I used gel food coloring but any kind will work. See below for a list of natural colors to use.

    How to Make Homemade Sprinkles

    Powdered sugar getting sifted into a glass bowl then drizzled with corn syrup.

    1. Sift a cup of the powdered sugar into a large bowl. It’s important to sift so no small clumps clog your piping tip later on.

    2. Add the light corn syrup, vanilla if using, and 1.5 tbsp water.

    A sugar mixture getting mixed with pink food coloring.

    3. Beat until smooth. You can add more water a teaspoon at a time if needed. Once smooth add the remaining powdered sugar and mix. The final consistency should be thick but smooth and flowing.

    4. Separate the icing into however many batches you’d like then mix food coloring in until desired color is reached. The sprinkles will fade a bit as they dry so go ahead and add a bit more color than you might otherwise.

    Pink sprinkles getting piped onto parchment paper.

    5. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 3, 4, or 5 tip and then pipe straight lines onto a piece of parchment paper. Don’t worry if they’re crooked or wavy because you’ll be breaking them up anyways. You can also pipe small dots for confetti sprinkles if desired. Allow them to dry out overnight.

    6. Once your sprinkles are dry you can chop them with a knife or break them apart with your hands. Since they’re homemade you can cut them to any length you like. I actually love the look of really long ones sprinkled on top of a cake but any size will look nice.

    Homemade sprinkles in various glass bowls.

    Pro Tips for this Recipe

    • To pipe straight lines keep the tip half an inch above the paper; squeeze and pull forward.
    • Add a bit more food coloring than you think you need. The sprinkles will fade a bit as they dry.
    • No piping tip? No Problem! Just snip the tip off of a plastic sandwich bag or roll a piece of parchment paper into a piping bag.
    • This is a great activity to do with kids. If little ones are helping you in the kitchen just have them break the sprinkles with their hands instead of using a knife. It’s more fun and safer.
    • You can easily double this recipe for a larger batch. The sprinkles keep for quite a while so it’s nice to have some on hand.

    Three different colored homemade sprinkles mixed together.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are some natural colors I can use?

    Yellow: Turmeric

    Pink: Raspberry juice or powder.

    Green: Matcha Powder

    Blue: Blue spirulina

    Do I need a piping tip to make these?

    You don’t need a piping tip. I made a batch by snipping the tip off of a piping bag and it works just fine. You can also use a sealable plastic storage bag instead or even roll a piece or parchment paper into a piping bag.

    How long do homemade sprinkles last?

    Your sprinkles will last about a year. Make sure to keep them in an airtight container so they are protected from humidity.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

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      Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

    • A slice of vanilla cake on a plate in front of the cake on a cake stand.

      Vanilla Cake Recipe

    • Funfetti cookies on a plate beside a glass of milk.

      Funfetti Cookies

    • A three layer chocolate cake topped with buttercream dollops on a cake stand.

      Chocolate Cake

    • Cake Mix Cookies

    If you’ve tried this Homemade Sprinkles recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! 

    A glass bowl fillerd with colorful homemade sprinkles.
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    5 from 74 votes

    Homemade Sprinkles

    Beautiful homemade sprinkles are beyond easy and can be made with just a few ingredients.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Drying time 12 hours
    Total Time 12 hours 10 minutes
    Servings 16 people
    Calories 48kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Equipment

    • Piping bag and tip or plastic sandwich bag

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar divided
    • 2 tbsp water cool
    • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
    • Gel food coloring

    Instructions

    • Sift the a cup of the powdered sugar into a large bowl then add the corn syrup, vanilla if using, then add 1 1/2 tablespoons of water and beat until smooth. You can add more water a teaspoon at a time if needed.
    • Once smooth sift in the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and mix until combined. The final consistency should be thick but pipeable.
    • Divide the icing into batches if you're making different colored sprinkles then mix in food coloring until the desired color is reached.
    • Transfer to piping bags either fitted with 3, 4, or 5 tips, or with the tip snipped off then pipe lines onto a sheet of parchment paper and set aside to dry out overnight.
    • Once dry you can cut the sprinkles into pieces and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

    Video

    Notes

    • To pipe straight lines keep the tip half an inch above the paper; squeeze and pull forward.
    • Add a bit more food coloring than you think you need. The sprinkles will fade a bit as they dry.
    • No piping tip? No Problem! Just snip the tip off of a plastic sandwich bag or roll a piece of parchment paper into a piping bag.
    • This is a great activity to do with kids. If little ones are helping you in the kitchen just have them break the sprinkles with their hands instead of using a knife. It's more fun and safer.
    • You can easily double this recipe for a larger batch. The sprinkles keep for quite a while so it's nice to have some on hand.
    • Pipe lots of small dots for confetti sprinkles. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Sugar: 12g
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!

     

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    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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