How to Make Homemade Sprinkles for Baking

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Tired of bland, store-bought sprinkles that lack flavor? With this homemade sprinkles recipe, you can easily make your own delicious sprinkles at home! Mix and match different colors and flavors to create the perfect sprinkle blend for your next cake or cupcake decoration. Customize your homemade sprinkles to fit any occasion!

two cupcakes with white icing and sprinkles on table

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Homemade Sprinkles
What Can I Use These Sprinkles On?
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make Homemade Sprinkles
Frequently Asked Questions
More Easy Recipes
📖 Recipe

Homemade Sprinkles

The best part about this homemade sprinkles recipe is that it only requires a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. In just minutes, you can have fresh, homemade sprinkles that will take your baking to the next level. So don't settle for dull store-bought sprinkles anymore - with this recipe, you can make your own unforgettable sprinkles that are sure to impress!

What Can I Use These Sprinkles On?

Need ideas on how to put these to use? We have great ones! They are ideal for adding on top of these homemade waffles with a bit of whipped cream. Kids love that!

Of course, they are fun to sprinkle on top of fudgy brownies to give them that "cosmic" look of a popular snack brand. Add them to butter cookies, or even throw them on top of these copycat Lofthouse cookies.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted and divided (170g)
2 tablespoons water (30ml)
1 tablespoon corn syrup (15ml)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring (5ml)

bowls of powdered sugar with food color bottles on the side

Handy Kitchen Tools

How to Make Homemade Sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. You may need 2 sheets depending upon how closely you will pipe the lines of "sprinkle". Set these aside for now.

Go ahead and sift the sugar so it's ready to add. Separate 1 cup into a medium bowl, and put the other ½ cup aside in a smaller bowl until it is needed.

Now, add the water, vanilla flavoring, and corn syrup to the bowl that has 1 cup of powdered sugar.

Mix this together until it is moist and the sugar has absorbed the liquid. It will be a thick dough, but not quite formed.

Then, add that additional ½ cup of powdered sugar into the mixture until the dough/batter is formed.

Now, choose the colors you will be making and how many you plan to make, and divide the sugar mixture into a bowl for each color. To these bowls, add 1 to 2 drops of gel food coloring, per color desired, and stir until the dough is the color you desire. It will fade some after drying, so adding extra is good for the vibrant colors.

food coloring being stirred into sprinkles batter

Put a small piping tip don't each piping bag, one for each color, and then fill the bags with the sprinkle mixture.

Carefully pipe multiple lines of the sprinkle/sugar mixture onto the prepared baking sheet(s).

green blue and red strips of sprinkle batter on baking sheet

Rather than dragging it across the paper, it works best to hold the piping tip above the paper and squeeze while moving it toward yourself letting the dough drop onto the paper.

Store this in a cool and dry place for 12 hours. You can cover it loosely with parchment paper if you prefer, but don't cover it tightly.

After they are dry, break them into small pieces and then store them in airtight containers until you are ready to use them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Ingredients Are In a Sprinkle?

The base ingredients in a homemade sprinkle recipe are powdered sugar, water, corn syrup, and food coloring. You can also add flavoring extracts to customize the taste of your sprinkles. For example, you could use vanilla extract for a classic flavor or almond extract for something more exotic.

How Should I Store Homemade Sprinkles?

Once you have made your homemade sprinkles, it is essential to store them properly. The best way to store them is in an airtight container or jar at room temperature. Make sure to keep the container away from heat and direct sunlight, as this can cause the sprinkles to melt and lose their shape. You can also freeze the sprinkles to help them keep their color and shape for longer.

How Long Do Homemade Sprinkles Last?

Homemade sprinkles typically last around two weeks when stored properly. However, if you have added flavoring extracts to your recipe, the sprinkles may not last as long due to the additional moisture. If you want to keep your homemade sprinkles for longer, it is best to freeze them in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.

Can I Make These in Different Flavors?

Yes, you can make homemade sprinkles in any flavor that you prefer. Vanilla is the classic option, but you may also like to use almond flavoring. Other popular options would be using a different fruit per color of sprinkle. Lime, pineapple, cherry, strawberry, or grape can all be added to the mixture before piping for a hint of flavor.

More Easy Recipes

Learning to bake and cook desserts? You may also be interested in checking out the recipes below. Take a moment and bookmark these, print out the recipes, or pin them to Pinterest so they are handy when you are ready to use them.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 8

How to Make Homemade Sprinkles for Baking

Make homemade sprinkles for baking and recipes with this easy step by step tutorial! A tasty addition to any cupcake!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 12 hours

Total Time 12 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted and divided (170g)
2 tablespoons water (30ml)
1 tablespoon corn syrup (15ml)
1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring (5ml)

Instructions

Start by sifting the powdered sugar so that it has no lumps. Separate into 1 cup and another portion of ½ cup. Set this aside.
In the bowl that holds 1 cup of powdered sugar, add the water, vanilla flavoring, and corn syrup.
Mix this together until it is moist and the sugar has absorbed the liquid.
Now, add in the remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar and stir until it is all combined.
Divide the mixture into small bowls, for as many colors as you plan to use.
To each bowl, add 1 to 2 drops of gel food coloring and stir until each color is bright and vivid.
Now, put each color into a separate piping bag with a small piping tip.
Pipelines of the sprinkle mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet(s).
Cover loosely and set in a cool dry place to dry out for 12 hours.
Once dry, break them into small pieces and store them in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.