How you ever wondered how to make sprinkles? It is surprisingly easy to make homemade sprinkles, and so much fun, too!
Ingredients
There are a few methods for making sprinkles, so the exact ingredients will depend on which method you want to use. These are the ingredients we use in general:
- Powdered sugar - This is featured in all methods of making sprinkles. Not only does it add sweetness, but it forms into a paste and dries out easily.
- Salt - I like adding a little salt because it tones down the sweetness of the sprinkles a little and brings out the flavors of the extracts you add in nicely.
- Vanilla - This is a great way to make your sprinkles taste incredible, but you don't have to use vanilla - or not just vanilla - experiment with all types of extracts to find something you like!
- Egg white - The egg white is used in one method. It is nice because it works with the powdered sugar to dry out well and leave you with a nice finished texture for your sprinkles.
- Meringue powder - If you don't like using egg white, meringue powder would be great for you. It is easy to use, but the texture isn't quite as nice as the egg white.
- Corn syrup - If you want to make a vegan sprinkle, then you can use this in place of the egg white or meringue powder.
- Food coloring - A little goes a long way. I love mixing up my colors to make them swirl and gradually go from one to another.
How to make
Homemade sprinkles are as fun to make, as they are to enjoy!
- Combine the ingredients together and mix until it forms a thick paste.
- Divide the mixture into small bowls and color them as desired.
- Fit a piping bag with a small piping tip and pipe long lines onto a silicone baking pat or parchment paper. Or you can spread the mixture thinly onto the mat to make sprinkle chips. Alternatively, you can make the sprinkles in any shape you like!
- Allow it to dry completely. Break apart into pieces as large or small as you desire.
- Store in an airtight container.
Tips for success
Making sprinkles at home are so easy, but there are some tips you need to make sure you are making the perfect sprinkles.
- Pay attention to the consistency, especially if you use methods that involves adding water to the mixture. It should be thick, but stirrable. You don't want it too liquidy either otherwise it will not hold its shape.
- Don't touch the sprinkles in the first two hours as they harden! It will be so tempting to push down, but unless you want smushed sprinkles, leave them be. They take longer than you think to fully dry out, especially the methods that do not use egg whites.
- A little goes a long way. The color becomes more vibrant the longer it sits. You only need a little coloring to get a nice color for your sprinkles. The more coloring you add, the longer it takes for the sprinkles to fully dry out. Dipping a toothpick in gel food coloring usually gets you more than enough color.
- Have fun with the colors! You can make them tie-dye or even spray the drying sprinkles with shimmering spray or powder for extra pizzazz.
- Get a friend to help pipe! It can take a while to pipe your sprinkles, and it can be a real workout on your hands.
Egg white method
This method is just like making a royal icing, only very thick. You can use regular egg white, or the carton of all egg whites. This latter option is nice because they are pasteurized if that is a concern.
I like this method because it is easy, uses ingredients already at home, and is great to use up an extra egg white or two you might have leftover from making a recipe like my passion fruit curd, vanilla ice cream, and sprinkle sugar cookies.
Meringue powder method
The meringue powder method is good because you don't have to worry about using egg whites, if that's a concern for you. It is less messy and allows you to easily divide or multiply the recipe to make exactly the number of sprinkles you need.
Bonus: I also find this method gives you sprinkles that dry out faster.
Corn syrup method
This method is good if you want to make these sprinkles for someone who is vegan or who has any allergens as it does not contain any egg.
The downside of this method is that it takes longer to dry out, so you definitely need the full 24 hours - sometimes longer if you are in a humid climate.
How to make sprinkle chips
When making sprinkle chips, you need to dollop your mixture onto your silicone mat - I do not recommend parchment paper for making the chips.
Use a bench scraper to spread the mixture evenly across the mat into a thin layer. Work quickly because the sprinkle base dries quickly when spread out like this and you will get a grainy texture instead of something smooth and inviting.
If your mixture does dry before you can get a nice layer, heating it briefly with a blow dryer should help, but only in an emergency.
For best results, cover your bowls of sprinkle base as you work to prevent the tops from drying out.
These recipes make approximately 2 baking mat's worth of sprinkle chips
How to pipe
If you want to pipe traditional sprinkles, you need to use the smallest round piping tip you have available and a piping bag. You can cut a small hole into your piping bag if you cannot find a small enough tip.
I do not recommend using a sandwich bag as a replacement for a traditional piping bag because the mixture is so thick, it can burst through a sandwich bag easily.
You don't have to pipe regular sprinkles. you can make dots, hearts, stars, and more. My favorite is to spread it out and break it up to make sprinkle chips.
Storage
You should keep the homemade sprinkles in an airtight container. They will last up to a year if stored in a cool, dry area.
Please ensure the sprinkles are fully dried through before putting them in an airtight container as they will stick if there is even a little moisture left inside them.
F.A.Q.s
Yes! You can add up to a teaspoon of just about any extract you love. You can even add a teaspoon of instant coffee, espresso, or cocoa powder.
If you are unsure, I would recommend waiting the full 24 hours recommended. The sprinkles are finished when they are fully dried out, they will be stiff, and even brittle to the touch.
Recipe Card
Homemade Sprinkles
Ingredients
Egg White Method
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or other extracts
Meringue Powder Method
- 1 ½ tablespoons meringue powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons water divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Vegan Method
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons water divided
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Egg White Method
- Mix the ingredients together until they form a thick paste.
- Divide into small bowls and add food coloring.
- Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe onto parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Allow to dry for 4 hours, preferably 24 hours.
- Break apart and store in an airtight container.
Meringue Powder Method
- Mix together the meringue powder, powdered sugar, and salt.
- Stir in the water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches a thick paste.
- Stir in the vanilla, then evenly divide into bowls.
- Add food coloring, then pipe lines onto a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Allow to dry for at least 4 hours, preferably for 24 hours.
- Break apart and store in an airtight container.
Vegan Method
- Mix together the powdered sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
- Add in the water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until it forms a thick paste.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Divide among bowls and add food coloring.
- Fill a piping bag and pipe lines onto a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Allow to dry, at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours.
Notes
- I recommend being cautious with the drying time and going for longer rather than shorter.
- If piping regular sprinkles, you will need quite a few sheets to pipe on. I recommend setting aside some flat surfaces to leave parchment paper and silicone mats.
- A little food coloring goes a long way, so do not go overboard.
- Experiment with flavors. Substitute the vanilla with whatever you like!
Lucy says
Thanks for sharing this detailed recipe, it was super helpful and the sprinkles came out AMAZING! I used egg whites & I’m just wondering if you know anything about the safety of these sprinkles long term using regular fresh egg whites? Since it says they can be stored for a year? In my head fresh egg whites could go bad really quickly but maybe they’re safe because they’re dried? Just double checking, thank you!:)
Note: I am reposting this comments because I forgot to add 5 stars!
Amanda Powell says
Egg whites are actually not as unsafe as you may think. They have antimicrobial properties to them that make them beneficial. And the sugar also helps acts as a preservative, and yes with it drying out also helps further enhance its longevity. They could even potentially last even longer, depending on how airtight your container is!