These Homemade Sprinkles are so much fun to make! They are easy, taste of vanilla and can be made in any color you wish to decorate your favorite birthday cake, cupcakes or those funfetti cookies you see all over the Internet but haven’t tried yet!
These Homemade Sprinkles are Vegan and Gluten free. This recipe uses plant based milk and none of the ingredients contain gluten.
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WHY MAKE THIS RECIPE
It’s easy to make. Haven’t you made homemade sprinkles before? Feeling intimidated? You shouldn’t, honestly. You’ll love this recipe for its simplicity. Follow the step-by-step photos and instructions above and you’ll get perfect DIY sprinkles even the first time you make them.
Oh, if you’re a fan of easy and fun recipes, check out these: Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes, Vegan Sugar Cookies, Vegan Funfetti Cookies, Vegan Funfetti Cake.
It’s a 15 minutes fun recipe. Fifteen minutes is all it takes to make your own rainbow sprinkles. Then let them dry overnight and will be ready to decorate your favourite treats.
It only requires a FEW BASIC ingredients. You just need 4 ingredients to make it, since milk is optional. You can use water to thin the mixture, if you prefer.
Minimal equipment needed. Don’t you have a stand mixer or a hand mixer? No worries, all you need is a bowl, a spatula and some food colouring. Don’t you have piping tips either? You can use a piping bag, cut the tip off and start piping!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Vanilla extract. It’s my favourite flavor here, but it’s totally optional. You can use another flavor, if you prefer, maybe to match the taste of the treat you’re going to decorate your sprinkles with. Or you can just skip the flavor.
Milk. I used oat milk. You can substitute it for water or regular milk, it won’t change the texture or the taste.
Food colouring. I used gel food coloring but any type (paste or powdered food colouring) will work.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup and vanilla extract.
- Whisk until well smooth and glossy.
- Divide the icing into separate bowls and add the food coloring. Mix well until well combined.
- Transfer to the piping bags fitted with a nº 3 tip.
- Pipe long lines on a parchment paper. Let dry overnight.
- Once lines are dry, cut into pieces and store in an airtight container.
RECIPE FAQs
Sprinkles will last up to a year if stored in an airtight container, once they are fully dried
Corn syrup provides elasticity and humidity to the icing and, when piping, it helps to prevent the lines from breaking. If you prefer not to use it, you can omit it, the sprinkles will turn out great too.
In fact, this is a royal icing recipe. The same I use to to decorate these pretty Vegan Sugar Cookies. For more details on how to make sprinkles with royal icing, read the step-by-step instructions above or check the recipe card below.
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If you try this recipe don’t forget to rate it and let me know how it went in the comments below! You can also FOLLOW ME on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
RECIPE
Homemade Sprinkles (Vegan & Gluten free)
Equipment
- Piping bag or a plastic zipper bag
- Tip #3
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons plant based milk (almond, oat, soy, rice) or water
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Then add the milk, corn syrup and vanilla extract.
- Stir until everything is well combined and the mixture starts getting glossy. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, a hand mixer or simply do it by hand with a spatula. If using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth and then switch to medium speed for a few seconds.
- The mixture will be thick, smooth and glossy. If it’s too thick, add some water, one teaspoon at a time.
- Divide the icing into separate bowls and add the food coloring. Start by adding 1-2 drops, mix and check the color. Stir until well combined.
- Transfer to the piping bags fitted with a #3 tip.
- Pipe long lines on a parchment paper. Let dry overnight. Don't cut them until they are completely dry or they will stick to each other.
- Once lines are fully dry, cut into pieces with a knife and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Light corn syrup is used to provide elasticity to the mixture, so it doesn’t break when piping the lines. If you don’t like it, you can omit it.
- If you don’t you have small round piping tips, you can use a piping bag and cut out the tip, or a sealable plastic bag and just cut the corner off and start piping.
- Cover the bowls of icing that you’re not using while you are transferring them to the piping bags. The top of the mixture dries out quickly.
- Sprinkles fade a bit when drying. Start with 1-2 drops of food colouring per bowl and keep adding until you get the desired color, then add a bit more just to compensate the fading once dried.
Nutrition
Oh wow, I always buy sprinkles in stores. I didn’t realize I can make them at home. I love this! It’s a fun recipe perfect to make with children. I’m definitely saving this. Thanks!
You’re so welcome, Natalie! I love making my recipes from scratch. Besides, you never run out of sprinkles if you have some powdered sugar and food coloring on hand. And thanks for the comment!
Wonderful recipe! My daughters and I had so much fun making our own sprinkles. That they can keep for up to a year makes me love the recipe even more!
Thank you, Kate! So happy to hear that you and your daughters had a great time making the sprinkles This is what cooking is about, having fun! Thank you for sharing your lovely review!
What an easy recipe! I needed a specific color (no found in stores) for a project and following your instructions I made them myself! Thanks.
Hi Silvia, you’re welcome! I’m thrilled that you made your own sprinkles following the post instructions, and that you found it easy! Thanks so much for letting me know! XO
Have you tried baking with these? I can’t tell from your confetti recipes if you’re using homemade inside the batter or if you’re using store-bought. If you’re using store bought where are you getting your gluten-free sprinkles?? We’re an allergy household and cannot have any cross-contamination which is the biggest hiccup with finding something safe.
Hi Amber Rose, I specifically used these sprinkles to make several batches of the Vegan Funfetti Cookie recipe. I attach the link here so you can see how they turned out: https://www.simplegreenrecipes.com/vegan-funfetti-cookies/
I do both, I make my own when I have time or I buy them online. Check Sweetapolita.com or Supernaturalkitchen.com, both have gluten-free sprinkles. Hope it helps. Have a great summer Amber!
Our granddaughter would love this, she always wants to put sprinkles on anything we bake! I never thought to make homemade sprinkles, so thank you for inspiring us!
Hi, Loreto and Nicoletta, you are welcome! It’s great fun making them yourself. Thanks for commenting! XO
Oh wow, I had no idea making sprinkles was this easy! Can’t wait to do this with my kids. What gel color do you like?
Hi Brianna, yes, they’re super easy to make. I normally use Americolor electric colors: electric pink, electric orange…I’ve found those don’t fade as much. Let me know how it went if you try it! XO
This is so cool! I am happy to know this recipe. Now, I can make our own candy sprinkles at home. Thank you!
Thank you, Amy,
You are right these sprinkles can easily be made at home. I love them and use it to decorate my cakes, cupcakes and cookies. You must give them a try!
Enjoy!!
This looks so much easier than I’d even think it would be! I love that these sprinkles are vegan too! I’m definitely saving the recipe for next time I’m making something I need sprinkles for!
Thank you, Veronika,
they’re super easy to make and so quick. If you make a double batch you’ll have sprinkles for ever! I hope you love them. XO
I never would have thought to make my own sprinkles! This will be a fun project to do with my sprinkle crazy grandaughter!
Hi, Colleen! Me, neither, I’ve always bought the sprinkles but have never quite liked the taste, so I decided to make my own. You have to try it, it’s therapeutic ;-))
Thanks for the comment!
This would be so much fun to do it with kids. This is so easy and perfect decor on desserts and sweets too.
Oh, yes Veena! You’re so right, kids love making them! This is a great activity to do when they are on holiday, it’s super easy and they learn to have fun in the kitchen! Thanks for the sweet comment!
This is genius! I would never have thought to make my own sprinkles. This would be fun to do with the kids!
Hi, Amy, they will love it! I made this sprinkles with my nice last time, and we had so much fun. Enjoy! XO
Thank you so much for sharing this homemade sprinkles! It’s really helpful and really fun to do! Will surely make this again. Highly recommended!
Hi Allyssa, it always makes my day when someone sends me feedback about a recipe and really loved it! So happy that you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for coming back to comment!