No special tools are required; they are affordable, customizable, and will stay fresh for at least six months! You won’t be restricted to what you find in the store. Making homemade sugar sprinkles is easy and fun, and they add a personal touch to your baked goods! Here’s how you can whip up your own colorful, crunchy sprinkles right at home.

WHAT SUGAR SHOULD I USE?

There is no one answer to this question. All forms of white sugar will work—superfine, granulated, coarse, raw, and even powdered sugar (scroll down for special instructions for coloring powdered sugar). The only exception is light or dark brown sugar.

How to Make Homemade Sanding Sugar

The idea of coloring sugar to make sprinkles might seem unnecessary. But unless you live close to a bakery supply store, it’s hard to find specific colors of sanding sugar. Making colored sanding sugar at home ensures you have the colors you need. Also, it will save you a trip to the store if you find yourself without a particular color.

STORE BOUGHT CLEAR SANDING SUGAR

GRANULATED SUGAR

LET THE SUGAR DRY, RUN THE CLUMPS THROUGH A FINE SIEVE.

HOMEMADE SPARKLING SANDING SUGAR INGREDIENTS LIST- full printable recipe below in recipe card

• 1 cup clear sparkling sand sugar, or regular granulated sugar
• A few drops of gel food coloring (NOT LIQUID)

COLORFUL SANDING SUGAR INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place 1 cup of sugar in a plastic bag.
2. Add the gel food coloring, beginning with 1 or 2 drops.
3. Seal up the plastic bag and knead the food gel into the sugar.
4. After evenly distributing the color, add the ¼ teaspoon of cornstarch and knead until everything is incorporated.
5. Spread the colored sugar onto a baking sheet and let it dry for about 30 minutes.
6. If there are clumps in the sugar, push it through a fine sieve.
7. Store colored sugar in glass jars, not plastic bags or containers. It will stay fresh for at least six months and, in most cases, longer.

Coloring Sugar Results – Which Sugar Works Best

• STORE-BOUGHT WHITE OR CLEAR SPARKLING SANDY SUGAR: The store-bought type worked amazingly for a nice chunky decorating sugar. The sugar easily absorbs the color and produces a beautiful sanding sugar.
• TABLE GRANULATED WHITE SUGAR: Making fine-grain colored sugar at home is easy, and the sugar absorbs the color beautifully. The only downside is that granulated sugar doesn’t offer the same sparkle as the store-bought version. The fine grain is great on decorated pretzels. It’s lightweight and won’t drag down the melted candy.
• RAW SUGAR: This one was odd, but I think in a good way. Some grains took to the food coloring and others didn’t, creating multi-colored sprinkles. I used a dark blue, which gave it a cool denim look.

GRANULATED SUGAR

STORE BOUGHT WHITE OR CLEAR SANDING SUGAR

RAW SUGAR

MY FAVORITE CONCENTRATED FOOD COLORING SET

I love these Wilton sets. With these sets, you can create an array of colors. On the back of each color set, there are recipes for each color. I found my sets at Walmart.

How to Color Powdered Sugar

You might be thinking, “Why do I need colored powdered sugar? ” Well, obviously, you don’t, but if you love themed food, colored powdered sugar is a game changer. It’s perfect for crinkle cookies, sprinkling on top of treats or French toast, and making a dramatic, colorful sugar drizzle. Colored powdered sugar adds a lot of fun to any treat or dish.

• POWDERED SUGAR + GEL FOOD COLORING: In a food processor, add the sugar, turn the processor on, and then add a few drops of the gel food coloring. When adding the gel food coloring, be careful; it’s easy to add too much, and if that happens, you will end up with a gummy mess. Pour colored sugar onto a baking sheet, break up chunks, and dry. Adding even the smallest amount of gel food coloring will add moisture to the sugar, which needs to dry. TIP: If you’re in a hurry, turn your oven onto the lowest temperature, let it come to temperature, turn off the heat, add the sugar, and let it sit in the oven until the oven is cooled. The warm air will dry out the sugar. DO NOT ADD YOUR SUGAR TO A CONTAINER UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY DRY.
• STORE-BOUGHT COLORED SUGAR: Pour sugar into the bowl of a food processor. YOU DON’T HAVE TO ADD FOOD COLORING. THE SUGAR IS ALREADY COLORED, SO THERE IS NO DRYING TIME. The downside is that it takes a long time to process the sugar into a powdered state. You won’t achieve the same powder texture as powdered sugar, but you will get close.
• POWDERED SUGAR + COLORED POWDER: The best choice of all three. Since the coloring is already powder and highly concentrated, drying is unnecessary. The result is a beautiful color. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl of a food processor (½ cup powdered sugar with ½ teaspoon of colored powder)

The Many Uses of Sanding Sugar

Sanding sugar is a versatile decorative ingredient widely used in baking and confectionery for both its aesthetic appeal and textural benefits. Its large, coarse crystals reflect light beautifully, making it ideal for adding sparkle and color to cookies, cupcakes, and cakes. Bakers often sprinkle it on top of dough before baking to create a crisp, sweet crust, especially on sugar cookies, scones, or pie crusts. Sanding sugar also comes in various vibrant colors, making it perfect for themed treats and festive occasions. Beyond baking, it can be used to rim cocktail glasses for a glittery finish or to decorate holiday crafts and edible gifts. My favorite? Decorated Pretzels and Marshmallows. EXAMPLE: Adding a sprinkle of light purple sanding sugar on top of a Lilac flavored scone with a pastel purple glaze drizzle would be beautiful.

How to Make Flavored Colored Sanding Sugar

If you have a concentrated flavoring with an intense color ( like Ube extract), you only need a small amount of the flavoring. If that’s not the case, add one drop of color with one drop of flavoring (vanilla extract) per 1 cup of sugar. Use a spoon to mix or add to a zip-top bag and knead the color and flavoring into the sugar. Continue until you have reached the desired flavor and color. Be careful, you don’t want to add too much moisture. Below is a photo of the ube-flavored colored sugar sprinkled on top of an Ube Cookie.

HOW TO MAKE FLAVORED SUGAR USING EXTRACTS

Elevate your baking game and impress your friends and family with homemade flavored sugar treats. Imagine the possibilities – maybe sugar can be sprinkled on popcorn, coconut sugar can add a tropical touch to your tea, strawberry sugar can be used to make whipped cream, or maple sugar can be used for pancake batter. Customize flavored sugar using extracts, adding a unique touch to your dishes and drinks. Prepare to add some flavor to your pantry and wow your taste buds. CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE→FLAVORED SUGAR USING EXTRACTS

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In conclusion, making homemade sanding sugar is a wonderfully easy and fun way to add a personal, creative touch to your baked goods. With just a few simple ingredients and a dash of imagination, you can transform ordinary sugar into vibrant, sparkling toppings that make your treats truly stand out. Whether you’re decorating cookies, cupcakes, or festive desserts, homemade sanding sugar brings color, charm, and a bit of magic to every creation.❤️Sheryl