homemade sprinkles

homemade sprinkles are SUPER easy – but no one has to know!

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Note: “homemade sprinkles” is a post I shared 9 years ago; it has been edited here with updated photos and text.

this is one of my oldest and most popular recipes!

So this is a post that was originally published in May of 2012 – almost exactly 9 years ago (I’ve left some of the original pictures down at the bottom).

And it is – hands down – my most-viewed post ever, with almost 250,000 views as of today. This is because it was included in a BuzzFeed round up back in 2014, which went viral.

I always marveled at this occurrence, because – as you can see if you scroll to the bottom – the pictures are 100% meh. And BLURRY. But this made no difference to the popularity of the post. And so I never bothered to update it.

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

it was time to update these photos!

I was making these brownie sundaes for Father’s Day and wanted to top them with ombre sprinkles. I realized this was the perfect opportunity to make those much-needed updates, and here we are!

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

what ingredients do you need to make homemade sprinkles?

Sprinkles are made from very similar ingredients to royal icing:

powdered sugar
water
meringue powder
food coloring

You can leave them plain, or add some peppermint or vanilla extract. I’ve also seen recipes using light corn syrup but you absolutely don’t need it!

why do you use meringue powder instead of egg whites?

Two reasons. First, the sprinkles are not baked – so I prefer the powder, which is completely dried and a little safer than raw eggs. I DO occasionally use raw egg whites in my royal icing, but I prefer the powder in sprinkles because it doesn’t add any additional liquid.

you DON’T need a special tip to make perfect sprinkles!

The original recipe still holds up, but if I had to do it again I’d use a Wilton #2 tip instead of the schmancy sprinkle tip I bought for this purpose. Yes, you have to pipe more individual lines. But the sprinkles will be a little larger, and I think there would be less breakage and “squiggling”:

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

see all that squiggling???

Regardless, they came out just as I’d hoped, and I was thrilled to have some fresh pics to show for it.

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

how do you make ombre sprinkles?

To make these ombre sprinkles (I used Wilton Brown here), simply divide your mixture into as many bowls as you want shades. I did 4, leaving 1 white. For the other 3 I went from light to dark, gradually adding more food coloring till I achieved the desired shades. Have fun with it!

ombre brown sprinkles on a marble counter

Homemade Sprinkles

sherisilver
What could be more fun than your own beautiful homemade sprinkles?
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted (do not skip this step; even the smallest clump will clog the tip)
  • 3 - 4 tablespoons water
  • gel food coloring

Instructions
 

  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Place the meringue powder, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, beat for 5 minutes (scraping down the sides as necessary). At this point you can add additional water – a teaspoon at a time – till you reach the appropriate consistency (think toothpaste and you’re on the right track).
  • Add food coloring till you achieve your desired shade, and transfer to a piping bag fitted with your piping tip. Pipe out lines onto your prepared baking sheets. Don’t worry if the lines aren’t perfectly straight, or if there are breaks as you pipe them out.
  • Let the icing dry – uncovered, at room temperature – for a full 24 hours, then cut into sprinkles. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.

Notes

  1. You can make chocolate sprinkles too!
  2. I doubled this recipe because I wanted to make ombre sprinkles, and wanted to have enough of each color to show up. I now have waaaaay too many sprinkles – which is not the worst thing in the world, but the original recipe makes plenty.
did you make this recipe?tag @sherisilver on instagram!

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Need some more ways to use these beauties? Try these cookies, these cupcakes or this cake!

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

And now a trip down memory lane!

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Homemade Sprinkles l sherisilver.com

Please note that this post contains affiliate links. As a Rewards Style influencer I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases – at no additional cost to you.

112 Comments

  1. Sandra on May 25, 2012 at 7:56 am

    Great idea and SOOO much easier than I would have expected! Love that you can flavour them too.

    • sheri silver on May 25, 2012 at 9:23 am

      YES! I was shocked too – and happy! 🙂

  2. Jill V / TerraSavvy on May 25, 2012 at 8:05 am

    I too LOVE sprinkles but refuse to buy them because of the ingredients!

    I love you for this – xo

    • sheri silver on May 25, 2012 at 9:23 am

      I had a feeling you’d like this one – so glad I was right! xo

    • W on October 2, 2018 at 5:46 pm

      Will they melt if you bake them in cake

      • sherisilver on October 2, 2018 at 6:56 pm

        I never have but I don’t think so. That said, maybe try a test batch first? And please let me know the results; I’ll add it to the recipe!

  3. Sara on May 25, 2012 at 9:46 am

    This means that I can make them for my man … his corn allergy means no processed sweets, I make my own confectioner’s sugar anyway. Thanks for sharing!

    • sheri silver on May 25, 2012 at 9:14 pm

      Yay! Let me know how they turn out! xo

  4. jen on May 25, 2012 at 10:11 am

    you are so clever….but i shouldn’t say that too loud so it goes to your head 😉

    • sheri silver on May 25, 2012 at 9:13 pm

      Too late………….xo

    • Kathy on May 14, 2014 at 11:04 pm

      What an absolute awesome trick to learn! I am so excited to try this. I hate even looking at the ingredients in store bought sprinkles. Thanks a million

  5. Hotly Spiced on May 25, 2012 at 5:24 pm

    What a great idea. I don’t think I can buy that attachment here in Oz but I’m sure I could get it on-line! Have a great weekend Sheri and thanks for showing me something new xx

    • sheri silver on May 25, 2012 at 9:13 pm

      Yes! I put the link on the blog – I love it! 🙂

  6. Jennifer (Savor) on May 26, 2012 at 9:45 pm

    I am soooooo on this…..like sprinkles to ice cream.

  7. Kate on May 30, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    SO cool! Do they have the same consistency as store-bought sprinkles, or are they crunchier? I saw your ombre sprinkle picture on Instagram – beautiful!

    • sherisilver on May 30, 2012 at 8:25 pm

      Crunchier! No comparison to store-bought and you can vary the flavor with different extracts! 🙂

  8. doreen on May 14, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    you can also make into other shapes, like squiggles, swirls and whatnot. I wish i had pics of some i made last month….used them all, lol

  9. Amarylis on May 15, 2014 at 1:54 am

    That’s awesome! Will add some bit of color to a chocolate cake, the kids are going to luv this!! Thanks for sharing!!!

  10. Debbie on May 15, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    Great idea! Seems like you could use a new garlic press for this too. An old one might still retain some odor or taste of garlic.

    • sherisilver on May 15, 2014 at 8:53 pm

      Ooh – never thought of that! Great idea!

  11. Becka on May 16, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    Wow, I love this!! Never thought of making my own sprinkles before!
    Could you sub real egg white for the “Just Egg White”? And if so, would you use the same amount? I’ve never seen “Just Egg White” here!

    • sherisilver on May 16, 2014 at 6:00 pm

      You could – for safety reasons I used the egg white substitute. Two teaspoons of of “Just Whites” is the equivalent of 1 regular egg white. So you’d want to use half of an egg white in the recipe. Let me know how they turn out!

  12. Wannabemolly on May 30, 2014 at 7:41 pm

    How long do they store for? Do they need refrigerated since it has egg whites in it?

    • sherisilver on May 30, 2014 at 10:14 pm

      I use powdered egg whites (which allows the sprinkles to be stored indefinitely) for that reason. Any recipe I’ve seen for sprinkles indicates that as long as they’re stored in an airtight container that they will keep indefinitely – regardless of real or powdered whites. If you’re antsy about storing egg whites at room temp then I’d put them in the fridge; I’m not sure how the texture will be affected though. Let me know what you wind up doing!

  13. Kat on July 27, 2014 at 10:23 pm

    I half expected to see a grater or potato ricer had been used for this – now I’m wondering what effects could be achieved using kids’ play-doh extruders. I may just have to buy some and find out. I can always pass them along to my grandson if they don’t work out! Do you think I could stiffen the mix a little with more sugar or with a bit of cornstarch, then slice stars etc. from an extruded shape?

    • sherisilver on July 28, 2014 at 9:23 am

      Interesting idea! I think that the recipe is very adaptable and you could probably stiffen it with more sugar – let me know if you do and how it turns out!

  14. Sissy RC on July 27, 2014 at 11:57 pm

    How can I make chocolate jimmies??

  15. Dana on July 30, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    Are. “Just Whites” a powdered substitute? None of my local store carry it. Thanks!

    • sherisilver on July 31, 2014 at 10:15 am

      Yes – it’s a powdered egg white substitute – pasteurized and kept at room temp. You can absolutely use egg whites instead, I include that for those who are reluctant to use raw egg.

      • Lisa on July 24, 2018 at 8:15 pm

        Can meringue powder be used in place of egg white powder?

        • sherisilver on July 25, 2018 at 8:36 am

          You could but you might have to play with the amounts as meringue powder has other ingredients in it that might affect the consistency. If you use it let me know and I’ll add it to the recipe!

  16. Terri on July 31, 2014 at 12:07 am

    Thank you this tip is greatest

  17. tammigirl on August 1, 2014 at 7:31 am

    I’m hoping this gets me on your email list. 🙂

    Loved this easy, better way to have sprinkles – thanks!

    • sherisilver on August 1, 2014 at 7:58 am

      Ugh – saw your tweet – working on it right now!!!

  18. Pena on August 3, 2014 at 5:38 am

    Hi! I’m Finnish so I just have to ask what the small t and big T stand for in recipes? I go to a fricking culinary school and I still have no idea, because our English teacher isn’t actually an English teacher (for example she thinks that the american “cup” stands for a coffee cup and nobody would believe me when I said that a cup is 2,4dl, because I’m the youngest in my class).

    I really need to make sprinkles for my next bday cake, I don’t normally even like sprinkles, but maybe I will if I make them by myself.

    • sherisilver on August 3, 2014 at 9:01 am

      Gah! Sorry! Small “t” is teaspoon, large “T” is tablespoon! Hope this helps! 🙂

      • Tina on August 8, 2014 at 2:47 pm

        The metric conversion would be 5ml and 15 ml respectively. 🙂
        Cant wait to try this!

    • Ingrid on January 4, 2015 at 11:18 am

      Yes, a cup has a standard measurement in US. It’s 8 oz. I am from Uruguay and some people would tell me the same thing.. it’s just a cup. I knew in baking things need to be precise. Coffee cups can be many sizes, so you are right 🙂

  19. Cody on August 16, 2014 at 6:44 pm

    If you use a real egg white instead of the “Just Whites” do u take out the water? Or do u still need to use it?

    • sherisilver on August 17, 2014 at 10:51 am

      Yes you can skip the water – you made need a little to thin out the mixture if it’s too thick!

      • Rana on June 24, 2020 at 5:03 am

        If i used real egg whit how Long Do Sprinkles Last?

        • sherisilver on June 24, 2020 at 8:14 am

          They’ll last quite a long time if kept in an airtight container!

  20. Clair on October 21, 2014 at 3:24 pm

    Just a thought, but could you make a thicker frosting like fondant and push it through a sieve? Have no need for sprinkles right now or I would try it!

    • sherisilver on October 21, 2014 at 8:33 pm

      Ooh – good idea – or a potato ricer! 🙂

  21. Ingrid on January 3, 2015 at 7:18 pm

    I’m going to try and flavor them with anis. Thanks for the idea 🙂

    • sherisilver on January 4, 2015 at 8:47 am

      Ooh – that’s a great idea! Let me know how they turn out!

  22. Noora on January 10, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    Where do u get the Wilton #134

  23. Lisa on January 26, 2015 at 9:28 am

    What is the texture like? Are they very different from the store bought kind? They look so fun!

    • sherisilver on January 26, 2015 at 3:22 pm

      They’re surprisingly similar – the texture is “crispier” (?) and has more of a snap than the store bought kind. Give them a try! 🙂

  24. Becky on February 1, 2015 at 9:13 am

    Very cool. I am very impressed. I’m so glad that that I stumbled across your blog. I’m trying to conquer my unnatural fear of baking and I think you are going to help tremendously. Lol. Thanks for sharing.

    • sherisilver on February 1, 2015 at 6:57 pm

      Yay! So glad you found me too – and feel free to ask ANY questions you ever have. I’m self-taught and have learned a lot but made a ton of mistakes too! 🙂

  25. Sherrie Mae on February 26, 2015 at 10:09 pm

    A big HI Sheri! (From Sherrie of the Philippines) I’m not sure if someone asked this already but may I know how much would the recipe yield? It’s not like there’s such a thing as ‘too much sprinkles’ 😉 I just had to ask so that I’ll know if I have to double the recipe if I need more. Thanks a lot. (And thanks for this wonderful tip.)

    • sherisilver on February 27, 2015 at 7:24 am

      Hi Sherrie! I don’t remember how much this recipe yields so I can’t say for sure. I’m making another batch soon and will update the post when I do (if you get there first let me know!). Thanks for writing! 🙂

  26. Jenn on March 10, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    I’m so excited about homemade sprinkles for the same reasons as most. I just made my first batch, and I was wondering if you know if I could use these sprinkles to make a funfetti cake. Thanks! 🙂

    • sherisilver on March 10, 2015 at 6:07 pm

      Yay! Yes – you can use the sprinkles just like you would the store bought kind. Send me a picture! 🙂

      • Jenn on March 10, 2015 at 7:25 pm

        Oh great! Thanks for getting back so quickly! I can’t wait to make the cake! I’ll surely send a picture. 🙂

      • Jenn on March 14, 2015 at 12:13 pm

        So I tried the sprinkles in a funfetti cupcake, and they didn’t do so great. When I cut open the cupcake I could only see a couple dots of color even though I put plenty of sprinkles in the batter. I still love the sprinkles, and I’m going to decorate the top of the cupcakes for my son’s first birthday tomorrow. 🙂

        • sherisilver on March 15, 2015 at 5:00 pm

          Oh no! I did do my research before answering and was certain that you could bake with them – so sorry! Would still love to see a pic! 🙂

          • Jenn on March 15, 2015 at 8:40 pm

            Hi again. Today was the big party, and the cupcakes looked wonderful, thanks entirely to the homemade sprinkles. I have a picture, but I’m not sure how to share it with you. There isn’t a way, that I’m aware of, to upload it in a comment.



          • sherisilver on March 15, 2015 at 10:08 pm

            Yay! E-mail it to me at Sheri at sherisilver dot com. I’ll put it in the comments!



        • NiQue Williams on December 19, 2015 at 11:31 am

          Hello, Hello Jenn!!
          Ik I’m a little late to the comments section, but I’ll bet what happened is:
          As you baked the cupcakes with the sprinkles inside, the heat sort of “liquefied” them into what you’d typically see in sweet “drizzle”/icing (the kind you may see atop cinnamon rolls and the like)… and the little “dots” you saw was simply the lingering coloring used in the sprinkles.
          Regular (store bought/icky) sprinkles add a variety of “waxy” preservatives with a higher melting point than plain confectioners sugar and egg whites, etc.
          I’ve even seen sprinkles that included ingredients like beeswax to maintain the solid state in baking…
          But enuff rambling from me, LoL…
          I’m just guessing that the homemade jimmies turned to delicious flavored icing as it baked, is all.
          (Didn’t mean to sound preachy and nerdy if I did, haha… I was just guessing based on an experience I’d had with homemade fondant-based sprinkles I’d purchased from a bakery years ago and my grandfather (a chef of 30+ years) explained the problem to me (in DETAIL, haha) when I was near tears out of frustration when my goodies continually failed)…
          So I thought what I’d learned may apply here too 😉

          Happiest of Holidays Guys!!!
          (Aaaaaannnndddd TY TY TY AGAIN, Sheri for your lifesaving recipes/goodies!!!)

          • sherisilver on December 19, 2015 at 2:11 pm

            This “might” be my favorite comment. Ever. 😉



  27. Jen on March 17, 2015 at 9:25 pm

    Hmmmm. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. My mixture never got smooth – it just formed into little white balls. I tried adding water twice and it didn’t help. Any thoughts? I really want to make this for my daughter’s first birthday. 🙁

    • sherisilver on March 18, 2015 at 7:29 am

      Ugh – I’m sorry to hear that – I’ve never had that happen! Did you sift the sugar? It’s critical for this recipe. Also, your sugar might be extra “dry”. Start with less sugar and add more – a little at a time – till you get the right consistency. Let me know what happens!

      • Jen on March 25, 2015 at 10:33 am

        Sorry I forgot to update! I tried again, adding the sugar a little at a time, and it worked. 🙂

        • sherisilver on March 25, 2015 at 12:38 pm

          Woo hoo! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

  28. Yadi on March 30, 2015 at 3:34 pm

    Any update on how many ounces or cups of sprinkles this recipe makes? Making a sprinkle cake in a few weeks 🙂
    ~Thanks!

    • Yadi on March 30, 2015 at 3:35 pm

      And also those are the exact colors I need! What colors did you use?!

    • sherisilver on March 30, 2015 at 3:41 pm

      Ugh – I wish I had exact answers for you – I’m planning another batch soon and will make note of the final amounts! As for the colors, I just eyeballed using gel paste food color – good luck!

  29. Frida on April 15, 2015 at 12:14 pm

    I LOVE THE INTERNET!

    And I love that there’s people like you out there, willing to share ideas, tips and tricks.

    THANK you <3

    Hugs
    Frida
    Denmark

    • sherisilver on April 15, 2015 at 12:22 pm

      Hugs back Frida – thank you! And tune in tomorrow, ’cause……………CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES!!!!

  30. Shelley on May 7, 2015 at 7:04 pm

    I’m being lazy lol
    Is this basically royal icing?

    • sherisilver on May 7, 2015 at 8:30 pm

      I’ve had this thought many a time myself. 😉

  31. Carol on May 7, 2015 at 9:22 pm

    Do you have to worry about salmonella using egg whites?

    • sherisilver on May 7, 2015 at 9:54 pm

      Just Egg Whites is powdered pasteurized egg whites so no need to worry! 🙂

      • Carol on May 8, 2015 at 10:30 pm

        Great!!!

  32. shell on May 8, 2015 at 2:35 am

    Is the powdered egg whites you use the same thing as meringue powder?

    • sherisilver on May 8, 2015 at 6:48 am

      Not exactly – some (if not all) meringue powders contain sugar and/or cornstarch. Powdered egg whites are just egg whites. I hope that helps!

  33. Lulu on May 8, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    What does one T mean?
    Like in one t of egg whites?

    • sherisilver on May 8, 2015 at 8:29 pm

      “T” is tablespoon, “t” is teaspoon – I just adjusted the instructions to (hopefully!) clarify! 🙂

  34. Karen on June 16, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    This is perfect! I have a 5 year old granddaughter who lives for sprinkles. Funny thing is that every time she visits, I take her for donuts (with sprinkles), I make dresses for her and she is constantly covered in dirt. This blog was made for me. LOL

    • sherisilver on June 16, 2015 at 9:05 pm

      Ha! I love this. Thanks so much! 🙂

  35. Kylie on June 26, 2015 at 7:38 pm

    Hi

    This idea was passed on to me buy my mother as my kids love sprinkles. But i used the recipie but let the kids draw and make the patterns and when it drys we will cut them up to eat for lunch. Kids are excited. So thankyou for the recipie and great craft/cooking experience.

    • sherisilver on June 26, 2015 at 10:37 pm

      What a great idea – so glad you liked it! 🙂

  36. Rebecca Politzer on November 20, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    though most ingredient fear is bs it’s still nice to be able to control what goes into food, i also think these probably taste better than something with wax in it food safe or not

    • sherisilver on November 20, 2015 at 8:23 pm

      Oh they taste SO much better! 🙂

  37. Diana on February 20, 2016 at 9:58 pm

    Love this helpful recepie. Super awesome post. Please share all ur fabulous recepies. I am wanting to save money on decos and making my own is even better to learn. Thankz!

  38. alexandra on April 25, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    Any idea roughly how much this mix makes?
    Thanks

    • sherisilver on April 26, 2016 at 9:12 am

      I’ve never measured but I believe it’s 1 – 2 cups!

  39. Becky Krenek on February 20, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    Hi, can these be mixed into a white cake to make your own confetti cake? I have made several custom confetti cakes using different colors of jimmies or sprinkles. This would be great to be able to make exactly the colors I want.

    • sherisilver on February 20, 2017 at 9:55 pm

      I don’t know what would happen if baked – I’ve never done that before and would be concerned that they would bleed. That said, could you do a test batch (like with a cupcake)? Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!!!

  40. Ali on December 7, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    This is awesome! I’ve never even thought of making my own sprinkles. It doesn’t look like it’s too hard, either. I will definitely have to try this.

    • sherisilver on December 7, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      Thank you! SUPER easy, especially if you use that special piping tip! 🙂

  41. Tina Ward on December 30, 2017 at 10:15 am

    I’m a little late to this party but thought I’d add a suggestion for future parties. Pipe the icing in a zig zag or wavy pattern, cutting just a tad longer than usual for a different effect (think-streamers on your cupcakes and ice cream; )

    • sherisilver on December 30, 2017 at 3:37 pm

      OOH! I love that idea! I’m sorely in need of updated photos for this post; will definitely try this when I do – thank you! 🙂

  42. Shirlee on September 16, 2018 at 9:22 pm

    Where I was born & raised (Pittsburgh) we called them “Jimmies” —and yes, that is the same as sprinkles! lol But I can’t wait to try these for the grandkids, they love their sprinkles on their cupcakes!

    • sherisilver on September 17, 2018 at 1:49 pm

      Oh yay! Send me a picture when you make them; I love to see the different colors and sizes people use! 🙂

  43. Sadie on March 3, 2021 at 12:26 pm

    i just had to be the 111 commenter but i will definitely try this out and make them pink (:

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!