Rainbow Sprinkles Recipe

Sift the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, gum arabic powder, and fine sea salt together into a large bowl to remove lumps and to evenly distribute the gum arabic. This is the dry base for all sprinkle colors.

Measure out 6 equal portions of the dry base into six small bowls (about 1/3 cup + a tablespoon each). Keep them even so colors and textures will match.

In each small bowl, add about 1 teaspoon of corn syrup and 1 teaspoon of water to the dry base to begin forming a pipeable paste. Stir vigorously to incorporate. The paste should be stiff but pipeable; if too dry add water 1/4 tsp at a time, if too wet add a little sifted powdered sugar.

Add liquid gel food coloring to each bowl to achieve desired rainbow shades: e.g., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of gel per bowl and mix. Increase in small increments until the colors are vivid. Add 1/6 tsp vanilla extract split among bowls (or a few drops total) to give a subtle flavor — stir to combine. If using almond extract, add a drop or two shared between all bowls (optional).

If you want a slight sheen, stir 1/4 teaspoon of clear neutral oil into each color bowl. This step is optional and keeps the sprinkles from drying chalky.

Fit piping bags with a fine round piping tip (0.8–1.5 mm). Fill each bag with a different colored paste. If you only have zip-top bags, fill them and snip a tiny corner to achieve a similar tip size.

Pipe long, thin lines about 1–1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) long onto parchment paper or silicone mat. Space lines slightly so they don’t stick together. Work reasonably quickly — the paste will start to skin over in 10–20 minutes depending on humidity.

If some lines spread a bit, use the tip to nudge them back to length. For uniformity, you can use a ruler as a guide beneath the parchment paper.

Allow piped lines to dry at room temperature for 12–24 hours until completely hard and dry to the touch. In humid climates, extend drying time or place in a well-ventilated area. Do not put in the oven — heat can melt or discolor the colors.

Once dry, gently peel the piped lines from the parchment and break them into typical sprinkle-sized pieces (about 3–5 mm long). You can rub them lightly between your fingers or use a clean knife to chop them.

Sift the broken sprinkles lightly to remove any fine dust; reserve any fine powder to be mixed back into future batches or used as decoration dust.

Store finished rainbow sprinkles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks. Keep away from moisture. If they soften, spread them on a tray and re-dry at room temperature for several hours.