We dye our own sprinkles for food shoots when the exact shade we want is hard to find. This year we partnered with Hallmark to share birthday inspiration that starts with the card, and we discovered a Hallmark Signature card that features a sprinkle message—so naturally we created a batch of custom-colored sprinkles to match. It’s an easy, cheerful gift and a fun little craft to personalize for a friend.
With a sprinkle-loving friend’s birthday coming up, we made several colors and packed them to send. Below are straightforward, tried-and-true steps so you can recreate these vibrant sprinkles at home.
How To Dye Sprinkles
Total Time: 15 Minutes (plus drying time)
Supplies
White sprinkles (jimmies or nonpareils)
Gel food coloring in desired shades
Toothpicks
Resealable plastic bags
Parchment or wax paper
Directions
1. Place a small dot of gel food coloring on a clean surface or directly into a plastic bag by dipping a toothpick into the gel and transferring it into the bag. For custom shades, add small dots of different colors to the same bag.
2. Add white sprinkles to the bag in the amount you want to color.
3. Seal the bag and gently massage it with your hands to spread the color evenly over the sprinkles. Work patiently and add color incrementally—too much dye at once can make sprinkles sticky and cause clumps.
4. When the color looks even and vibrant enough, pour the sprinkles in a single layer onto parchment or wax paper to dry. Let them dry fully before combining different colors; mixing them while wet will cause colors to bleed together.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
A small jar or bag of nicely packaged sprinkles paired with a thoughtful card is an easy, delightful way to send birthday wishes to friends you don’t usually exchange gifts with.
This post was created in partnership with Hallmark. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep the Studio DIY party going.