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How to make custom colored sugar

Custom Colored Sugar for Fall

Custom Colored Sugar for Fall

The other day, I had one of those slap-your-forehead, duh! moments. I was getting ready to decorate some sugar cookies with colored sugar when I realized I didn’t have the color I needed. Halfway out the door to make an emergency grocery store run, it hit me – why not make my own colored sugar?

It couldn’t be easier to make: simply take regular granulated sugar and add a few drops of food coloring (I do about 1/4 cup at a time with about 5 drops of liquid food coloring). Voila, colored sugar. What’s more, you can custom color the sugar as well. Need orange for Halloween? Or a specific shade of red or blue? Or a certain color for a sanding sugar or garnish? Done!

If the sugar gets clumpy from the food coloring, give it a spin in the food processor to break up the lumps.

Colored Sugar

Colored Sugar

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20 Comments

  1. Dana Zia says:

    Wow! So easy! Why didn’t I think of that? Geesh. I’m always scratching around for orange sugar sprinkles. Thanks!
    Dana Zia
    http://danazia.wordpress.com/

  2. What a great idea! That is much better than all those sprinkles available in the shops :)
    Thank you for sharing this…. Margot

  3. Rebel says:

    I love your blog! So many good recipes. I can’t wait to make the Cranberry Crunch Bars, they look delish. Thanks for the recipe.

  4. Juliet says:

    Thanks, everyone for your nice comments!

  5. Hillary says:

    Cool! But how do you mix it? Do you just stir it in a bowl? I feel like my color distribution wouldn’t come out so perfectly even.

  6. Juliet says:

    Hillary, I just mix it in a small bowl with a spoon, crushing any lumps and stirring until uniform in color, but you could also use a food processor.

  7. SMS Bradley says:

    This is just what I have been wanting! Thank you! Now if only I can find a quantity source for not too expensive clear sprinkles.

  8. What a great tip. Thanks

  9. Lori says:

    I’ve never even thought of making my own before. Great idea and beautiful pictures!

  10. [...] cupcake, then more pudding. Top again with bread or cupcake, then a whirl of whipped cream and some orange colored sugar. Also on the menu: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Cranberry Chutney Butternut Squash Soup Pumpkin Butter [...]

  11. Lynn Herrick says:

    I have been baking for my grandsons that are on a gluten free/casein free diet. I wanted them to have beautifully adorned christmas cookies just like all the other kids. I cannot use conventional food coloring so I colored my icing with pomegranate juice and some with mashed avocado. I had a beautiful green icing and a pinkish red icing. Turmeric can be used sparingly to make yellow. Now I am trying to make colored sugar. I have made a gorgeous red sugar by mashing blueberries and working in the juice. Now I am stumped as how to attain other colors. Any ideas out there for the sugar. I am going to try carrot juice for orange sugar. I wish I could make a blue sugar. Help would be really appreciated. Thanks and happy baking. :)

  12. Juliet says:

    Bradley, Food Hunter and Lori, thank you!

    Lynn, here’s a link to an article from Martha Stewart on natural dyes for coloring Easter eggs. It’d be the same concept to make colored sugars – boiling down the item to make a dye, then coloring the sugar with that. I’ve tried some of these, and can tell you that the cabbage did yield a pretty blue. Hope this helps! http://www.marthastewart.com/article/dyeing-eggs-naturally?autonomy_kw=egg%20coloring&rsc=header_6

  13. Michelle says:

    Love this idea! I’m about to make cookies I will use colored sugar to decorate! Thanks for sharing!

  14. Madeline says:

    What a fantastic and simple idea! I wish I had come across this post before I made my Christmas cookies this year. I ran out of colored sugar and didn’t have an opportunity to get more…I must admit, the overall result was a little sad :)

  15. ilene says:

    I think blue can be made from red cabbage. Sounds weird, I seem to remember Mom making dying blue eggs with red cabbage leaves in the egg water.

  16. Kelly says:

    I will use red sugar to rim my martini glasses. This was just what I was looking for. Thanks

  17. laurie zarate says:

    Can you color sugar using food color “powder”? Thanks!

  18. [...] PS if you find yourself plum out of colored sugar you can make some of your own. [...]

  19. [...] corn onto waxed paper or parchment paper.  Drizzle with melted chocolate candies and sprinkle with colored sugar.  Allow to cool completely before putting it into a ziplock bag.  Should keep fresh for a couple [...]

  20. Jenn says:

    Thanks so much! I just about went out and bought 4 specific colors for my sons birthday party and now I can get the perfect shade. Thanks!

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