Learn how to make homemade sprinkles using the royal icing method.
Homemade sprinkles are inexpensive to make, so they’re a good choice if you want to a lot of different colors or a custom color that you can’t find commercially and they are a great way to ensure that you absolutely know what’s going into and onto your dessert creations, catering to sensitivities or allergies to different ingredients, colorings, or additives.
This recipe is an excerpt from my cookbook, Sprinkles! Recipes and Ideas for Rainbowlicious Desserts.
Jimmies are made from royal icing that has been piped out in long, thin, spaghetti-like rows onto a nonstick surface. Once the rows have dried completely, they are chopped into small pieces.
Ingredients
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Food colorings of your choice
Instructions
- Line a large work surface with a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Sift confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together egg whites and warm water until mixture is thoroughly combined and foamy.
- Whisk in vanilla extract and salt. Add egg mixture to confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth. If needed, add more water, just 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until icing is very thick and smooth but still able to be piped. Fold in food coloring, if using.
- Transfer icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (usually called a #1 or #2 tip). For chunky, rustic-looking jimmies, fit piping bag with a wider tip.
- With a steady hand, pipe long lines of icing in rows all over the papered work surface. Let icing dry completely, undisturbed, for 24 hours. (Don’t cheat—for this crazy experiment to work, the icing lines must be thoroughly dried.)
- Use a sharp chef’s knife to chop dried icing into small bits. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
Looking for more sprinkles recipes and rainbowlicious desserts? Get my Sprinkles cookbook.
Hungry for More? Buy the Unofficial Elf Cookbook, The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook and the Taste of Tucson Cookbook!
