13 Best Christmas Sprinkles Of 2023
In recent years, the world of cake decorating has exploded, with many of us enjoying the challenge of creating beautiful baked delights.
As we embark on the holidays (and the parties that pair with the season), we can go even more over the top with our cookie, cupcake, and even ice-cream sundae decorations.
When it comes to sparkle and bling, the Christmas season must be top of the list!
But what are the best Christmas sprinkles to bring out the best in your baking? The best Christmas sprinkles have a fun and festive look, and should be safe to eat with minimal additives and artificial ingredients. They should also fit the theme of your festive decorations, whether you are going for bright and jolly or subtle and sparkling.
When Christmas time comes around, we have every excuse in the world to go over the top with our cake decorations!
Step away from your boring old sprinkles and take a look at our picks for the 13 best Christmas sprinkles.
How To Choose The Best Christmas Sprinkles
Gone are the days of little room for creativity with our only options being simple red and green sprinkles or silver balls to top our cakes and desserts.
The world of sprinkles has exploded over the last few years and the choices are now virtually endless!
Sprinkles are tiny colorful pieces of confectionary, used to decorate sweet treats. They add color, sparkle and fun to cakes, cookies, and desserts.
Some people also use them in fun and inventive ways, such as on pancakes, yogurt, and even popsicles!
But with such a huge range of sprinkles available, it can be difficult to choose the right one for your baked treats.
If you are on the hunt for some sprinkles for your holiday desserts, here is what you should take into consideration.
Type Of Sprinkle
Peek into any cake decorating store and you will be blown away at the choice of sprinkles available.
They come in a huge range of colors, sizes, shapes, and flavors. Sprinkles are now available in different themes, covering everything from your child’s favorite TV show through to every different holiday season.
They might just look like a load of different shapes to you and me, but these different styles of sprinkles all have names!
Let’s take a look into the types of sprinkles you could choose to decorate your Christmas cookies and cakes:
Nonpareils
This type of sprinkle is the one most of us grew up with! Tiny multi-colored balls of sugar, which add crunch and color to your desserts, cakes, and ice-cream.
Did anyone else used to sneak a handful from the tub when you were a child, or just me?!
Nonpareils are typically added as a final decoration after baking and icing. They will stick to icing before it sets, however the color may bleed slightly if it is too wet.
These tiny balls also have a tendance to roll everywhere, so if you’re letting your kids put them on be prepared to find them in nooks and crannies for days afterwards!
If you’ve ever been tempted to add nonpareils to a cake batter or cookie dough mix, then be aware that this is a bad idea!
The delicate sugar shapes will dissolve, losing their shape and bleeding color into the mix.
And we all know what happens when you mix all the colors together – yep, all those beautiful bright colors will create a brown cake mix!
Quins – Also Known As Sequins Or Sugar Shape
These sugary sprinkles are larger than nonpareils and come in many different shapes and colors.
As with nonpareils, they should not be used prior to baking, as they will lose their shape and color.
The great thing about quins is that they can be cut into different shapes. So, as well as balls, you can get stars, butterflies, candy canes, and even Christmas tree quins!
Jimmies
The best thing about Jimmies is the huge range of color combinations available! These tiny rod-shaped sugar strands aren’t just for decoration either.
Their color bleeds less than other sprinkle options, so they can be baked into recipes as well as sprinkled on top.
Dragees – Also Known As Edible Pearls
Dragees are little candy balls, coated in a metallic glaze. This gives them a shiny metal coating, perfect for adding sparkle and bling to your baked creations!
Although they may look like little metal balls, dragees are perfectly edible and easy to crunch.
They come in a variety of sizes and different metallic effects, making it easy to find dragees to suit every theme.
There are a couple of things to be careful of with dragees. Firstly, many of them are labelled as not for human consumption, so check carefully before purchasing!
You don’t want to decorate your cakes with hundreds of beautiful balls which need to be removed before eating.
Secondly, it is not advisable to use dragees for cakes intended for small children. Toddlers and babies may find the balls difficult to chew, and there is a risk of choking.
It is not advisable to add dragees to the cake mix before baking either, as the crunchy balls will become hidden within the cake.
Sanding Sugar
Sanding sugar consists of medium-sized crystallized pieces of sugar, available in a variety of colors.
These delicate sprinkles add sparkle, color, and crunch to cakes, giving an almost glittery finish.
The best thing about sanding sugar is that it can be added before baking. It will not melt in the oven and will add a lovely finish to a wide range of festive goodies.
Pearl Sugar – Also Known As Course Sugar And Sugar Crystals
This sugary sprinkle is larger than sanding sugar but can be used in exactly the same way.
Ingredients And Nutritional Requirements
When buying sprinkles, it is easy to get carried away with the wonderful colors, shapes, and sizes, and forget to take a peek at the ingredient list!
Now we’re not suggesting that you need to look for a healthy option – after all, we’re sprinkling sugary decorations onto a very indulgent cake – but there are some things you might want to look out for.
Look at the additives, flavorings, and colorings of your sprinkles. It is very likely that these bright and sparkly treats will have lots of artificial additives, but you might want to steer clear of these and opt for a more natural version.
There are also sprinkles available with natural colors and flavorings.
If you are catering for anyone with special nutritional requirements, check out the sprinkle’s ingredient list carefully.
Most will say if they are suitable for vegetarians, vegans, or those on a gluten-free diet. If they don’t say it on the packaging, then they most likely are not suitable!
The final thing to watch out for is any small print which might say that your sprinkles are not intended for human consumption.
This is very common in dragees, where in some countries the metallic covering is not licensed as safe to eat.
The 13 Best Christmas Sprinkles
From shimmering pearl sugar to tiny little Christmas trees, the key to choosing the perfect sprinkle is to find one which fits your theme like a glove.
Below are our top picks for the 13 best Christmas sprinkles.
1. ZunHai Food’s Sprinklefetti Medley
Nothing says Christmas quite like this gorgeous Sprinklefetti sprinkle medley!
Add some festive atmosphere to your holiday bakes with this mix of seasonal fun, which will add a splash of bright edible color and crunch.
We particularly love the fun snowflake shapes and colorful sugar beads.
Buying a premixed sprinkle like ZunHai Food’s Sprinklefetti Medley can also save you money, as you don’t need to buy lots of different tubs to get the effect you want.
This also helps cut down on food waste, as you won’t be left with a cupboard full of part-used pots of sprinkles!
And as a bonus, they are free from nuts, gluten, and dairy, and vegan friendly, so you can be reassured that they are safe and suitable to share amongst family and friends!
2. Sprinkle Deco Happy Christmas Reindeer & Snowflakes Sprinkles
Looking for something for a kids Christmas party?
These Sprinkle Deco Happy Christmas Reindeer & Snowflakes Sprinkles fit the bill perfectly!
We love the fun shapes and mix of colors, great for a festive party or Christmas eve treat.
This sprinkle mix contains a mix of jimmies and quins and would look great topped off with a reindeer cupcake topper.
3. Manvscakes Shimmer Sprinkles
Now this is what Christmas is all about – sparkle, sparkle, sparkle!
These bright and shimmering silver pearl sugar crystals will add a classy, sparkling finish to your festive bakes, and look great on a bed of snow-white icing.
And if you happen to have any Manvscakes Shimmer Sprinkles left over, you can use them for decorating cakes at other celebrations such as birthdays or baby showers.
But why wait for a reason to make a sparkling cake – we think you could eat these any day of the week!
4. Sweets Indeed Christmas Tree Sprinkle Mix
How cute are the little Christmas tree shapes in this Sweets Indeed Christmas Tree Sprinkle Mix?!
Tiny little green trees, with a hand blended mix of jimmies, nonpareils, sugar pearls and sugar shapes in bright, festive colors.
These Christmas sprinkles are gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free; however, they are not labeled as suitable for vegans.
5. Wilton Holiday Sprinkles Assortment
Struggling to choose a sprinkle mix? Well, why pick one when you can have six!
This great multipack gives you a choice of Christmas-themed sprinkles, all in festive red, green, and white colors.
The lovely Wilton Holiday Sprinkles Assortment means you can decorate all your different festive goodies exactly how you want, with an individual twist on each one.
Nothing looks better than a tray of colorful cupcakes, each with a unique design!
This sprinkle pack includes the following:
- Red and green sanding sugars
- Red, green, and white nonpareils
- Red, green, and white jimmies
- Red, green, and white confetti sprinkles
- A medley of green trees, white stars, and red jimmies.
6. Supernatural’s Ugly Xmas Sweater Holiday Sprinkles
If you love a bit of tackiness, then these are the sprinkles for you!
Inspired by the recent fad for ugly Christmas sweaters, this holiday sprinkle mix contains everything for the person who loves all that is fun about Christmas.
Supernatural’s Ugly Xmas Sweater Holiday Sprinkles mix is sweet and crunchy and will look great on any festive sweet treat.
It contains a mix of sleigh bells, gingerbread people, holly, snowballs and much more.
And best of all, these sprinkles are made with natural colorings, and are free from soy, confectioners glaze, and unsustainable palm oil.
And the icing on the cake – they are vegan-friendly too!
7. Mystic Sprinkles Christmas Trees Red & Green Sprinkles
How adorable are these little red and green Christmas trees?
If you’re looking for a fun and simple way to add some festive fun to your holiday baking, these little sprinkles are a great way to go.
As the Mystic Sprinkles Christmas Trees Red & Green Sprinkles are not bulked out with jimmies and nonpareils, you know that you are getting plenty of Christmas for your money.
This means you can mix them with a cheaper pack of sprinkles in Christmassy colors to add some festive feeling your cakes, cookies, and desserts.
8. Sugar Deco Candy Cane Sprinkles
It wouldn’t be Christmas without some candy canes in the mix!
The clever people at Sugar Deco have designed these cute little red and white canes, perfect for topping cupcakes and Christmas cookies.
These candy canes are also Kosher certified.
9. Wilton Edible Gold Glitter Stars
Whoever invented these shimmering little stars is an absolute genius!
Whether you’re looking for a simple way to add some sparkle to your cakes, or going for maximum blink, a scattering of Wilton Edible Gold Glitter Stars will create an amazing Christmassy effect.
This sprinkle variety also carries over well for any treats you might want to prepare for a New Year’s Eve party.
10. India Tree Bright White Sparkling Sugar Sprinkles
If you’re looking to add some sparkle into your baked goods, then give India Tree Bright White Sparkling Sugar Sprinkles a try.
As they can be added before baking, they work well when you want to decorate without using icing.
This is the perfect sprinkle to combine with other large festive-shaped sprinkles!
Plus, they come in a 3-pack, so you’ll have plenty of snowy sparkle to dust onto whatever you’d like.
11. Manvscakes Let it Snow Sprinkle Medley
Let’s take a step away from the sparkles, and the red, white, and gold mixes, and take a second to appreciate this lovely wintery sprinkle mix.
The Manvscakes Let It Snow Sprinkle Medley includes snowflake shaped confetti sprinkles, blue jimmies, purple jimmies, white jimmies, sugar beads, chocolate sixlets, and sugar pearls.
Absolutely gorgeous if you want to create a wintery theme without the Christmas bling!
12. Green Red White Christmas Holiday Party Colorful Candy Sprinkles Mix
How cute is this colorful candy sprinkle mix!
We love the green, red, and white festive colors, which would add a splash of holiday fun to any Christmas cake or dessert.
And when the festive season is over, the sprinkles are guaranteed for 18 months.
So, you can use them for donuts, cookies, and ice cream, or even for the following Christmas – if they last that long!
13. Mystic Sprinkles Silent Night White Snowflake Sprinkles
Last but by no means least on our list is this gorgeous pot of white snowflake sprinkles.
Simple but effective, these adorable little white flakes would look great sprinkled onto iced cookies, cupcakes or even an ice-cream dessert.
These classic snowflakes are also another great option to pair with other mixes for extra creativity and variety in your baking.
Up Next: Do Cranberries Have Seeds?
