December calls for holiday baking, and kitchens everywhere become filled with the smells of freshly baked cookies, cakes, and cupcakes to share.
This year, why not add a touch of homemade magic to your holiday baking by crafting your own natural food colouring? Using ingredients you already have in your pantry, you can whip up colourful, safe, and kid-friendly colours to decorate all your festive treats.
Why make natural food colouring?
Store-bought food colouring may be convenient, but it often contains synthetic chemicals that can leave an off-putting taste.
Natural food dyes, on the other hand, are gentle on the palate and provide a delicate pastel colour palette that feels fresh and modern—perfect for the holidays. They’re also a safer option for little ones, making them an ideal choice for fun family festive baking.
Liquid vs. Powdered dyes
Natural food dyes can be made as either liquids or powders, depending on the ingredient and the recipe.
Liquid food colouring: These are often made by reducing juices, purées, or steeped liquids like tea or coffee into a thick, concentrated syrup. Ideal for icings and frostings, liquid dyes can be as vibrant as their powdered counterparts when handled with care.
Powdered food colouring: Powders are made by grinding dried ingredients, such as freeze-dried fruits or spices, into fine dust. They mix easily into batters and icings without affecting texture and are great for achieving bold colours.
Here are some common ingredients to try, along with their festive colours:
- Red: Beet juice or powdered freeze-dried strawberries.
- Pink: Raspberry purée or hibiscus tea.
- Orange: Carrot juice or ground turmeric.
- Yellow: Saffron-infused water or turmeric mixed with baking soda.
- Green: Matcha powder or spinach purée.
- Blue: Steeped purple cabbage juice mixed with baking soda.
- Purple: Blueberry purée or purple sweet potato juice.
- Brown: Brewed coffee or cocoa powder.
For a winter wonderland effect, sprinkle white sesame seeds, coconut flakes, or edible flowers like lavender or rose petals onto your cookies for added charm.
Simple recipes for natural dyes
Liquid colouring
- Choose your base ingredient (e.g., beet juice).
- Simmer 1 cup of liquid in a saucepan over low heat until reduced to 1/4 cup.
- Cool completely, then add 1 teaspoon of the concentrate to your frosting or icing.
Powdered colouring
- Pulverize freeze-dried fruits or dried spices in a spice grinder until fine.
- Mix 1–2 teaspoons of powder directly into frosting or dissolve it in 1–2 tablespoons of water for even mixing.
Safe and fun for kids
Natural dyes are safe for little hands to use, and with no synthetic additives, you can feel good about letting them lick the spoon. Provide them with small bowls of royal icing tinted with natural dyes, toothpicks, and sprinkles for an afternoon of holiday cookie-decorating fun.
Storage Tips
Liquid dyes: Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Powdered dyes: Keep in sealed jars at room temperature for several months.
Whether you’re decorating cookies, creating a colourful cake, or frosting cupcakes, these natural food dyes will add a homemade touch to your festive creations—and plenty of fun for the whole family.
Compiled by: Maegan-Leigh Jacobs
First published by Food & Home
