Best Christmas Decorating Ingredients without Artificial Colors


Kitchen Knowledge Lifestyle | Published December 2, 2023 by Mimi Council

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With the holidays upon us, you are probably planning to decorate some kind of baked good. Am I right? Even if you aren’t usually a decorator, the holidays my sway you to want to get out the piping bag and sprinkles to create something festive! So, I’m sharing my top picks for the best Christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors.

When you are conscious of what you are eating, food coloring, rainbow sprinkles, and rainbow colored desserts have a whole new meaning to you. Meaning, you basically avoid them! Artificial colors and sprinkles can definitely make cookies and cakes more festive, and it’s incredibly easy to make something scream Christmas when it’s covered in red and green sprinkles!

But, if you want to enjoy those cookies or cake and feel good about serving them to your loved ones this holiday season, then you want to avoid the artificial colors! But don’t worry, I got you covered with the best Christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors so your desserts can look festive and taste delicious!

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Food Dyes

Suncore Foods

Suncore Foods makes the only organic food dye on the market (that I know of). They are completely plant based and they have all the colors of the rainbow. Plant based dyes are a little paler in color than traditional dyes, so you may have to use a little bit more. But you can feel good about knowing that your red is made with beets instead of red #40!

Suncore Foods Organic Red Dye

Suncore Foods Organic Green Dye

tree sugar cookies

ColorKitchen Foods

ColorKitchen Foods makes natural food dyes that are plant based. These are similar to Suncore Foods, but they are just not organic. They are Non GMO and I do find you can get a little more vibrant colors from these than you can with Suncore Foods.

best christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors

Sprinkles

India Tree Nature’s Colors Snowflakes

These India Tree Nature's Colors Snowflake Sprinkles are one of my favorite holiday sprinkles! They are simply festive and can take any cookie or cupcake to Christmas with just a few sprinkles of snowflakes! India Tree’s Nature’s Colors line is natural and plant based. They are not organic, but there are no organic sprinkles on the market (that I know of). India Tree also makes sprinkles that include artificial colors, so just be sure to check you are buying the Nature’s Colors line when shopping. 

India Tree Nature’s Colors Red Sprinkles

India Tree Nature’s Colors Red Sprinkles are incredibly bright and festive! This is like candy cane red and it’s so vibrant, which is amazing considering it’s completely plant based! These sprinkles are great for topping cakes, cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. And you can also bake these sprinkles in the oven too for shortbread cookies or sugar cookies. India Tree also makes sprinkles with artificial colors, so be sure you are buying the Nature’s Colors line when shopping.

best christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors

India Tree Nature’s Colors Green Sprinkles

India Tree Nature’s Colors Green Sprinkles are Grinch green. These would be perfect if you are making a Grinch inspired dessert or want to make Christmas tree cookies. These sprinkles are great for topping cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and brownies. But you can also bake these in the oven in shortbreads or sugar cookies. India Tree also makes sprinkles with artificial colors, so be sure you are buying the Nature’s Colors line when shopping.

best christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors

India Tree Nature’s Colors Carnival Sprinkles

India Tree Nature’s Colors Carnival Sprinkles are my all time top choice for rainbow sprinkles. These are light and pastel, but perfect for topping baked goods and also baking inside cookies and cupcakes. I use them on top of my Vegan Christmas Tree Brownies and they look like lights!

vegan chrsitmas tree brownies

India Tree Nature’s Colors Fiesta Sprinkles

India Tree also makes a Nature’s Colors Fiesta Sprinkles. These are new and they are very vibrant! You can use these on top of baked goods like cookies, cupcakes, cakes, or brownies. And you can also bake them inside sugar cookies or shortbread cookies. If you’re baking Tree Sugar Cookies, these would be a great topping to act as lights!

India Tree Nature’s Colors Nonpareils

India Tree just came out with their Nature’s Colors Nonpareils. And nonpareils are one of my favorite sprinkles ever! These are very vibrant and include all the colors of the rainbow. These would be great on top of Tree Sugar Cookies to act as ornaments or lights this holiday season!

ColorKitchen Nonpareils

I love ColorKitchen Nonpareils as nonpareils are one of my favorite sprinkles. These are mostly pink, green, and purple so they are kind of a little more Christmas-y as the pinks and greens really stand out. I use these on my Vegan Christmas Tree Brownies and they look like ornaments!

vegan christmas tree brownies

Decorating Chocolates & Sugars

India Tree Nature’s Colors Peppermint Crunch

If you want crushed candy canes, but don’t want to actually crush them, then India Tree Nature’s Colors Peppermint Crunch is just what you need! This easy peppermint topping makes cookies, cakes, and brownies incredibly festive! India Tree also makes sprinkles that include artificial colors, so be sure to check you are buying the Nature’s Colors line when shopping.

best christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors

India Tree Nature’s Colors Red Decorating Sugar

The India Tree Nature’s Colors Red Decorating Sugar is a vibrant red decorating sugar that is completely plant based. This makes a great topping for iced sugar cookies, cupcakes, and even cakes. Decorating sugars are not good for baking inside baked goods, but best for finishing them on top of frosting. These would be great on top of my Vegan Christmas Tree Brownies!

India Tree Nature’s Colors Green Decorating Sugar

The India Tree Nature’s Colors Green Decorating Sugar is a bright green decorating sugar that is completely plant based. This makes a great topping for iced sugar cookies, cupcakes, and even cakes. Decorating sugars are not good for baking inside baked goods, but best for finishing them on top of frosting.

India Tree Nature’s Colors Blue Decorating Sugar

The India Tree Nature’s Colors Blue Decorating Sugar is a light blue sugar that makes a great topping for iced cookies, cupcakes, or cakes. Especially if you are going for a more winter wonderland vibe, then this blue sugar is an icy and frosty decorating option that is so cute! Decorating sugars are not good for baking inside baked goods, but best for finishing them on top of frosting, like I did on my Christmas Eve Cake.

christmas eve cake

Lake Champlain Organic Santa

Adding a chocolate Santa on top of a cake is an incredibly easy way to make it scream Christmas! My Christmas Even Cake is very easy to make and it makes a beautiful holiday dinner centerpiece! I use Lake Champlain Organic Santa, which is not only incredibly delicious, but it looks just like him!

Lake Champlain Organic Snowman

Lake Champlain also makes Organic Milk Chocolate Snowman and Organic Dark Chocolate Snowman. These little Snowmen would be perfect on top of cupcakes or a cake this holiday season! They make both milk and dark chocolate, so you can choose what you love best. I used these inside my cookie boxes this year!

best christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors

YumEarth Organic Candy Canes

YumEarth makes the best organic candy canes! They make Organic Mini Candy Canes and traditional Organic Candy Canes. I use these for holiday cookie boxes or even to decorate cakes, like you can see in my Christmas Eve Cake above!

best christmas decorating ingredients without artificial colors

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