Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. You can also use a silicone baking mat if you have one, but do not use plastic wrap since it’s not oven safe.

Step 2

Measure out 1⁄4 cup (59 mL) of raw or cane sugar. Look for large grained sugar, usually labeled as “raw” or “cane.” Granulated sugar has much finer grains and will yield less sparkly results.If your goal is to add color rather than shine, granulated sugar will work fine.

Step 3

Mix sugar with a few drops of food coloring in a small bowl. You can use either gel paste or liquid food coloring. You can also make your own food dyes out of natural ingredients like vegetables, fruit juices, and spices. Continue to mix until the color is fully and evenly incorporated into the sugar.To create new hues, try mixing different food colorings. Green glitter, for example, can be made with 1 drop of blue and 2 drop of yellow food coloring.

Step 4

Spread the sugar across the lined baking tray. Use an offset spatula or spoon to make sure the sugar is evenly distributed. The thinner you spread the sugar, the more quickly it will bake.

Step 5

Bake the sugar in the oven for 7-9 minutes. Once it’s fully dried out, remove the tray from the oven right away: if you over-bake the sugar, it will melt and create a sticky mess!

Step 6

Let the glitter cool and then break it up with your fingers. After giving the sugar about one hour to cool fully, it should be ready to work with. If there are any clumps, simply use your hands to break them up.

Step 7

Store the glitter in an airtight container for up to 6 months. The color and sparkle may fade significantly over time, so try to keep the containers away from direct light.