Last Updated on January 21, 2025 by Audrey
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What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day (or any holiday, really) than with homemade dessert? And now, there’s even more to love with these dye-free Valentine cookies! While I love holiday baking, I don’t love all the artificial dyes out there. I’ve been on the search for natural alternatives for the past 10 years, but I realize with the new ban on red dye going into effect, others might be looking for alternative options as well!
Fret not! I’ve done all the laborious trial and error (and eaten a few not so great tasting desserts) so that you don’t have to! Here are the best dye free alternatives I’ve found to make beautifully colored desserts for all the holiday baking!
Food Coloring
I’ve tried a bunch of natural food coloring alternatives in my quest to make dye-free Valentine cookies and unfortunately, not all of them are created equal. Some of them produce colors that are a bit dull and leave a lot to be desired if you’re looking for those festive, vibrant hues. Others make pretty colors but will leave your desserts with unwanted flavors. (I’m looking at you, beets, turmeric, and matcha.)
And while you might be tempted to save a little money and try some of the homemade coloring ideas, I’ve found that it was worth it (for me, at least) to spend a little more money on a product that actually works rather than spend a lot of time making something from scratch in the kitchen only to have it not work very well.
Of all the natural dyes I’ve tried, there has been one clear winner, plus a few runner-ups that will suffice. These options are made from fruits, vegetables, and other natural sources, which I love! Here are my top picks for dye-free Valentine cookies:
- Supernatural Food Color Variety pack : This one is my top choice! The colors are vibrant, there’s no strange aftertaste, it’s easy to use, and you can get multiple batches out of it. Just make sure to read and follow the directions on how it use it!
- Color Kitchen Food Color Multi-pack: This one is very similar to the one above and another great option for dye-free Valentine cookies.
- 365 by Whole Foods Liquid Coloring: I used this one for years but was never quite happy with the final color as it was often a bit on the dull side. But it still makes the cut for a decent natural option!
Sprinkles
What’s a Valentine cookie without a little pizzazz? My kids looooove sprinkles, and they do add the perfect touch of festiveness to any dessert. Unfortunately, most sprinkles contain artificial dyes. Thankfully, there are plenty of natural options available and it seems like there are more all the time! Here are my favorite options to use while making dye-free Valentine cookies!
- Supernatural Hot Pink Sanding Sugar Sprinkles: Perfect choice for a dusting of pink.
- Watkins Rainbow Sprinkles: I love the colors on this one and it’s hard to beat this ingredient list!
- 365 by Whole Foods Rainbow Sprinkles: Another great choice for rainbow sprinkles!
- India Tree Pastel Pink Sprinkles: Lightly tinted with beet juice.
Frosting
Even frosting has to be taken into consideration for our dye-free Valentine cookies! Did you know most white frostings have dye in them? Check out the ingredient label from Betty Crocker’s WHITE vanilla frosting:
Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Water, Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Monoglycerides, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Yellows 5 & 6, Citric Acid, Freshness Preserved by Potassium Sorbate.
Or this one from Duncan Hines:
SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL SHORTENING (PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND COTTONSEED OILS, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, POLYSORBATE 60), WATER, CORN SYRUP. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: CORN STARCH, SALT, COLORED WITH (TITANIUM DIOXIDE, YELLOW 5, RED 40), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, RUM, CARAMEL COLOR, PRESERVATIVE (POTASSIUM SORBATE), SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM CITRATE, CITRIC ACID.
Yikes! Kind of a bummer, huh? Luckily, it’s easy to make a delicious dye-free option with these products! My absolute favorite is Miss Jones organic buttercream vanilla frosting. Check out their ingredient list for comparison:
ORGANIC POWDERED SUGAR, ORGANIC RAINFOREST ALLIANCE CERTIFIED™ PALM FRUIT OIL, ORGANIC COCONUT OIL, ORGANIC TAPIOCA, SEA SALT, NATURAL VANILLA FLAVOR.
Muuuuch better. Check out all of my frosting picks below:
- Miss Jones Organic Buttercream Vanilla Frosting: Adds sweetness the perfect white base to add food coloring of your choice!
- Miss Jones Organic Cream Cheese Frosting: Ideal for cream cheese frosting lovers!
- Miss Jones Confetti Pop Frosting: Vanilla frosting that comes with confetti sprinkles!
Conclusion
Creating dye-free Valentine cookies doesn’t mean sacrificing color or fun. With these natural alternatives, you can bake cookies that are beautiful, delicious, and free of artificial dyes. Happy baking and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Looking for more Valentine’s activities? Try this heart nature craft!
