DIY Candy Eyes Tutorial

Need some candy eyes for a recipe?  This quick and easy tutorial demonstrates how to make your own candy eyes using a simple list of three ingredients. 

When I decided to make Purple People Eater Cupcakes, I realized that I didn't have any candy eyes on hand.  I also didn't have the time to make a special trip to the craft store just for a tiny bag of edible eyes. Or, if I'm being completely honest, a particularly engrossing rerun of Frasier was on TV and I didn't feel inclined to leave home.  You know how it is, right?

Anyway, I decided to try making my own candy eyes using common kitchen ingredients.  Turns out that it's surprisingly easy.  The DIY eyes won't be quite as big or bulbous as the commercially available kind.  However, these little guys will work in a pinch.  The list of ingredients is simple: sprinkles, corn syrup, and liquid food coloring.  I used flat confetti-shaped sprinkles that came in a Wilton variety pack.  This specific type of sprinkle is the only ingredient that may be a tad difficult to find.  I've seen these Wilton variety packs at the grocery store, and also at Target (where you can sometimes find candy eyes, btw).

Somebody's watching you!

The actual prep work takes just a few minutes.  You'll stir together a thick paste of corn syrup and food dye.  Then, use a toothpick to carefully "draw" eyes onto your sprinkles.  Allow the candy eyes to dry for a few hours until the paste becomes tacky.  Then, you're ready to decorate all sorts of baked goods with your homemade candy eyes.  Voila!  It's as quick and easy as that!

DIY Candy Eyes

Ingredients

• flat, confetti-style sprinkles
• 1/2 tsp. corn syrup
• food coloring (1 drop red + 1 drop blue)

Instructions

1. On a plate, spread out sprinkles.  
2. In a small bowl, mix together corn syrup and food coloring into a thick paste. 
3. Use a toothpick to dab/draw eyeballs onto your sprinkles.  I find it easiest to hold the sprinkles with a pair of tweezers so that they remain in place (I have a special pair of tweezers that I use just for decorating). 
4. After 2-3 hours, candy eyes will be tacky and partially set.  At this point, you can use the tweezers to carefully arrange them on your baked goods (but be careful, as the paste will still be partially wet).  After 4-5 hours, the paste will be fully set.  

Thanks for reading folks!  There are still a few days left before Halloween.  Now go and bake me some googly-eyed spiders, zombies, and monsters, okay? : )