Wilton Food Colouring

Wilton has a fantastic range of food colourings, ideal for both beginner and professional bakers. If you’re looking to start building your baking kit, the Wilton 8-Piece Icing Colour Set is a great place to start!

How do I use Wilton food colourings for the best results?

For best results, use a cocktail stick to add a tiny amount of Wilton gel colouring colourings to your fondant, buttercream, etc. The colours are concentrated, so they build up gradually! The liquid colouring comes in a handy dropper bottle, allowing you to add the colour a drop at a time!

What are the Wilton food colourings compatible with?

Wilton gel colourings are suitable for sugarpaste / fondant, flower paste, modelling paste, buttercream, frosting, royal icing, marzipan, gum pastes and cake batter.

Wilton liquid colourings are best for royal icing, meringues and macarons thanks to the water base. The formula is enriched with glycerin which makes it more compatible with buttercream than some other liquid colourings. However, we would still recommend opting for a gel or oil-based colour for buttercream.

Which Wilton food colouring is best for buttercream?

Wilton’s gel food colouring is the best option for colouring buttercream. It retains a higher colour payoff when mixed in than liquid colourings, which can offer a more subtle effect.

Are Wilton icing colours gluten-free and vegan?

At the time of writing (March 2026), Wilton's Liquid Icing Colours are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The gel colours are not, and neither of the formulas are certified as gluten-free. Please check all product listings for dietary information before purchasing.

Is Wilton's food colouring oil-based?

No, Wilton has two food colouring formulas. One is liquid colouring and the other is gel colouring. They do not have an oil-based option

We stock a range of oil-based colourings from Colour Mill, Fractal Colors and Sugarflair.