Rainbow treats are among the most delightful and playful foods to make with kids, and these Rainbow Frosting Twinkies fit the bill perfectly. Simple to prepare and undeniably cute, they make a fun alternative to cupcakes or cake for a Unicorn, Rainbow, or Butterfly Unicorn Kitty themed party.
If you’re planning a DIY birthday celebration, these Twinkies are an easy, eye-catching option that the kids will love to help decorate.
Rainbow Cloud Twinkies
I’ve dipped Twinkies in candy melts before and found the process very approachable. Here’s what you’ll need to assemble these rainbow-topped treats.
Supplies:
- 3 cups white candy melts
- 1 can frosting
- Miniature marshmallows
- Pink, orange, yellow, green and blue gel food coloring
- Food-safe paint brushes
- Decorating bag (piping bag)
- Large star decorating tip
- Parchment paper
Freeze the Twinkies
Here’s a helpful tip to make dipping easier and cleaner: freeze the Twinkies briefly before coating. Freezing for about an hour is ideal, but even 15 minutes will firm them up nicely. If you’re short on time, work in small batches—remove three Twinkies at a time from the freezer to dip while the others stay cold.
The colder the Twinkies are when dipped, the smoother the candy coating will set and the neater they will look.
Melt the Candy Melts
Place 3 cups of white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until fully melted. Microwave power varies, so adjust the time as needed and stir frequently to avoid scorching. In most microwaves about 2 1/2 minutes works well.
Use a slotted spoon or a fork to lower an unwrapped Twinkie into the melted candy. A fork often works best. With a separate spoon, coat the top and sides of the Twinkie, then lift it and gently shake off excess coating. Place the dipped Twinkie on parchment paper. Dip 3–4 at a time and return the remainder to the freezer to keep them firm as you work.
Once all Twinkies are coated, place the tray in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to let the candy melts harden.
Prepare the Frosting Bag
Set a large star decorating tip inside a piping bag, then place the bag into a tall glass and fold the edges of the bag over the rim. This helps keep the bag open while you fill it and makes it easier to twist closed without squeezing frosting out the top.
With a food-safe paint brush, paint vertical stripes of gel food coloring inside the piping bag in rainbow order: pink, orange, yellow, green, then blue. After painting the stripes, fill the bag with frosting. Reserve a small amount of plain white frosting to create the clouds later. Twist the top of the bag closed to prevent frosting from spilling while piping.
Pipe the Rainbow
Pipe a wavy, back-and-forth rainbow strip across the top of each dipped Twinkie from one end to the other. The multicolored stripes from the painted piping bag will create a pretty tie-dye rainbow effect when squeezed out with the star tip.
Add Fluffy Clouds
Finish each Twinkie by adding “clouds” at one end. Dab a small amount of the reserved white frosting onto the end of the Twinkie and press miniature marshmallows into the frosting. Add extra dabs of frosting and a few more mini marshmallows in spots to build dimension and create fluffy cloud shapes.
More Rainbow Food Ideas
- Marshmallow Edible Paints for Rainbow Toast
- Rainbow Tie Dye Mini Donuts
- Unicorn Poop Edible Cookie Dough
- Rainbow Unicorn Cupcakes
- Mini Unicorn Ice Cream Cakes
- Rainbow Pudding Pops (lactose-free option)
- Unicorn Ice Cream
Rainbow Cloud Twinkies
30 minutes
30 minutes
Rainbow Cloud Twinkies are a cheerful addition to any rainbow-themed celebration and a fun hands-on project to make with kids.
Ingredients
- 3 cups white candy melts
- 1 can frosting
- Miniature marshmallows
- Pink, orange, yellow, green and blue gel food coloring
- Food safe paint brushes
- Frosting piping bag
- Large star decorating tip
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Lay a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- Heat 3 cups of candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl for 2–3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.
- Place an unwrapped Twinkie on a slotted spoon or fork and use another spoon to coat the top and sides with candy melts. Shake off excess and set on the parchment-lined sheet.
- Transfer the sheet to the freezer for 5–10 minutes so the coating firms up.
- Insert a large star decorating tip into a piping bag and set the bag in a glass, folding the edges over the rim to hold it open.
- Paint vertical stripes of gel food coloring inside the bag in rainbow order using a food-safe paint brush.
- Fill the bag with frosting, reserve a small amount of white frosting for clouds, and twist the top closed.
- Pipe a wavy rainbow across the top of each Twinkie from end to end.
- Finish by dabbing white frosting on the end and pressing mini marshmallows into the frosting to form fluffy clouds.
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a comment or share a photo of your Twinkies.