This June, taste the rainbow! Whether you’re celebrating Pride Month this June (in memory of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising that is known for sparking the modern gay rights movement) or just looking for foods that symbolize hope or good fortune (they say there’s a pot of gold after every rainbow after all!), we’ve got a brightly hued recipe for you here. Check out our list of 35 rainbow recipes for bright ideas and colorful inspiration—they're sure to bring a smile to your face all summer long.
There’s no getting around it: To turn your food shockingly, awe-inspiringly rainbow-hued, you’re going to need some food coloring… and a good amount of bowls. The basic tenet of most of these recipes is to create a base, then split it into 6 to 7 separate containers for dyeing (think ROYGBIV, though we’re totally okay if you combine Indigo and Violet into purple). Then you can layer, swirl, dip, or shake your rainbow-loving heart out until your food is as bright as you’d like it. Check out our rainbow ice cream cake, our rainbow vanilla cheesecake bars, our rainbow donuts, and our rainbow spaghetti to see the variety of shades of the rainbow you can achieve.
Love the color, but want something a little less bright? The unicorn food trend has largely come and gone (unless you’re part of the under 10 set, where those of us with kids can confirm it’s still alive and well), but we’ve all got to admit, there is something magical about a pastel rainbow-colored dessert. Try our unicorn bark, unicorn ice cream, unicorn cheesecake, or unicorn dip for ideas—and don't worry, you don't have to mention the mythical creature if you don't want. 😂
If you’re really anti-food dye or candy, don’t worry—you too can taste the rainbow. Turn to nature’s bounty of brightly colored fresh fruits and veggies. We’re fans of strawberries or tomatoes for red, mango or carrots for orange, pineapple or bell peppers for yellow, kiwi or spinach (also for sweet things!), and blueberries, beets, and eggplant for blue and purple, but get creative. Check out our rainbow sangria, our rainbow chicken and veggies, or our rainbow fro-yo pops for ideas.
Looking for a super-easy way to add some rainbow flair to your life? Simply add rainbow sprinkles to your favorite desserts. Our top tip: Buy a few kinds (we like a mix of sprinkles, non-pareils, and sanding sugar) and combine them to make your dessert look extra special. Check out our best summer desserts, picnic desserts, and no-bake desserts, and sprinkle away!
1
Rainbow Vanilla Cheesecake Bars
Don't be shy with that food coloring for this cheesecake bar recipe! The more vibrant the colors are in the batter, the more impressive the bars will turn out post-bake.
Get the Rainbow Vanilla Cheesecake Bars recipe.
2
Rainbow Candy Pops
These boozy stunners are so easy to make with a Popsicle mold of any shape. Simply wind your sweet or sour ropes around the mold, pour in your vodka and lemon-lime soda, and freeze!
Get the Rainbow Candy Pops recipe.
3
Caribbean Cobb Salad With Salmon
If you’re in the mood to eat the rainbow, this Caribbean-inspired Cobb salad is the place to start. A bit brighter than the traditional Cobb salad, this version combines fresh mango, creamy coconut dressing, crushed plantain chips, and spiced salmon to create a punchy, spicy, filling meal.
Get the Caribbean Cobb Salad With Salmon recipe.
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4
Stained Glass Cookies
Love sugar cookies but hate decorating them? This recipe is for you! The hard candy centers will stay soft and chewy after cooling and add the brightest pop of rainbow color to any celebration.
Get the Stained Glass Cookies recipe.
5
Rainbow Spaghetti
Kids LOVE this colorful idea for spaghetti, and it's easy to get them involved in making it. Divide your cooked pasta into resealable bags with different food coloring, close 'em up, and let your little ones go wild shaking them around.
Get the Rainbow Spaghetti recipe.
6
St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes
Okay, so when we originally made these, we did have St. Patrick's Day in mind... but rainbows are perfect all year round! Swap that green frosting for sky blue, and you've got yourself an adorable cupcake that's worthy of any celebration that could use a little sunshine.
Get the St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes recipe.
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7
Rainbow Sangria
Layering fruit in the glasses makes this moscato sangria extra pretty. If you don't want to bother with layering, feel free to skip it, but don't skimp on the variety of rainbow-colored fruit!
Get the Rainbow Sangria recipe.
8
Rainbow Fudge
Show your pride with this wildly colorful white chocolate fudge. We used almond extract for an extra boost of flavor, but feel free to swap for vanilla if that's what you've got.
Get the Rainbow Fudge recipe.
9
Pot O' Gold Cups
If the end of the rainbow led to these mini desserts, honestly we wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest. They're made from box brownie mix (although you can make homemade brownies if you prefer), then decorated with whipped cream "clouds," a candy rainbow belt, and gold sprinkles. Have fun with it!
Get the Pot O' Gold Cups recipe.
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10
Confetti Squares
If you need a quick and easy dessert idea, these peanut butter and chocolate confetti squares are the perfect thing. They are a breeze to put together, and after a quick chill in the fridge, everyone will go crazy for them. Rainbow marshmallows make for an extra-fun pop of color, so use them instead of boring ol' white.
Get the Confetti Squares recipe.
11
Rainbow Bundt Cake
This gorgeous rainbow Bundt cake recipe is surprisingly simple to make. Serve it as is, or add vanilla icing and gold sprinkles to remind you there's always a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Get the Rainbow Bundt Cake recipe.
12
Rainbow Waffles
It's actually much easier than it looks to make rainbow-hued homemade waffles—simply dye your batter, put it into separate piping bags or resealable bags, then pipe concentric circles in rainbow order. Once they're done, cut waffles in half so that each semi-circle looks like a rainbow, then serve with homemade homemade whipped cream "clouds".
Get the Rainbow Waffles recipe.
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13
Unicorn Bark
The more sprinkles for this white chocolate bark, the better. Raid the candy aisle for fun candy toppers too!
Get the Unicorn Bark recipe.
14
Rainbow Swirl Cupcakes
Taste the rainbow with showstopper cupcake recipe. Check out our video to see how we made the swirl!
Get the Rainbow Swirl Cupcakes recipe.
15
Rainbow Ice Cream Cake
Turn simple a no-churn ice cream recipe into a stunning cake—simply add different food coloring to your base, layer, and freeze! Feel free to get creative and add regular cake or cookie layers too, à la some of our favorite icebox cakes.
Get the Rainbow Ice Cream Cake recipe.
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16
Confetti Cookie Dough Ball
Cheese balls are one of our favorite simple party appetizers, so we thought, why limit ourselves to just savory ones? This is a chocolate chip cookie lover's sparkly rainbow-covered dream. Serve with pretzels, graham crackers, or sweet pita chips for the perfect special party appetizer.
Get the Confetti Cookie Dough Ball recipe.
17
Leprechaun Bait
We went with Lucky Charms and green M&M's for St. Paddy's Day flair, but like any party mix, this is completely customizable! Feel free to get creative with this mix, but whatever you do, don't forget the rainbow marshmallows. 😉
Get the Leprechaun Bait recipe.
18
Rainbow Fro-Yo Pops
Your favorite frozen fruits (raspberries! mango! blueberries!) and Greek yogurt combine to make these simple rainbow-hued popsicles. You will need some baby spinach (blended with pineapple) for that bright green layer—but we promise you can't taste it!
Get the Rainbow Fro-Yo Pops recipe.
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19
Primavera-Stuffed Chicken
This stuffed chicken breast recipe is a veritable rainbow of bright summery veggies and mozzarella cheese. Feel free to use your favorite produce, as long as you keep it colorful!
Get the Primavera-Stuffed Chicken recipe.
20
Birthday Cake Blondies
These blondies aren't just for birthdays! They're moist, chewy, and full of comforting vanilla-and-white-chocolatey goodness—add rainbow sprinkles, and you can make these to celebrate any time of year.
Get the Birthday Cake Blondies recipe.
Camille Lowder
Digital Food Producer
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
