Colour Mill Food Colouring

About Colour Mill Food Colouring

Colour Mill (also written as Color Mill) is a professional food colouring brand widely used by cake decorators, pastry chefs, and home bakers across Australia. Known for intense pigmentation, smooth blendability, and fade-resistant colour, it has become the go-to choice for anyone who needs consistent, vibrant results in fat-rich baking applications. Browse the full range above, or explore our broader food colouring collection for other brands and types.

The range is split into two core product lines — Oil Based Colouring and Aqua Blend — each designed for a specific set of applications. Understanding which line to use makes a significant difference in your results.

Colour Mill Oil Based Colouring

Colour Mill Oil Based Colouring is specifically formulated for fat-rich products — most importantly chocolate, candy melts, ganache, and compound coatings. Water-based colourings cause chocolate to seize and become grainy; oil-based colouring integrates seamlessly without affecting texture or tempering. It is the industry standard for colouring chocolate work. Browse the full oil based food colouring collection for all oil-based options available.

Available in bulk 100ml bottles across a wide range of shades including Black, White, Red, Hot Pink, Candy, Lilac, Lavender, Mauve, Teal, Lime, Mustard, Raspberry, Coffee, and Sand. The 100ml size is ideal for professional production and high-volume home baking.

Best applications: white chocolate, dark chocolate, ganache, candy melts, chocolate buttercream, cocoa butter, compound coatings.

Colour Mill Aqua Blend

Colour Mill Aqua Blend is a water-compatible food colouring designed for applications where the Oil Based formula is not suitable. Unlike the oil-based range, Aqua Blend disperses into water-based products without separation, making it the right choice for fondant, sugarpaste, royal icing, and certain buttercream applications.

Available in 20ml bottles across an extensive palette including Baby Blue, Baby Pink, Burgundy, Caramel, Chocolate, Cobalt, Concrete, Coral, Denim, Dusk, Emerald, Forest, Grape, and many more — some of the most popular fashion-inspired shades are exclusive to the Aqua Blend range.

Best applications: fondant, sugarpaste, royal icing, meringue, macarons, cake batter.

Colour Mill for Buttercream

Both the Oil Based and Aqua Blend ranges work well for colouring buttercream, with slightly different results:

• The Oil Based range integrates deeply into buttercream fat, producing rich, saturated colour with excellent consistency — recommended for deep, bold shades.
• The Aqua Blend range disperses smoothly into most buttercream types and is preferred for softer, pastel, and fashion-forward shades where the Aqua Blend palette offers more options.
• Colour Mill Gloss Frost is a buttercream-specific product available in bulk 1 litre sizes, designed for commercial production of coloured buttercream at scale.

For best results, add colouring to finished buttercream a little at a time and allow 5–10 minutes for the colour to fully develop before adding more. If you prefer a gel-based option for buttercream, see our gel food colouring range.

Colour Mill for Chocolate

Using Colour Mill for chocolate requires the Oil Based range. Adding any water-based colouring to chocolate — including standard gel or liquid food dye — will cause it to seize. The Oil Based formula integrates smoothly into melted chocolate, candy melts, and cocoa butter without affecting flow or finish.

Use small amounts at a time, stir thoroughly, and heat gently if the chocolate thickens during mixing. The 100ml bulk size is ideal for chocolate work at volume. For more oil-based options across other brands, visit our oil based food colouring page.

Colour Mill as Edible Paint

Colour Mill can be used as an edible paint by mixing the Oil Based Colouring with a clear alcohol (such as rejuvenator spirit or vodka) or a dedicated edible painting medium. This produces a smooth, brush-ready paint for detailed work directly on cakes, cookies, chocolate, and sugar decorations. The high pigmentation makes it particularly effective for painting — colours are vivid and opaque with minimal coats required.

For metallic paint effects, combine with Colour Mill Edible Gold Leaf or Silver Leaf Transfer Sheets, also available in our range above.

Colour Mill Colour Range

Colour Mill is known for its fashion-inspired palette that goes well beyond standard primary colours. The range includes:

• Neutrals and earthy tones: Sand, Coffee, Concrete, Clay, Caramel, Nude
• Pinks and reds: Hot Pink, Candy, Baby Pink, Raspberry, Burgundy, Red
• Blues and purples: Baby Blue, Blue Bell, Cobalt, Denim, Dusk, Lavender, Lilac, Mauve, Grape
• Greens: Lime, Teal, Emerald, Forest, Green
• Whites and blacks: White, Black

For the most accurate colour reference, visit the Colour Mill colour chart on the brand's website. All shades listed above are available to purchase at Baking Pleasures.

FAQs About Colour Mill Food Colouring

What is the difference between Colour Mill Oil Based and Aqua Blend?

Oil Based is formulated for fat-rich products — chocolate, ganache, and candy melts — where water-based colourings would cause seizing. Aqua Blend is water-compatible and suited to fondant, royal icing, meringue, and macarons. Both can be used in buttercream, with slightly different results. Always check which line suits your specific application before use.

Is Colour Mill safe for chocolate?

Yes — the Oil Based range is specifically designed for use in chocolate, candy melts, and cocoa butter. It will not cause seizing or separation. Standard water-based colourings, including most gels, are not suitable for chocolate work.

Can you use Colour Mill for macarons?

Yes. The Aqua Blend range is the best choice for macarons as it disperses evenly without adding excess oil to the batter, which can affect the shell's structure. Add a small amount during the macaronage stage and fold through thoroughly.

Can you use Colour Mill on fondant?

Yes. The Aqua Blend range is recommended for fondant work. Knead a small amount into white fondant until evenly distributed, adding more gradually to reach the desired shade. For painting on fondant surfaces, mix the Oil Based range with clear alcohol to create an edible paint.

Does Colour Mill have a colour chart?

Yes — an official colour chart is published on the Colour Mill website showing every shade in the range. Our collection above shows all shades currently available to purchase at Baking Pleasures in Australia.

What sizes does Colour Mill come in?

We stock 20ml bottles (Aqua Blend range) and 100ml bulk bottles (Oil Based range). The 100ml size suits professional and high-volume use. Gloss Frost is available in a 1 litre size for commercial buttercream production.

Where can I buy Colour Mill in Australia?

Baking Pleasures stocks the full range online with fast Australia-wide delivery and in our retail store at Tweed Heads, NSW. For other food colouring brands and types, browse our food colouring collection. Halal-certified options are in our halal food colouring range, and vegan-friendly options are available in our vegan food colouring collection.