Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This Fairy Bread recipe is Australia’s favourite party snack for kids and nostalgic adults alike. Make this colourful treat in minutes with just three ingredients!

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (1)

Why We Love This

Fairy bread would have to be the ultimate kids party food, but adults love it just as much!

Full of nostalgia, this sugary snack has the magic power to take you back in time and always brings a smile to everyones faces.

Kids love making fairy bread almost as much as they love eating it, and adults love it too because it’s no-cook, no-fuss and no-mess… Okay maybe we lied a little bit on that last point. 🙂

Related: Vegemite on Toast / Chocolate Sprinkle Bread

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (2)

What is Fairy Bread?

It’s an old-fashioned Australian snack made from white bread, butter and sprinkles, more commonly known as 100s and 1000s (hundreds and thousands) in Australia. The original unicorn toast, it’s very similar to hagelslag, which is made with chocolate flavoured sprinkles instead.

Most Australians grew up with this beloved sugary snack which, like the best things in life, was reserved for children’s birthday parties and special occasions like Christmas or Australia Day.

You’ll usually find it cut into triangles and popped on a plate next to platters of homemade lamingtons, cupcakes or jelly slices. Sugar rush heaven and a no fuss substitute for cake!

Did you know: Australia has its very own National Fairy Bread day on November 24th each year!

Where does it come from?

According to the online grapevine, a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson back in his 1885 collection of ‘A Child’s Garden of Verses’ was said to have given one very clever person a very bright idea… Of that person, we could find no further clue, but whoever you are, our inner child salutes you!

From those early origins the love of Fairy Bread spread throughout the country. It was even mentioned in the Sydney Morning Herald in a 1934 article titled “Christmas Dinner with Toddlers”, which heartily recommended “a slice of fairy bread with sponge cake and the usual drink of milk” as a festive treat.

What You’ll Need

Just three ingredients are all you need for fairy bread!

  • Bread – You’ll need to start with a few slices of the freshest, softest, fluffiest white bread you can find. Note that it’s gotta be white bread. Ask your nearest five year old and they’ll no doubt agree – wholegrain just won’t do! But as with any recipe, if you feel like substituting we’ll never judge. You can leave the crusts on or cut them off, it’s up to you.
  • Butter – This helps the sprinkles stick to the bread. When we were kids, our mums would probably have used margarine, however we’re not big fans of it so we use butter. Salted or unsalted is fine. We recommend using room temperature butter which spreads more easily.
  • 100s & 1000s / Sprinkles – These are more commonly called sprinkles in the US, or occasionally ‘nonpareils’ if you’re feeling fancy. Made from sugar, starch and food colouring, we have two main kinds here in Australia: round balls (100s & 1000s) or strands. The round sugar balls are iconic for fairy bread, but Laura’s grandma always used the strand sprinkles. Which will you choose? Once again, go with your heart!
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (3)

How to Make Fairy Bread:

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (4)
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (5)
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (6)
  1. To make your very own fairy bread, coat each slice of white bread with plenty of butter.
  2. Pour plenty of sprinkles / 100s and 1000s over the top of each slice.
  3. Slice the bread into triangles and enjoy!

Wandercook’s Tips

  • Crust On or Off – It’s up to you.
  • Sprinkle or Dunk – Sprinkle the 100s and 1000s over the bread, or pour them out onto a flat plate and gently press your bread slice, buttered side down, into the sprinkles.
  • Start with (Slightly) Frozen Bread – This makes it waaaay easier to spread butter or margarine over the bread as it won’t rip apart. If your bread is straight out of the freezer, let it defrost slightly first.
  • Play With Shapes – Cut the bread into cute shapes like triangles, circles or use a cookie cutter for hearts or stars.

FAQs

Can I make fairy bread without butter?

Yes you can! Spread margarine, condensed milk, nutella or peanut butter over the bread and top with sprinkles. For an even bigger sugar rush, spread icing sugar over each slice before topping with sprinkles.

Can I make it the night before?

We don’t recommend making fairy bread the night before. It looks and tastes much better fresh while the bread is nice and fluffy and the colour hasn’t run from the sprinkles. You can make it a few hours in advance if you need to. Just cover the plate in cling film or pop in an air tight container so the bread doesn’t dry out.

Variations

  • Halloween Fairy Bread – Top with orange and black sprinkles.
  • Chocolate Fairy Bread – Also known as ‘hagelslag‘ or ‘chocolate hail’. You could even add fresh banana slices.
  • Fairy Toast – Toast the bread slices and make the recipe as normal, or swap the butter for one of the other spreads.
  • Not Enough Sugar? – Add clear sugar crystals on top of the sprinkles for extra sparkle.

Christmas Fairy Bread

While there’s no such thing as a White Christmas in Australia, with Fairy Bread there’s rainbow snow!

Aussie mums would often make up a batch of fairy bread for the kids on Christmas morning, and Aussie kids became very good at stealthily stealing a slice or two just for themselves. Sarah fessed up to this secret, but I’m pretty sure a trail of sprinkles on the floor and a rainbow smear around her smile would have been a bit of a giveaway.

Take a detour down memory lane with bright and colourful Christmas Fairy Bread. It’s fun, affordable, and easy to make with Santa’s little helpers.

Here are a few extra tips for Christmas Fairy Bread:

  • Arrange the slices into a cute Christmas Tree shape just before serving. We recommend slicing two pieces of bread in half diagonally and the remaining pieces into quarters for triangular pieces in different sizes. Experiment with the layout and have fun! Finish it off with a star piece on top!
  • Optional: Use the crusty end piece of your loaf of bread to make a nice trunk for your Christmas Tree.
  • Optional: Use red, white and green sprinkles if you can find them.
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (7)

For more sweet treats, try these next:

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (8)
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (9)
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (10)
Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (11)

★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below!

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe

Fairy Bread is Australia’s favourite party snack for kids and nostalgic adults alike. Make this colourful treat in minutes with just three ingredients!

4.84 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save to Favourites

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Australian

Servings: 12 Slices

Calories: 129kcal

Cost: $5

Equipment

Ingredients

MetricUS Customary

Instructions

  • To make your very own fairy bread, coat each slice of white bread with plenty of butter. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges.

    6 slices white bread, ½ cup butter

  • Pour plenty of sprinkles / 100s and 1000s over the top of each slice.

    ½ cup sprinkles or 100’s & 1000’s

  • Finally, slice the bread into triangles and enjoy!

Video

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (13)

Recipe Notes

  • Bread – You’ll need to start with a few slices of the freshest, softest, fluffiest white bread you can find. Note that it’s gotta be white bread. Ask your nearest five year old and they’ll no doubt agree – wholegrain just won’t do! But as with any recipe, if you feel like substituting we’ll never judge. You can leave the crusts on or cut them off, it’s up to you.
  • Butter – This helps the sprinkles stick to the bread. When we were kids, our mums would probably have used margarine, however we’re not big fans of it so we use butter. Salted or unsalted is fine. We recommend using room temperature butter which spreads more easily.
  • 100s & 1000s / Sprinkles – These are more commonly called sprinkles in the US, or occasionally ‘nonpareils’ if you’re feeling fancy. Made from sugar, starch and food colouring, we have two main kinds here in Australia: round balls (100s & 1000s) or strands. The round sugar balls are iconic for fairy bread, but Laura’s grandma always used strands. Which will you choose? Once again, go with your heart!
  • Crust On or Off – It’s up to you.
  • Sprinkle or Dunk – Sprinkle the 100s and 1000s over the bread, or pour them out onto a flate plate and gently press your bread slice, buttered side down, into the sprinkles.
  • Start with (Slightly) Frozen Bread – This makes it waaaay easier to spread butter or margarine over the bread as it won’t rip apart. If your bread is straight out of the freezer, let it defrost slightly first.
  • Play With Shapes – Cut the bread into cute shapes like triangles, circles or use a cookie cutter for hearts or stars.
  • Christmas Fairy Bread – Arrange the slices into a cute Christmas Tree shape just before serving. We recommend slicing two pieces of bread in half diagonally and the remaining pieces into quarters for triangular pieces in different sizes. Experiment with the layout and have fun! Finish it off with a star piece on top!Optional: Use the crusty end piece of your loaf of bread to make a nice trunk for your Christmas Tree, and use red, white and green sprinkles if you can find them.
  • Halloween Fairy Bread – Top with orange and black sprinkles.
  • Chocolate Fairy Bread – Also known as ‘hagelslag’ or ‘chocolate hail’. You could even add fresh banana slices for Indonesian style roti coklat.
  • Toast It – Toast the bread slices and make the recipe as normal, or swap the butter for one of the other spreads.
  • Not Enough Sugar? – Add clear sugar crystals on top of the sprinkles for extra sparkle.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

129

% Daily Value*

Fat

8

g

12

%

Cholesterol

20

mg

7

%

Sodium

62

mg

3

%

Potassium

14

mg

%

Carbohydrates

12

g

4

%

Fiber

1

g

4

%

Sugar

7

g

8

%

Protein

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

236

IU

5

%

Calcium

35

mg

4

%

Iron

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Hey hey – Did you make this recipe?We’d love it if you could give a star rating below ★★★★★ and show us your creations on Instagram! Snap a pic and tag @wandercooks / #Wandercooks

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (14)

2K Shares

About Wandercooks

Wandercooks is an Australian recipe site reaching over 9 million views annually. Our recipes are here to inspire you with fresh and exciting food ideas from a range of Asian, European and Australian cuisines. As seen on Google.com, Today.com, Buzzfeed, Jetstar Asia and Lonely Planet.Read more...

Australian Fairy Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is fairy bread only eaten in Australia? ›

Fairy bread dates all the way back to the 1920s in Australia, where the recipe was first mentioned in The Hobart Mercury newspaper. The article describes children consuming fairy bread at a party. Since that time fairy bread has been particular to children's birthday parties in both Australia and New Zealand.

How far in advance can you make fairy bread? ›

We want our bread to be fresh and making it the night before causes the colours of the 100s and 1000s to bleed into the butter. When preparing for a children's party you need a time plan, so you're allowed to prepare the fairy bread up to two hours beforehand. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature.

What are sprinkles called in Australia? ›

For example, hundreds and thousands is the most popular denotation used in Britain, Australia and New Zealand to refer to nonpareils, a type of sprinkles. Another UK variant of the term is vermicelli, especially when said of chocolate sprinkles.

What are 100s and 1000s in Australia? ›

Australia's Hundreds and Thousands sandwich, made with butter and sprinkles on toasted white bread, is a simple and unexpected dessert.

Do they eat fairy bread in America? ›

It's certainly not unusual to have never heard of fairy bread here in the United States, but take a trip across the Pacific and you'd be hard-pressed to find a true-blue Aussie who has never eaten or prepared this classic kids' party delicacy.

What does Vegemite taste like? ›

What Does Vegemite Taste Like? Vegemite has a strong, salty, meaty-rich flavor (although there is no meat or meat byproduct in it). The flavor could be compared to a very intense tamari or soy sauce.

What is a fun fact about fairy bread? ›

FUN FACT: The exact origin of fairy bread is not known, but some say it may come from the poem "Fairy Bread" by Robert Louis Stevenson in his anthology A Child's Garden of Verses published in 1885. The poem is as follows: Come up here, O dusty feet!

What country invented fairy bread? ›

But its origin story isn't as simple as its recipe. Although some believe the tasty treat might have been inspired by hagelslag—Dutch toast covered in chocolate sprinkles—both Australia and New Zealand claim to have originally invented Fairy bread all on their own.

Does fairy bread taste good? ›

Creating Your Own Fairy Bread

Making this colorful snack for your children -- or yourself -- isn't hard, but how you go about it can seriously affect the taste, which is a delightful combination of sweet and salty with a creamy texture.

What do Australians say when toasting? ›

Australia: Australians say “Cheers!” while toasting with glasses of wine or beer, embodying the relaxed and friendly Aussie atmosphere.

What is New Zealand fairy bread? ›

Fairy bread is sliced white bread spread with butter or margarine and covered with "Hundreds and Thousands", often served at children's parties in Australia and New Zealand. It is typically cut into triangles.

What do British people call sprinkles? ›

Sprinkles have many names in many countries. In England, they are called “hundreds and thousands.” In Holland, they go by hagelslag. By most accounts, sprinkles were invented by French bakers in the 18th Century and called nonpareils. Added to cakes and confections, these treats were “without parallel.”

What is Vegemite made of? ›

Vegemite is made of brewer's yeast, a by-product of beer production, and vegetable extract, to which are added salt, malt extract, and a range of B vitamins including niacin, thiamine, and riboflavin. It has a dark-brown colour and is the consistency of a firm jelly.

Who invented fairy bread day? ›

A big idea that started small! Back in the day, November 24th, 2014, to be precise, founder Adam Schell jokingly said over a slice of Fairy Bread, “There should be a day to celebrate this!”.

Do other countries eat fairy bread? ›

Fairy bread is sliced white bread spread with butter or margarine and covered with "Hundreds and Thousands", often served at children's parties in Australia and New Zealand.

When was fairy bread invented in Australia? ›

Who invented fairy bread? The first printed mention of fairy bread was in Tasmanian newspaper The Mercury in 1929. The dish was being served at a children's party at a hospital in Hobart (although the name of the first person to create it still remains a mystery).

What is the significance of fairy bread? ›

Fairy bread is more than just a snack – it's a symbol of joy, simplicity, and the magic of childhood. Whether you're making it for a party or simply indulging in a bit of nostalgia, fairy bread is sure to bring a sprinkle of happiness to your day.

What is the famous bread spread in Australia? ›

Vegemite is a very popular bread spread of Australia and it somewhere triggered all the Aussie twitter users.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Manual Maggio

Last Updated:

Views: 5706

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Manual Maggio

Birthday: 1998-01-20

Address: 359 Kelvin Stream, Lake Eldonview, MT 33517-1242

Phone: +577037762465

Job: Product Hospitality Supervisor

Hobby: Gardening, Web surfing, Video gaming, Amateur radio, Flag Football, Reading, Table tennis

Introduction: My name is Manual Maggio, I am a thankful, tender, adventurous, delightful, fantastic, proud, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.