How to Make Powdered Sugar for Any Baking Task

Say you just whipped up a loaf cake and slid the pan into the oven. Midway by way of baking, you instantly understand: You do not have any powdered sugar for the glaze. Now, what if, in this situation, you never sense an ounce of worry? Why? Since you know how to make powdered sugar—and that all it takes is a several pantry staples. 

Homemade powdered sugar can be the saving grace of lazy-Saturday cinnamon rolls and spontaneous baking initiatives alike (simply because no loaf cake need to at any time go without glaze). Thankfully, it is easy enough to make on a whim. But right before we get to that, let’s deal with a handful of of the fundamentals.

What is powdered sugar?

Powdered sugar is manufactured by grinding granulated sugar to a fine powder (therefore the identify, powdered sugar). Most commercially produced powdered sugar you are going to come across at the grocery retail outlet also has a modest amount of starch extra (typically cornstarch, although some corporations use tapioca starch or arrowroot powder) to discourage clumping. The amount on the label (commonly 10X or 12X) refers to the quantity of occasions the sugar has been milled—the much more moments it is processed, the lighter and finer its texture.

Possibly powdered sugar’s finest asset is its means to dissolve easily, creating it a popular sweetener for whipped product and frosting recipes it’s also a crucial ingredient in sweet glazes, royal icing, homemade sprinkles, and classic cream cheese frosting. You’ll have to have it when glazing donuts or whipping jointly an American buttercream frosting to swoosh atop cupcakes. For a very low-servicing decoration, you can tap powdered sugar by a sieve to give cakes or cookies that serene snow-dusted glimpse.

Powdered sugar vs. confectioners’ sugar: what’s the distinction?

There is none. Powdered sugar goes by lots of names (confectioners’ sugar, icing sugar, 10X), but they all signify the exact same matter. Powdered sugar is the exact as confectioners’ sugar, and they can be utilised interchangeably. But if you really don’t have possibly and you’re currently elbow-deep in a bowl of batter, you can make a batch easily with some regular sugar and a minor ingenuity.

How to make powdered sugar:

You only need to have two ingredients—and some large-obligation kitchen equipment—to make Do it yourself powdered sugar. Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp. cornstarch (or a cornstarch substitute, like tapioca or potato starch) in a high-powered blender, these as a Vitamix or a food processor. You can also use a coffee grinder, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle, but it may possibly acquire a bit lengthier to procedure. Grind for 1–2 minutes till the sugar transforms into a wonderful white powder, then sift via a good-mesh strainer to take out any remaining large granules. This will make about 1¾ cups homemade powdered sugar, which you can use as a 1:1 substitute for the store-bought stuff in all your baking recipes. 

Any type of sugar can turn into powdered sugar. Vibrant white sugar is made use of most often, but you could use unrefined cane sugar if you never brain a a little bit darker hue. Steer clear of turbinado and other varieties with notably massive granules these will don out the motor on your blender and get substantially longer to break down. You could test turning coconut sugar, maple sugar, and other varieties into a powder for a glaze, but really don’t expect them to behave the very same when baking.