This powdered sugar hack isn’t a hack at all but actually how powdered sugar is made. It might be mind blowing to you or, like me the first time I realized this, could make you grab the edge of the countertop and take a BIG dee breath before proceeding. How could we have been so deceived to think that powdered sugar can only be bought in a thin plastic bag in the grocery store? How could this be so easy and never have known it? Read on for a quick how-to on making your own powdered sugar right at home when you need it.
Never need to buy powdered sugar again
Recipe calls for powdered sugar and you have none in the pantry? Are you like me and have continued to hunt on Pinterest for a recipe that didn’t call for powdered sugar since you were out? NEVER AGAIN! If you own a blender, you’re gonna be just fine.
Powdered sugar goes by many names. Confectioner’s sugar or 10x sugar (the amount of times it has been processed). Powdered sugar is simply granulated sugar that has been made into a powder.
Some recipes for making your own powdered sugar and even the bagged versions in the store will have cornstarch in the ingredient list. This is to prevent caking if you are making extras to store for a longer term. Cornstarch is not needed if you are using your powdered sugar immediately. If you do opt for cornstarch, find an organic and non-GMO cornstarch.
I am a big fan of organic raw can sugar so it is not stark white but a light brown color. When I have made powdered sugar using granulated organic raw cane sugar, it still turns white when powdered.
How to make your own powdered sugar:
Granulated sugar (amounts will depend on how much your recipe calls for)
Blender/smoothie blender
Blend very well. Stop occasionally to scrape the sides of the blender with a spatula to mix together the sugar. Blend many times. Perhaps as many as the nickname suggests, 10x. You may then sift your powdered sugar to make sure it is as fine as you need it.
Here’s a quick demo video.
What kind of blender to make powdered sugar
My Magic Bullet does not love a lot of sugar in the canister at one time so I have to do this in small batches. I’ve used a regular blender to make a large batch of powdered sugar for cake icing but the sugar doesn’t get fine enough and therefore, the icing was a little crunchy but still tasted delicious. Also to be noted, my blender is as old as my marriage (almost 15 years) so it could just be worn out, the blades.
Many suggestions were made to use a Vitamix if you have one of those blenders.
The more you try, the more you learn! I have since learned that I simply have not been processing my sugar enough times. After a good whirl in the blender, your sugar starts to powder and look great. But I can promise it is still gritty. You can test it by touch and taste. You’ll definitely want to give your sugar several rounds of grinding/blending to get the desired powder consistency. Stop the blender and use a spatula to scrape the sides and mix up the sugar. Then continue blending.
The more you try this hack out, the more you’ll get to know your appliance and how much you need to process your sugar.
Storing Powdered Sugar Long Term
Having powdered sugar on hand in the pantry is convenient, I give you that, and your homemade powdered sugar can be stored long term too.
Definitely add cornstarch to your blending session if looking to store any amount for later. The ratio is 1:1. One cup of sugar to one tablespoon of cornstarch for storing.
Store your powdered sugar in an airtight container. You do not want moisture to get in the container.
If you spot signs of mold or moisture, it is best to throw away your stored powdered sugar and make a fresh batch.
If your powdered sugar appears slightly clumpy, you can sift it before using your powdered sugar.
Calm down, (powdered) sugar!
So, how do you feel about powdered sugar now? The scam of convenience get you? Life needs to be so convenient for us in 2023 that we can’t blend together sugar for 5 minutes before baking?
Apparently so.
The even bigger scam for me is the fact that I was never taught this hack! Not in 4-H, not in Home Ec (the one year in middle school it was offered), not in my Nana’s kitchen. So many “every day living” things have skipped a generation or two (more to come if we continue to gatekeep!) for the sake of convenience at the grocery store.
Even I didn’t want to spend time to right a blog post on how to make powdered sugar because it seemed TOO easy but when I mentioned it on social media, the amount of people who also didn’t know and/or the ones who were as blown away (and angry) as me when they found out about it led me to write this post. I will also be writing it in my own recipe book to hand down to my children one day.
To keep the skills alive.
If you liked this hack, you may also enjoy:
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Making your own:
- RANCH seasoning for dressing
- VANILLA EXTRACT at home
Knowledge is power!
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