Confectioners’ Sugar Powdered Sugar Recipe
Ever wondered how to make some Confectioners’ sugar in bulk? Or are you looking to go bake right now but don’t have any powdered sugar at home?
Regardless of the situation, you’ll learn exactly how to make the perfect Confectioners’ Sugar for baking in this post using only two pantry-staple ingredients!
Super easy to make, and I’ve also shared how to store it properly. This is the perfect powdered sugar recipe to use in baking cookies, frostings, and just about everything!
What is Confectioners’ Sugar
Confectioners’ sugar is granulated white sugar that’s been grounded to a fine powder.
Powdered sugar is so fine that it feels almost chalky, as opposed to granulated sugar, which is sandy and coarse.
Commercial powdered sugar is also combined with a little bit of cornstarch, which functions as an ‘anti-caking agent,’ preventing huge clumps from forming.
But don’t worry, you’ll never be able to taste this cornstarch, but it’s what will make all the difference!
What is Powdered Sugar Used For?
Even though powdered sugar is just one ingredient away from regular sugar, it is used in baked goods differently.
To begin with, powdered sugar changes the texture of anything you’re producing. When preparing cookies, cakes, and pastries, you’re undoubtedly used to creaming butter and sugar together.
Granulated sugar creates millions of tiny little air pockets when beaten with butter, resulting in light and airy doughs. This results in a crisper, crunchier cookie.
When you cream powdered sugar with butter, the finer texture of the sugar cannot form the same air pockets, resulting in a denser, crumblier cookie texture.
So, if you’re looking for an ultra-tender and crumbly shortbread, look for recipes that ask for powdered sugar in your ingredients, like my delicious Kahk Cookies recipe.
Powdered sugar dissolves easily at room temperature, unlike granulated sugar, and requires no agitation.
This makes it ideal for glazes, buttercreams, frostings, icings, mousses, and other applications where the mixture will not be cooked or where a smooth texture with minimal graininess is very important for the dessert.
In this way, powdered sugar allows us to make delicate desserts that are absolutely delicious.
Is Confectioners’ Sugar the Same as Powdered Sugar?
There’s always a little confusion new baker’s face and wonder: is confectioners’ sugar powdered sugar?
The answer to that is yes! They’re the same thing!
When it comes to baking, the words “powdered sugar” and “confectioners’ sugar” are often used interchangeably without any explanation. But now you know they’re basically two different names for the same ingredient.
In fact, confectioners’ sugar has many other names, including icing sugar and 10X sugar.
What’s the Difference Between Confectioners’ Sugar and Baker’s Sugar?
Baker’s sugar is not the same as confectioners’ sugar. Both are ground versions of regular, granulated sugar but differ in texture.
While finer than granulated sugar, Baker’s sugar is not powdery like confectioners’ sugar. It’s still granulated sugar but has very small crystals.
Other names for this sugar include ultrafine sugar, superfine sugar, extra-fine sugar, bar sugar, or caster sugar.
Its crystalline surface helps in the aeration of fat and eggs during whipping and creaming, which is why it’s used in meringues and other delicate desserts.
On the other hand, Confectioners’ sugar has a fine consistency that looks more like a powder, hence why it’s also called powdered sugar.
Furthermore, cornstarch is used as an anti-caking agent in confectioners’ sugar, but not in baker’s sugar.
What You Need to Make Confectioners’ Sugar at Home
Making Confectioners’ Sugar at home requires only two simple, pantry-staple ingredients. Let’s look at what these are:
Sugar: To make confectioners’ sugar, first of all, we need some sugar. You can use regular cane sugar to make this ground sugar, which is typically used. We’ll be needing one cup of it. However, you can also use other substitutes like a cup of coconut sugar instead since it has a lower glycemic index.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is added to confectioners’ sugar to act as an ‘anti-caking agent. We’ll need one tablespoon of cornstarch for a cup of sugar.
How to Make Confectioners’ Sugar Step by Step
Making Confectioners’ Sugar at home is easy. Here’s what you need to do step by step:
From my experience, the best appliance that would give the best result is a spice blender. It is smaller, and the blade is sharper. Hence, the mixture blends quickly and results in finely powdered sugar.
Other people use a food processor or coffee grinder, and although you can use both, they’re not as efficient as a regular spice blender.
In a spice blender, add the sugar and the cornstarch, close the lid of the blender and mix the ingredients for a few seconds before attaching it to the machine.
Blend the sugar and cornstarch for 2 minutes, stop and stir the mixture using a spoon or a spatula. Blend again for a few minutes, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Run the sugar through your fingers; if it’s not fine enough, you have two options. Either blend for two more minutes or sift the sugar through a fine strainer or sifter and blend what remains in the strainer with two tablespoons of the sifted sugar again.
Your perfect, bakery-ready Confectioners’ Sugar is ready to be stored!
Tips for Making Confectioners’ Sugar Easily at Home
My step-by-step instructions should be more than enough to help you make the perfect Confectioners’ Sugar. But here are some additional tips that can come in handy:
- Do not skip adding cornstarch. It will keep the sugar dry and prevent it from clumping.
- If you are using sugar with large granules, you will have to blend longer, and it is best to blend in small batches.
- This recipe will give almost 1 and a half to almost two cups of powdered sugar.
- Make sure the blender is dry before using it.
- Do not add vanilla seeds to the sugar while blending it.
- You can use other sugar substitutes to make your own version of Confectioners’ Sugar.
How to Store Confectioners’ Sugar
You can store the powdered sugar in an airtight container, which will last as long as the regular sugar.
But it’s important to note that moisture will cause any sugar to harden, including confectioners’ sugar; however, it will generally become lumpy due to the cornstarch.
It should be kept in an airtight container. Store the container in a cool, dry location in your kitchen, such as a pantry or a cupboard.
Powdered sugar can be stored forever if unopened; however, it is better to use it within two years.
Use Confectioner’s Sugar in These Recipes
- Making Kahk: Round, buttery cookies that have the most delicious melt-in-the-mouth texture!
- Ghraybeh Cookies: With only three ingredients, Ghraybeh is the easiest, egg-free cookie that will impress your family and guests.
- Maamoul Cookies: Cookies filled with dates and pistachio. These cookies melt in your mouth.
- Russian Tea Cakes: Buttery cookies that are delicate. They have a tender crumb filled with crunchy toasted walnuts.
- Madeleines Recipe: mini-French cakes with tender crumbs
Confectioners’ Sugar Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- From my experience, the best appliance that would give the best result is a spice blender. It is smaller and the blade is sharper, hence, the mixture blends quickly and results in fine powdered sugar.
- In a blender, add the sugar and the cornstarch, close the lid of the blender and mix the ingredients for a few seconds before attaching it to the machine.
- Blend the sugar and cornstarch for 2 minutes, stop and stir the mixture using a spoon or a spatula. Blend again for a few minutes about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Run the sugar through your fingers, if it’s not fine enough you have two options. Either, blend for two more minutes, or sift the sugar through a fine strainer and blend what remains in the strainer with two tablespoons from the sifted sugar again.
- You can store the powdered sugar in a container and it will last as long as the regular sugar.
Video
Notes
- Do not skip adding cornstarch it will keep the sugar dry and prevent it from clumping.
- If you are using sugar with large granules, you will have to blend longer, and it is best to blend in small batches.
- This recipe will give almost 1 and a half to almost two cups of powdered sugar.
- Make sure the blender is dry before using it.
- Do not add vanilla seeds to the sugar while blending it.
- You can use powdered sugar in making Buttercream, Frosting, Icing sugar, Kahk (Arabian Cookies), and more.
