Name: Homemade Powdered Sugar
Total time: 1 min
Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar (or however much you need for your recipe); 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for storage purposes only)

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This quick kitchen hack saves the day when you’re out of powdered sugar—and you only need one ingredient!

Close-up of freshly made powdered sugar in a glass container, with a blender lid and mixing jar dusted with sugar in the background on a wooden surface.

Why Make Your Own Powdered Sugar?

Have you ever been in the middle of baking cookies, whipping cream, or making frosting—only to realize you’re out of powdered sugar? That’s exactly what happened to me one day, and instead of running to the store with three kids in tow, I grabbed my blender and tried it myself.

And you know what? It worked perfectly.

Homemade powdered sugar (also known as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar) takes just a minute to make and works exactly like store-bought. It’s a lifesaver for last-minute recipes, and it’s also a great option if you want to avoid unnecessary additives or anti-caking agents.

Save this recipe for later!

Close-up of cookies dusted with powdered sugar, with bold text overlay reading “How to Make Powdered Sugar at Home” and a call-to-action below encouraging readers to learn the fastest way to make it themselves.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

JUST ONE INGREDIENT – You only need regular white sugar—no need to keep a separate bag of powdered sugar in the pantry.
READY IN 1–2 MINUTES – Seriously, that’s all it takes. Just add the sugar to your blender and let it run.
NO ADDITIVES – Store-bought powdered sugar often includes cornstarch or other anti-caking agents. When you make it at home, it’s pure and clean.
WORKS IN MOST RECIPES – Use it for frostings, glazes, whipped cream, cookies, and more, just like the store version.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY – While I’m not usually one to obsess over cost-per-ounce, making your own powdered sugar is one of those rare cases where it saves both time and money. A quick look on Amazon shows granulated sugar at around $0.10 per ounce, while powdered sugar jumps to $0.25 per ounce. That’s a big price difference for something that takes just 30 seconds in a blender!

Let’s Talk Ingredients

Granulated Sugar

Regular white sugar works best for homemade powdered sugar, but I almost always use organic cane sugar, and it works perfectly as well! If you use organic or unrefined sugar, the result may be slightly less fine and not quite as white, but it still works.

Optional: If you’re planning to store your powdered sugar for later, you can add a little bit of cornstarch (about 1 tablespoon per cup of sugar) to help prevent clumping.

I never add cornstarch, but it is an option. Whenever I have a recipe that calls for powdered sugar, or we decide to make pancakes, I just make the amount we need or eyeball it; whatever is left over, we use in our coffee.

Tools You’ll Need When Making Powdered Sugar

High-speed blender, spice grinder, or food processor – The finer the blades, the better! I use my hand blender with the chopper attachment, which works perfectly for this.
Quick side note: I don’t recommend the whisk attachment that comes with it—it wasn’t strong enough and even developed rust after just one use. But aside from that, I can highly recommend this hand blender!
A fine mesh strainer – Optional, for sifting your powdered sugar if you want a super smooth finish.
Airtight container – Perfect if you’re storing it for later. Lately, I’ve been using these glass meal prep containers for almost everything—and honestly, I love them. They’re mostly made of glass (except for the lid), freezer-friendly, great for leftovers, or powdered sugar, and stackable too.
Measuring cups or kitchen scale – I’m not from the US, so I usually rely on my kitchen scale. But I’ll admit, sometimes grabbing a cup or spoon measurer is just a bit easier!

Curious about other staples from scratch? Try homemade yogurt, cultured butter, or homemade whipped cream next!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Measure your sugar
Measure as much sugar as you need for your recipe, or just eyeball it. You can always make a little more, depending on how much powdered sugar you need.

Overhead view of granulated sugar in a food processor bowl with the lid off, sitting on a digital scale on a wooden countertop.

Blend until powdery
Add the sugar to a dry blender or food processor. Cover it tightly, and blend/pulse for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the sugar is very fine and fluffy.

Freshly blended powdered sugar inside a food processor, with a fine coating of sugar dust visible on the inside of the lid.

Optional: Add cornstarch
If you want to store it for later, you can add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of sugar and pulse to combine. Note: I never add cornstarch, but it is an option if you want to store the powdered sugar.

Check and sift (optional)
If needed, pass the powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve to remove any larger bits.

Store or use immediately
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place—or use right away in your recipe. Easy as that!

Freshly made powdered sugar transferred to a glass container, with the blender and lid still coated in sugar dust.

Tips for Success

Use a dry blender – Any moisture will cause clumping and make your sugar stick to the sides.
Pulse in short bursts – This gives better control and prevents overheating your blender or processor.
Let the dust settle (trust me on this one) – Wait a few seconds before opening the lid, or you’ll get a cloud of sugar in your face (which smells jummy by the way).
Sift for extra smoothness – Especially if you’re using the sugar in glazes or frosting.

Final Thoughts

Making powdered sugar at home is incredibly simple—and once you’ve tried it, you might never buy it again. It’s quick, easy, and gives you full control over what goes into your recipes.

Let me know in the comments: Have you ever made powdered sugar before? This time we made some delicious waffles to go with it!

Close-up of thin waffle cookies dusted with powdered sugar, showing a delicate texture and subtle grid pattern.

Total Time:1

Equipment

1 hand blender, spice grinder, or food processor
1 fine mesh strainer optional
1 airtight container optional, for storage

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar or however much you need for your recipe
1 tbsp cornstarch optional, for storage purposes only

Instructions

Add the granulated sugar to a dry, high-speed blender or food processor.
Blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the sugar becomes very fine and fluffy.
Optional: Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of granulated sugar, and pulse to combine, especially if you're storing it for later.
Let the dust settle before opening the lid, then check the texture.
If needed, sift through a fine mesh strainer for extra smoothness.
Use the powdered sugar immediately or store it in an airtight container.

Notes

Blender tip: Make sure your blender or processor is completely dry before use.
Storage: Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to several months.
Cornstarch: This helps prevent clumping, especially if you’re not using the sugar right away.

One Comment

Renee Schiepers says:

July 4, 2025 at 9:49 pm

I love making homemade powdered sugar—it’s so handy to know how to make it yourself! Whether we’re baking pancakes, waffles, or whipping up some cream, as long as we have regular sugar in the house, we can make powdered sugar in no time.

How to Make Easy Powdered Sugar At Home