Ran Out of Powdered Sugar? Here's a Genius Solution

Sometimes, my neighbors and I text each other for those last-minute kitchen needs—whether it’s a cup of sugar, a couple of eggs, a specific spice, or a splash of milk. These little requests tend to pop up during the holidays or kids' birthdays.

One time, I borrowed an entire bag of powdered sugar—also known as confectioner's sugar or 10x sugar—from a neighbor. It was for making the frosting for a Hershey's Chocolate Cake for my son's birthday.

Powdered sugar is essential for many types of frostings—cream cheese frosting, buttercream frosting, peanut butter frosting, and more. If you're making a frosted cake, there's a good chance you’ll need some powdered sugar.

If you’ve run out of powdered sugar and don’t have a neighbor nearby to borrow from, don’t worry—you can still make it at home with just granulated sugar and one more simple ingredient.

How to Make Your Own Powdered Sugar

Ever wondered what sets powdered sugar apart from regular granulated sugar? Powdered sugar is simply granulated sugar that's been ground into a fine powder. It also includes cornstarch to prevent clumping. The ingredients on a bag of Domino powdered sugar are listed as "cane sugar, cornstarch."

Recently, one of my favorite TikTok creators, Tineke Younger—a former contestant on Next Level Chef—ran out of powdered sugar while baking and needed it for the frosting. She shared her simple method for making powdered sugar with her followers.

"All you need is a blender or a grinder," she explained. A coffee grinder will work too.

Tineke suggests adding a tablespoon of cornstarch for every cup of sugar. After blending the two for about two minutes, she opens the lid to reveal powdered sugar. A little dust floats up as the camera pans to the blender’s base, showing the result.

Does the DIY powdered sugar technique work just as well for home cooks as it does for professionals?

Home Cooks Try Making Powdered Sugar at Home

We’ve shared a powdered sugar recipe here on Dinogo that mirrors Tineke’s TikTok method: 4 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of cornstarch (about 8 tablespoons). Our version uses a bit more cornstarch.

While the method didn’t work for everyone, most Dinogo members who commented had success. A common tip was to do it in smaller batches.

"Worked like a charm in small batches!" said member Shenanjia. Another cook, lr7020, added, "I made it in tiny batches in my coffee grinder since that's all I had... Perfect recipe, very accurate."

Amanda Nuchols shared her method, saying, "I used a Magic Bullet, doing batches of 1 cup each. It took about a minute per batch, and the consistency and taste were just like store-bought powdered sugar."

We recommend giving this method a try before you need it in a pinch. Simply blend a cup of granulated sugar with one or two tablespoons of cornstarch in any blender, coffee grinder, or food processor you have on hand.

If you succeed in making powdered sugar, you'll be set next time you run out, as long as you have granulated sugar in stock. If it doesn’t work, your grinder may not have the power to produce a fine powder. In that case, take the advice of member Marilyn Terman, who had trouble making powdered sugar. She wisely said, "My best advice is not to run out of confectioners sugar!"