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The Daily Insight

Can I use regular sugar instead of confectioners sugar for frosting?

Author

Lily Fisher

Updated on February 13, 2026

Can I use regular sugar instead of confectioners sugar for frosting?

Which sugar do I use to make icing sugar? You can use either granulated or caster sugar. The coarser the sugar you use, the more evenly your icing sugar will blend.

What is the equivalent of confectioners sugar?

You can make powdered sugar from granulated sugar by simply blending 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until a fine powder. 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar can be substituted for 1 cup granulated sugar but the sucess of the recipe really depends on how you are using the sugar.

What if I use granulated sugar instead of confectioners sugar?

Because of its finer texture, confectioners’ sugar is ideally suited for use in icings, which would be slightly grainy when made with granulated sugar. Confectioners’ sugar weighs less per cup; substitute 1 3/4 cup for every cup of granulated sugar called for.

Does all powdered sugar have cornstarch?

Well, simply put, powdered sugar (and confectioner’s sugar, icing sugar, and 10X; they’re all the same) is granulated white sugar thats been pulverized to a powder and mixed with a small but mighty amount of cornstarch.

Can I replace sugar with powdered sugar?

A. It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.

Is confectioners sugar and powdered sugar the same thing?

What is powdered sugar? Well, simply put, powdered sugar (and confectioner’s sugar, icing sugar, and 10X; they’re all the same) is granulated white sugar thats been pulverized to a powder and mixed with a small but mighty amount of cornstarch.

What is the difference between regular sugar and confectioners sugar?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically these two sugars are different. Powdered sugar is simply granulated sugar that has been ground to a very fine powder. Confectioners’ sugar, on the other hand, is powdered sugar with starch added, to prevent it from caking as it sits.

How much cornstarch do I add to powdered sugar?

To make powdered sugar at home, you’ll need two ingredients: granulated sugar and cornstarch. Use 1 tablespoon cornstarch for every cup of sugar.

Can you use cornstarch in icing?

Can you use cornstarch to thicken cream cheese frosting? Yes, you can add up to 1/2 cup of cornstarch to the frosting mixture to thicken. This will not impact the flavor of the frosting.

Can I use powdered sugar in place of confectioners sugar?

New bakers often get confused when they see the words “powdered sugar” and “confectioners’ sugar” used interchangeably. But this is because confectioners’ sugar and powdered sugar are the same thing!

What’s a good confectioners’sugar substitute?

Confectioners’ sugar is simply white granulated sugar that has been finely ground and combined with a small amount of corn starch. You can do the grinding yourself. While your substitute will probably not be as consistently fine as the confectioners’ sugar bought at the store, it should be similar enough to do the job.

How to make your own confectioners’sugar at home?

You want to get only the very finest of the crystals. Mix in 1 teaspoon of corn starch for every cup of confectioners’ sugar you make. This will make it an even closer approximation of store-bought confectioners’ sugar. The standard confectioners’ sugar found in most grocery stores is 10x confectioners’ sugar.

What can you substitute for powdered sugar in baking?

Below are the substitutes for powdered sugar used in baking and sugar recipes. Powdered sugar is the same as Icing sugar or Confectioners’ sugar and therefore these substitutes apply for all the names.

Are there any good substitutes for artificial sweeteners?

Not only are many people eating and drinking way too much sugar, but the use of artificial sweeteners is on the rise too. Thankfully, there are sugar substitutes that can actually help cut back on sugar, so long as you choose the correct ones.

Is confectioners sugar the same as powdered?

Despite the differences in labeling and packaging, confectioners sugar and powdered sugar are the same sugar variants used for baking and cooking purposes. There is literally no difference between the two as they undergo the same process. Pastries coated with confectioners sugar, also known as powdered sugar.

Can you replace sugar with powdered sugar?

You require approximately half as much granulated sugar as powdered sugar. So for example, if a recipe asks for 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, you can substitute it with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar with no change in the overall sweetness of your recipe.

How do you make homemade sugar?

How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar. For each cup of sugar, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of molasses for light brown sugar, and up to 1/4 cup for dark brown sugar. Depending on the recipe, you can either combine them in the food processor or just mix them together with other ingredients.

How many cups of powdered sugar are in a box?

Powdered sugar right out of the box or the plastic bag weighs 4 1/2 ounces per cup, so a 1-pound box (or 16 ounces) contains about 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar.