Powdered Sugar Substitute
For 1 cup of powdered sugar, use ½ cup granulated sugar + 2 tsp cornstarch. Blend to a fine powder. By weight that is about 104 g, close to the 113 g in a cup of powdered sugar. Below: the swap scaled to the amounts recipes use.
For 1 cup of powdered sugar
½ cup granulated sugar + 2 tsp cornstarch
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Blend to a fine powder. By weight that is about 104 g, close to the 113 g in a cup of powdered sugar.
Data & method: a kitchen convention, not a published ratio — a common blender method; we found no primary source for this exact ratio. The weights come from our King Arthur-sourced density table (granulated sugar 198 g, cornstarch 112 g, powdered sugar 113 g per cup). The sourced ratios are pinned to their source by an automated test. How we calculate →
Scaled to what your recipe calls for
Blended granulated sugar + cornstarch, computed for the amounts recipes actually use:
| Recipe needs | Use instead |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup of powdered sugar | ⅛ cup granulated sugar + ½ tsp cornstarch |
| ½ cup of powdered sugar | ¼ cup granulated sugar + 1 tsp cornstarch |
| ¾ cup of powdered sugar | ⅜ cup granulated sugar + 1½ tsp cornstarch |
| 1 cup of powdered sugar | ½ cup granulated sugar + 2 tsp cornstarch |
| 1½ cups of powdered sugar | ¾ cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp cornstarch |
| 2 cups of powdered sugar | 1 cup granulated sugar + 4 tsp cornstarch |
Need a different amount — or a different ingredient?
The calculator scales every option to your exact amount, for all 17 staples we cover.
Best swap Blended granulated sugar + cornstarch
½ cup granulated sugar + 2 tsp cornstarch
Blend to a fine powder. By weight that is about 104 g, close to the 113 g in a cup of powdered sugar.
Kitchen convention — no published source found.
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Weighing instead? 1 cup of powdered sugar in grams: 113 g →
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use instead of powdered sugar?
The best swap for 1 cup of powdered sugar is ½ cup granulated sugar + 2 tsp cornstarch — blend to a fine powder. By weight that is about 104 g, close to the 113 g in a cup of powdered sugar. This one is a kitchen convention rather than a published ratio.
How much substitute do I use for a different amount of powdered sugar?
Scale the parts linearly. The table on this page covers the common amounts, and the calculator scales every option to exactly what your recipe calls for — never a vague "adjust to taste".