Powdered Sugar Substitute
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Make my sugar free powdered sugar recipe once, and you’ll NEVER buy it again! All you need is one ingredient and a food processor or blender. Zero calories and zero net carbs.
You probably noticed more grocery stores are stocking sugar-free baking staples. There are plenty of sugar-free syrups and chocolate chips, but I’ve yet to find a suitable sugar-free powdered sugar.
Old me would order it online, but now that I know how easy it is to make at home, it’s a no-brainer to make my own powdered sugar substitute!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to make. All you need is one ingredient, a blender, and less than a minute.
- It tastes like the real thing. So long as you use one of my preferred sweeteners, you won’t have to worry about a fake sugary aftertaste.
- Instantly make any recipe sugar-free. Once you have a pantry full of sugarless staples, you can quickly turn all your favorite baked goods sugar-free.
- Cheaper than store-bought. You’ll pay upwards of $5 more per bag for powdered sweetener versus granulated, and the only difference is the consistency.
Ingredients needed
- Granulated sweetener of choice. Of all the sweeteners I tried, allulose was my favorite for making powdered sugar. Most brands use it because it has a pleasant taste and texture. Monk fruit sweetener is a close second.
What sweetener is best?
Not all sugar-free sweeteners are created equal, and some are better for turning into powder. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Allulose. My preferred sweetener as it has the best flavor and turns fluffy like regular powdered sugar.
- Erythritol. I don’t mind using erythritol, or erythritol blends, as a sugar alternative but I find it’s better to dissolve it in simple syrups for baking, instead of blending it into a fine powder.
- Monk fruit sweetener. Similar in rank to erythritol. It wasn’t as fluffy as I would have liked, but it tasted pleasant. Be careful because monk fruit sweetener is usually much sweeter than allulose or erythritol.
- Xylitol. I generally don’t use xylitol in my recipes, but I tried this as I’d seen a powdered sugar brand use it. It blended well but had quite a bitter aftertaste. It’s also VERY dangerous to dogs, so don’t share any treats if you use xylitol.
- Stevia. The only one I wasn’t a fan of, as I found it had a funky, slightly metallic aftertaste.
How to make sugar free confectioners’ sugar
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Blend. Blend the sweetener in a blender or food processor until fine, white, and fluffy.
Step 2- Store. Keep it in a sealed jar or container.
Storage instructions
To store: Powdered sweeteners should be kept in an airtight container away from direct sunlight. It’ll stay fresh for up to two weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Splenda can be used in place of powdered sugar, but it needs to be blended to a powder-like consistency.
Technically, they are different, as confectioners’ sugar typically has cornstarch added to prevent caking, whereas powdered sugar is made only with sugar.
Recipes using sugar free powdered sugar
- Keto frosting
- Cinnamon roll for one
- Sugar free ice cream
- Ever since making my own powdered sugar substitute, I’ve been using it in keto meringue cookies, healthy puppy chow, and keto lemon bars!
- Dusted on keto pancakes, keto french toast, or keto cupcakes
Powdered Sugar Substitute
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sweetener of choice * See notes
Instructions
- In a high speed blender or food processor, blend your sweetener until fluffy.
- Transfer your powdered sugar to a sealable container.
My husband loves baked goods and I’m shifting to baking without white flours and sugars whenever possible. These muffins are delicious! Wow! Your website is a godsend!l. There are so many recipes I want to try. Thanks for yet another great recipe with these delish pumpkin muffins! Now I’m off to make myself some of your scones… yum.
Hi Andi, thanks so much for your kind words and I’m so happy we’ve been able to help you refine your baking to cater for these changes!
My husband is diabetic, but, of course, he loves sweets. I’m excited to find the recipes for sweetened condensed milk and powdered sugar. I have a question…. can I use Splenda in the powdered sugar?
If you can tolerate splenda well, then go for it 🙂
I’m so happy to see that making sugar free powdered sugar at home is possible! And easy! I usually avoid adding glazes or frosting because of the carbs. Thank you for this. I do feel compelled to say one word of warning… Xylitol sweetener is highly toxic to dogs! So if using this sugar substitute, make sure your furry friend doesn’t get a lick!
Hi Ann, thanks so much for touching on this. I’ve included a section in the post that warns against this too. Have to be very careful around our 4 legged friends for sure!
I am allergic to Erithidol. Monk fruit tastes too sweet. Have you made confectioners sugar with Stevia or Allulose?
Yes! Allulose is great 🙂
Since Erythritol is a synthetic sweetener, what else can you use. Stevia is not an option for me, as it is very bad tasting. Any other suggestions? Love your recipes and I am craving me some ice cream.
Allulose is best for baking 🙂
Allulose is 100% better than any other sweeteners. It does not cause any health risk like all the ones you mentioned. It’s great for baking. Try it .
Monk fruit is the safest one as i have read even my doctor suggested any thoughts on this
Hi Barb- there’s lots of information on sweeteners available- I’m going to let our website’s registered dietician chime in here- As a registered dietitian, I agree- monk fruit is safe, but I do also recommend allulose. And it’s reassuring your doctor supports that. Monk fruit doesn’t raise blood sugar, and allulose behaves like sugar without the metabolic impact, making both excellent options when used in moderation. – Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
I used monkfruit sugar and didn’t powder it!! In the oven now with fingers crossed!! Smells great!
I am loving your recipes! Love how you do healthy options/substitutes and minimal ingredients! For the Erythritol option for powdered sugar, is it a 1:1 to normal powdered sugar for your recipes? Same amount?
Thanks!
Love the keto powdered sugar!
I don’t have a blender, but can I use an electric mixer?
I don’t see why not
If I used a powdered sugar substitute like Swerve the Flourless Brownie Cookies would be 0 net carbs, is that correct?
Thank you
Hi Margy, the powdered sugar substitute has 0 net carbs but it would depend on what the other ingredients are in the brownie cookie recipe, as to how the final carb count will turn out.
Can i use Splenda?
I wouldn’t recommend it for this 🙂
I’ve been doing this with Swerve granular for years. Great hack.
The puppy chow recipe is for humans. And it’s good. But Erythritol is actually safe for dogs.
https://www.westparkanimalhospital.com/blog/artificial-sweeteners-and-pets/
LOL I had to check it out. I’d never heard of “Puppy Chow” well, not used that way in any case. Maybe it’s a regional thing (the name) b/c when I saw the recipe, I’m like oh yeah, I remember seeing that. And it is delicious. I’ve likely had it a long time ago. Didn’t they used to sell a pre-made version at some point?
This is life changing! I’ve been buying sugar free “icing dust”, and it’s expensive. All the while I’ve been using granulated erythritol for baking and never thought of this. I came across this looking for a cinnamon roll recipe. Tried this today, popped it in the blender and in no time it’s fluffy! Mixed it with cottage cheese and it’s almost like a cream cheese frosting! I’m never buying sugar free “icing dust” again.Ever!
When talking about allulose, you said you find it easier to dissolve it in simple syrup. Do you mean for this recipe? If so, how would I do that, specifically for this recipe?
Hi Lindsey, no not for this recipe, I was simply referring to the fact that some sweeteners are more suited to creating simple syrups. You don’t need a simple syrup to make a powdered sugar substitute. Hope that makes sense!