How to make sugar free powdered sugar, which works for any recipe that calls for regular powdered sugar. It’s SO easy!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…
Is it snowing where you are?
As usual, Dallas weather doesn’t know what it wants to do. So it vacillates from 25 to 75 and back again.
Shorts one day, fleece pants the next. Always on our toes.
No snow here yet, but I do have white powder of a different sort: sugar-free powdered sugar. (Oxymoron?)
Every Christmas for as long as I can remember, my mom has made multiple batches of pixie cookies (the little chocolate crinkle cookies, dusted with powdered sugar).
Last month I decided it was time to try creating a healthier, vegan version of those crowd-friendly chocolate pixies. In my quest to “healthify” the recipe, I landed on an about.com article describing how to turn Splenda into powdered sugar.
This got me to thinking, “If you can do it with Splenda, why not with other sweeteners?”
So I tried it, first with Sucanat and then with Xylitol.
Both times, it worked!
Sugar Free Powdered Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sweetener of choice, such as coconut sugar or erythritol
- optional 1-2 tsp arrowroot or cornstarch, to prevent clumping when stored
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a blender. It’ll smoke a little, but that’s okay. You should have powdered sugar in a matter of seconds! Store in a covered container in the pantry, just as you’d store regular powdered sugar.Healthy Glaze Icing:Combine 1 cup of the above powdered sugar with 1 1/2 tbsp milk of choice and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. Use in place of regular powdered sugar icing, on cookies or cupcakes, etc.
- Shown above on Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal.
Notes
And now I’m going to return to eating my chocolate pixie cookies. Hope you all have a lovely day!
I totally know what you mean, Katie. I live in Texas (San Antonio) and the weather here is never consistent either! 🙂
Will this work with 0 calorie stevia in the raw sugar? Or even splenda? (for my mother)
Janice, if you care ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR MOM, PLEASE DO NOT USE SPLENDA! It is deadly to your good bacteria, it cannot be used in bread making, as it kills the yeast. It cannot be used in making yoghurt, as it kills the bacteria that is required to make yogurt. It does the exact same thing to the good bacteria in your gut. 3 tablespoons of Splenda does equal damage to your digestive system as taking a anti-bacterial.
Stevia on the other hand has become the top rated and recommended zero calorie sweetener by almost all health experts, including Dr. Mercola, Dr, Weil, and Dr. Oz.
Don’t know about the Stevia in the Raw version but you can do it with arrowroot combined with pure stevia extract powder. You can just mix it as you wish to get the desired sweetness. Would NOT recommend corn starch or any unhealthy corn products.
COOKIES for me please! It seems granola is a big hit here.. never realized there were so many interested in it before. I wouldn’t mind it, but it’s way down on the list.. give me cookies anytime. My daughters new boyfriend is allergic to corn… I can use arrowroot instead of cornstarch… I have never used it however and have no idea if one uses the same ratio as cornstarch and if it thickens the same, what type of texture etc. If you would happen to know this information i would be grateful if you were to share it…thanks. It is actually odd that i have not tried it as my daughter is allergic to dairy and egg and i have tried different substitutions, but i don’t think arrowroot was ever used as one of them.
I just used this to make frosting for my daughter because she can’t have sugar right now, trying to kill excess yeast in her body. It worked great! Thanks so much. It was a little too sweet for me so next time I may double the cornstarch so it will thicken faster without the sweet taste. thanks again
Can I just tell you that that ribbon is the most gorgeous color ever? Love it!
You said you made the powdered xylitol in your vita-mix, did you use your regular container or a dry goods container? I look forward to your answer!
I guess a regular container… My vitamix is over 7 years old, so it only came with one blender ;).
Katie, do you think I could make powdered sugar with Truvia?
Sorry, no idea!
I also love to use xylitol to sub for regular cane sugar as it contains less calories gram for gram, also it does not raise the blood sugar level as fast as regular sugar so it is diabetic safe. However I read that some people can be sensitive to it and cause loose stools when they eat it. So I only use it in my baking for myself and a few friends who I know have tried it and have no problem with it. I wouldn’t bake with it when I am baking for a party when I do not know whether someone at the party is sensitive to it.
I wonder if this would work with coconut sugar?
Yes, definitely! 🙂
Ridiculous to call anything with artificial chemical sweetner healthy!! Using real, natural ingredients and eating less is whats really healthy.
Hi Colleen,
Actually, none of my recipes call for artificial chemical sweeteners. I don’t trust it, and I don’t like the aftertaste.
Would Stevia work in place of Xylitol?
You shouldn’t use Xylitol or other sugar alcohols in those amounts because it causes serious GI issues. Hence, the reason they’re used in minimal amounts in gum and a few candies.
Sincerely, a Registered Dietition
Hi Kate,
Maybe it’s only certain people who are affected? I use xylitol to sweeten all the time, and I’ve never had any problems at all. But I’m interested to know more from a dietician’s point of view. Thanks!
Thanks so much for sharing this! It seems common sense, but my sister and I have been wondering how to make some frosting without any powdered sugar. I am going to have to try this and maybe mix it with some canned coconut milk for a creamy frosting!
Katie, your brilliant!
I want to use this in a peanut butter frosting recipe, do you think the powdered sugar will stand up to it just like regular powdered sugar?
Thank you!
I think so. It might be a little grainy, but it should work… but I haven’t tried it.
This is a comment about xylitol. As we speak I have it in a bag to take back to the health food store where I bought it. I used it in over some strawberries for strawberry shortcake. I had a reaction that was awful – the one where your stomach turns inside out, and you end up in the bathroom for an hour!!! It was unbelievable!! So if it’s your first time using xylitol, especially a cup of it in a recipe, watch out.(those symptoms are also listed as a side effect on the package)
can you turn stevia or splenda into powdered?