Learn how to make homemade powdered coconut sugar easily at home for a lower-glycemic, all-natural ingredient or topping for your favorite cookies, desserts, and icing or frosting recipes!
Modern cooks have pretty sophisticated pantries and kitchens.
Yet the baking world still needs a few things when it comes to healthy ingredients. Unrefined powdered sugar is one of those things!
That day has come. All-natural coconut sugar can be powdered, creating a versatile ingredient or topping!
How To Make Homemade Powdered Sugar From Granulated Sugar
With just two ingredients, coconut sugar can be powdered.
Choose between using a high-powered blender such as the Vitamix or a coffee grinder.
Combine either tapioca flour or arrowroot powder with sugar– and blend.
The result? The natural, handy pantry staple you’ve been wanting!
Powdered Sugar Is Healthier When Made With Coconut Sugar
Sugar from the coconut tree is that not-too-sweet cousin of dehydrated cane juice.
Sourced from coconut palm blossoms, it has a lower Glycemic Index than cane sugar. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how fast a carbohydrate food raises blood glucose levels.
It’s also natural and unrefined yet has a rich, caramel-like flavor.
How To Use Coconut Sugar In Recipes That Call For Powdered Sugar
Because of its darker color, powdered coconut sugar can’t be used to make white snowflakes on sugar cookies or dust white sweetness over your cakes. Yet, it can be used to make icing!
For years I’ve wanted a healthy icing sugar to decorate cakes and cookies.
In contrast to white powdered sugar, this sugar is an appealing light beige. The natural color is appealing in a different way than the white product.
When made into icing, it can still be colored with natural dyes, for artistic colorful finishes. While the colors are less vibrant, their earthy hues are beautiful.
Icing made with powdered coconut sugar looks homespun and “country-chic” on sugar cookies. 🙂 The icing tastes great with chocolate desserts and holiday spiced treats that contain ginger or molasses.
How To Make Icing & Frosting
You can pour, spread, or drizzle powdered sugar icing (made with coconut sugar) the same way you do with regular icing! Just add a little water or milk until you achieve the right consistency for your baking project.
A good basic icing ratio to start with is 1/2 cup sugar, 2 to 3 teaspoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract.
Similarly, you can make milk-based frosting with this powdered sugar.
Here are three basic powdered sugar recipes that might be helpful as templates:
- How to Make Sugar Water Icing
- How to Make Frosting with Powdered Sugar
- 4 Ingredient Powdered Sugar Frosting (made with butter and milk)
What diets can enjoy this powdered sugar?
Any diet that prioritizes healthy unrefined sweeteners will benefit from the use of this powdered sugar.
Traditional (or ancestral) diets certainly appreciate the use of a dehydrated sap sweetener, very similar to maple sugar!
Those who follow a Paleo or Primal diet will also appreciate this sweetener. Vegan and Plant-based diets appreciate the all-natural fruit sourcing of this treat.
More restricted diets like AIP (autoimmune protocol) allow the use of this sugar as well.
What about you? Do you already use coconut sugar in your baked goods and treats?
I hope this recipe is helpful for your baking needs!
How To Make Homemade Powdered Sugar (from coconut sugar)
To make powdered sugar at home, place coconut sugar and tapioca or arrowroot into a high-powered blender (such as Vitamix or Blendtec).
Place the lid on tightly.
Start at low speed and increase gradually to high speed. Blend 1 to 2 minutes at high speed.
Powdered coconut sugar will be a fine powder and light brown.
Wait about 10 minutes before removing the lid to allow the sugar particles to settle.
Store in a sealed container at room temperature until ready to use.
Using A Coffee Grinder Instead Of A High-Powered Blender
I haven’t done this yet, although I plan to try this method next time I make powdered coconut sugar. If you try it, let us know in the comments below. I suggest using 1/3 cup coconut sugar to 1 teaspoon tapioca or arrowroot powder.
Homemade Powdered Sugar (from coconut sugar)
Learn how to make homemade powdered sugar easily with coconut sugar for a lower-glycemic, versatile addition to healthy dessert and icing or frosting recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or arrowroot powder
Instructions
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Place coconut sugar and tapioca or arrowroot into high-powered blender.
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Place the lid on tightly.
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Start at low speed and increase gradually to high speed.
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Blend 1 to 2 minutes at high speed.
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When done, powdered coconut sugar will be completely powdered and light brown.
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Wait about 10 minutes before removing the lid to allow the sugar particles to settle.
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Store in a sealed container at room temperature until ready to use.
Looking for ways to decorate with all-natural, homemade powdered coconut sugar? Try these recipes:
...without giving up the foods you love or spending all day in the kitchen!
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I’ve been making my own powdered sugar for years with coconut sugar, turbinado, demetera and raw sugar..I never put anything else with it..I’ll have to try a little tapioca or arrowroot..maybe one of the reasons I like to make it is No fillers..I just keep it in a plastic bag so I can smash it up if it gets hard..
Thanks for sharing what you do, Sharon!
A good blender is best, I wouldn’t use a coffee grinder again, unless I have a LOT of extra time. You can only do a small amount at a time.
Thanks for sharing your advice and experience! The coffee grinder might be a good option for someone who wants just a small amount. But yes, bigger batches, I agree; then the blender is best! 🙂
I’d love to know if anyone’s been successful making royal icing with this coconut icing sugar?
Just the recipe I was looking for, to make icing for my grandson’s 1st bday cake. Thank you!
I only ask which do you like better for this recipe Tapioca or Arrowroot? I have both but to prevent trial and error thought I check your expertise.
PS: I use a Ninja blender to grind nuts into powder for breading so it should work beautifully for the coconut sugar.
Hi Debbie, both work equally well! 🙂 Whichever you prefer.
Is the arrowroot necessary? I don’t have that onhand. Is there anything that can be used as a substitute?
I used cornstarch and it worked just fine.
Just came here to say that the coffee grinder method absolutely works, especially if you think you have a “high powdered blender,” and discover that you don’t ?? Although, I have a 1000-watt Ninja, it just wasn’t doing the trick. Scrolled down to see the coffee grinder option, and, perfection. Thank you!
Hi I was wondering if a food processor was powerful enough for this? Thanks
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong! Using a vitamix and it just keeps getting stuck at the bottom and it’s not getting powdery at all, getting moist and stuck. Any tips would be appreciated!