Although homemade powdered sugar will never be quite the same as the blindingly white stuff you buy at the store, I think the difference in flavor will convert you. Plus, it’s easier to make than you might think. Any fine-grain sugar will work; try using a fine beet sugar or granulated fructose if you want bright white powdered sugar, or opt for rapadura (which has a great, rich flavor) if color is not as important to you.
ABOUT ¾ CUP SUGAR
1 cup (about 200 grams) sugar
½ teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Place the sugar in a blender, up to 1 cup at a time, adding the cornstarch to help keep the sugar from caking, and pulse until you get the desired texture. Stop the blender occasionally and shake it, to make sure no sugar crystals are stuck in the corners, before continuing to blend. To get the finest powder, blend for 5 to 10 minutes. Let the sugar settle for a minute or two before removing the lid, or you may end up inhaling sugar dust. Keeps well in an airtight container for months.
Before I tell you how to replace it, let me start with a word or two on corn syrup. Typically, corn syrup that you buy in the store is not the same as the high-fructose corn syrup that is so prevalent in processed foods. Corn syrup is simply fructose made from corn that has been converted to keep in a non-crystallized form. Inverted sugars, like corn syrup, are important in creating smooth textures in candies and confections. However, corn syrup doesn’t add much nutritional value, and it is a high glycemic index sugar. Instead, you can make your own sugar syrup from evaporated cane sugar, a little acid (such as lemon juice), and water. I like to also add a little brown rice syrup in mine to help prevent crystallization, but you can make this syrup without it as well.
ABOUT 1 PINT SYRUP
2 cups (400 grams) cane sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup (optional)
½ cup water
Combine the sugar, cream of tartar, brown rice syrup, if using, and water in a heavy-bottomed pot, stir to combine, and affix a candy thermometer to the side of the pot.
Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Use a moistened pastry brush to brush down any errant crystals that form on the side of the pot. Do not stir.
Continue to simmer, making sure no crystals form, until the mixture reaches 238°F. Remove from heat, moving the mixture as little as possible, and let cool without touching. This syrup can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature indefinitely, but it will crystallize over time.
While it may be simpler to just pick up a can, homemade sweetened condensed milk is far more satisfying (and you know where your milk is coming from!). Even better, you can cook it an hour or so longer and make your own irresistible Dulce de Leche.
ABOUT 1 CUP MILK
1½ cups (12 ounces) whole milk
½ cup (100 grams) turbinado sugar
½ tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
Place the milk and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Stirring often to prevent scorching, bring to a low simmer. When you begin to see steam, reduce the temperature to low and continue to cook until the mixture has reduced to a little less than 1 cup and is a light tan color, about 2 hours, checking in and stirring every so often.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Cool before storing, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.
Coconut milk makes the creamiest vegan variation of Sweetened Condensed Milk. Use a whole can of regular, not “lite” coconut milk, and mix the heavier coconut cream into the lighter coconut milk before reducing. Leave out the butter. Other non-dairy milks yield a caramely syrup that tastes great but lacks the creaminess coconut milk gives.
Evaporated milk is sweetened condensed milk’s unsweetened cousin. Milk is ever so slowly heated to reduce to a slightly thicker version of itself.
ABOUT 1 CUP MILK
1½ cups milk
Place the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Stirring often to prevent scorching, bring to a low simmer. When you begin to see steam, reduce the temperature to low and continue to cook until the mixture has reduced to a little less than 1 cup, about 2 hours, checking in and stirring every so often. Cool before storing, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.
For vegan Evaporated Milk, replace the milk with an equal amount of coconut milk (not “lite” coconut milk).
For the perfect mocha or glass of chocolate milk, try this homemade chocolate syrup.
ABOUT 1 CUP SYRUP
½ cup water
2 tablespoons muscavado or cane sugar
¼ cup brown rice syrup or Sugar Syrup (this page)
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Pinch of salt
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, combine the water, sugar, and brown rice syrup. Whisk in the cocoa powder, espresso powder, if using, and salt and bring to a low boil.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Let the syrup stand for about 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Cool before using and store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
This recipe makes a thick syrup that becomes spreadable when cooled. It’s as good warmed up and poured over ice cream as it is spread on cookies. For a slightly thinner caramel sauce, bring the initial temperature to 240°F.
ABOUT 2 CUPS SAUCE
¾ cup (6 ounces) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, divided
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (200 grams) muscavado or cane sugar
½ cup (4 ounces) brown rice syrup
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, warm the heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of the butter until the butter melts. Add the vanilla and salt, remove from the heat, and set aside.
In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar and brown rice syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and, without stirring, simmer until the mixture reaches 280°F. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and carefully add the cream mixture to it. Exercise caution, as the mixture will bubble fiercely. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Place the pot back over medium heat and bring the mixture to 240°F, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is entirely incorporated, remove the mixture from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool only slightly before transferring to a glass container for storage. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. The sauce can be reheated in the microwave to soften when needed.
For an easy vegan Caramel Sauce, mix 1 cup rice milk with 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup, ½ cup of cane sugar, ¼ teaspoon arrowroot, and a pinch of salt in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to low and, stirring occasionally, continue to cook for about 45 minutes or until the mixture becomes syrupy. It will thicken slightly as it cools.
Like most commercial snack cake crème, this recipe contains no cream. Unlike a surprising amount of commercial snack cakes, however, this recipe does not contain beef suet. Health food? No. But a whole lot less gross than what you might find in many store-bought brands.
ABOUT 1 CUP CRÈME
2 tablespoons white spelt or ground millet flour
½ cup milk
½ cup (100 grams) cane sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 tablespoons coconut oil
Dash of salt (optional)
Combine the flour and milk in a saucepan over medium heat to form a thin, pale paste, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Be careful not to brown the roux. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate to cool completely.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the butter and coconut oil until light, about 1 minute. Add the cooled flour paste and beat until creamy, about 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For gluten-free Snack Cake Crème, use the ground millet flour instead of the white spelt.
For vegan Snack Cake Crème, replace the milk with an equal amount of rice milk and the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil.
Here’s a secret: Marshmallow crème is just seven-minute frosting. While this recipe probably makes more fluff than you need, don’t be tempted to make a half recipe as two egg whites fluff better than one. Also, don’t be tempted to replace the corn syrup with a less refined sugar; they simply won’t work to create the marshmallowy texture.
ABOUT 3 CUPS CRÈME
½ cup (100 grams) plus 1 tablespoon cane sugar, divided
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1½ tablespoons water
2 egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
Combine ½ cup of the sugar, the corn syrup, and water in a heavy-bottomed pot and affix a candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously. Use a moistened pastry brush to brush down any errant crystals that form on the side of the pot. When the sugar has completely melted, stop stirring, but continue to cook until the mixture reaches 235°F.
While the sugar is cooking, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk until frothy. Gradually pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.
Once the sugar mixture reaches 235°F, add it to the egg white mixture: with the mixer on medium speed, very gradually stream the hot sugar syrup along the side of the bowl and into the egg whites. Beat until fluffy and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes. This crème will start to separate after about a day, so it is best used immediately.
While there is no perfect vegan variation for Marshmallow Crème, you can use the Vegan Snack Cake Crème (this page) as a substitute.
Although Nutella’s chocolate hazelnut spread is free from artificial colors and preservatives, it’s still fun (and easy) to make your own.
1½ CUPS SPREAD
1 cup (150 grams) raw hazelnuts
4 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
⅓ cup (35 grams) cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (100 grams) powdered sugar, divided
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast them until the skins darken but don’t burn. Let them cool for about 5 minutes and then rub them with a dish towel to remove the skins.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend the hazelnuts until they are a smooth paste. This will take some patience. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times during the process to keep the nuts blending; eventually they will start giving off oils and become smooth. This will take 5 to 10 minutes.
While the nuts are blending, bring a pot of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over the simmering water and stir to melt. Add the cocoa powder and mix until there are no lumps. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl of the food processor with the hazelnut paste and blend. Add the salt and ¼ cup of the powdered sugar and blend. Taste the mixture and add additional powdered sugar to taste. The spread will thicken as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. The spread can be reheated in the microwave to soften when needed.
For vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil.
This quick-to-make icing is great for adding a little ornamentation to your treats. It’s smooth and pliable enough to write with and dries to a shiny, opaque white. For chocolate icing, add two teaspoons cocoa powder along with the other ingredients.
ABOUT ½ CUP ICING
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup (65 grams) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl. With a hand mixer, beat until smooth. Use immediately.
For vegan White Icing, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil and the milk with an equal amount of soy or almond milk or water.
This easy glaze is perfect for drizzling on Cinnamon Rolls (this page) or spreading on Toaster Tarts (this page), and you can substitute in your favorite flavors (maple, honey, orange) for the vanilla to create delicious variations.
ABOUT ½ CUP GLAZE
½ cup (65 grams) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and add the milk, one teaspoon at a time, mixing thoroughly with a spoon until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the vanilla. The mixture should drip when you hold up the spoon. Add a bit more milk if needed. Use immediately.
For vegan Glaze, replace the milk with an equal amount of water or non-dairy milk.
When you need a little extra something on your cupcakes or ice cream, these little sprinkles can add a little color. Replace the vanilla with other flavor extracts of your choice for something different.
ABOUT ½ CUP
1½ cups (200 grams) powdered sugar
½ teaspoons fine salt
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assorted natural food colorings
Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, salt, egg white, and vanilla to create a smooth paste. Divide the paste into small bowls for different colors and stir in the food coloring.
Spoon the paste into a piping bag fitted with a very small plain tip.
For sprinkles and jimmies, pipe tiny lines along the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least ½ inch of space between each line. Slice into your preferred size of jimmy or sprinkle and let dry at room temperature for 24 hours before using.
For dots, pipe tiny dots onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least ½ inch between dots. Let dry at room temperature for 24 hours before using. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.
For vegan Sprinkles, Jimmies, and Dots, skip the egg and add 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk instead. The sprinkles won’t have quite the same shine, but they should still taste delicious.
Use high-quality yogurt for this recipe, making sure to avoid those that are made with gelatin. If you use thick Greek-style yogurt, there’s no need to strain it first. To help the yogurt coating set, this recipe uses agar powder, which can be found in Asian markets. Look for Telephone brand, which doesn’t have the chemical odors that some agar powder has. The coating is best used immediately, so plan accordingly.
ABOUT 1½ CUPS COATING
¼ cup (2 ounces) plain whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon cane sugar
¼ teaspoon agar powder
1 teaspoon water
1¾ cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon brown rice syrup or golden syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Place the yogurt in the colander and pull the cheesecloth up around it. Refrigerate and let drain at least 2 hours, or overnight. Discard the liquid that accumulates in the bowl.
Mix the cane sugar and agar powder with the water and microwave for 30 seconds on full power. Set aside.
Combine the powdered sugar, brown rice syrup, salt, vanilla, and yogurt solids in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit of unstrained yogurt and blend again to combine. Pour in the agar syrup, and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Use the mixture immediately to dip your snacks, and dry them on waxed paper or on a wire rack to set for about 30 minutes.
To reuse any leftover coating that has set, heat it on low power in the microwave until it loosens and then proceed as if it were fresh.
For vegan Yogurt Coating, replace the yogurt with an equal amount of vanilla non-dairy yogurt and omit the vanilla extract.
It’s amazing to me that we pay twelve dollars or more for an ounce or two of high-quality flavor extracts when they are so easy to make at home. All you need are some bottles, a high-proof alcohol, and whatever flavor you want to create.
1 PINT EXTRACT
3 to 5 vanilla beans
1 pint vodka or white rum
Score the vanilla beans down the middle and place them in a tall bottle with a tightly fitting cap. Fill with vodka. Place in a dark cabinet for at least 2 weeks. Top off with more of the alcohol after each use. Every 6 months or so, replace the vanilla beans with new ones. The extract will keep indefinitely in a dark cabinet.
The flavor of your Mint Extract depends greatly on the flavor of the mint leaves you use. Personally, I like chocolate mint leaf, since most of my Mint Extract goes into chocolate treats. If you want your extract to be green, add a drop or two of food coloring. Store-bought mint extract is far more potent than this home version, so you’ll need to add to taste when using it in recipes.
8 OUNCES EXTRACT
½ cup mint leaves, washed and dried
8 ounces vodka
Bruise the mint leaves slightly. Place them in an 8-ounce bottle with a tightly fitting cap. Pour in the vodka. Place in a dark cabinet for at least 2 weeks. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth, discarding the leaves. Store the extract in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
I love to use oil sprays to coat baking pans or to give just a little spritz of oil to a salad or chip. But I hate using aerosol cans. Here’s a great alternative. Use any oil you’d like.
Oil
Pump spray bottle
Pour the oil into the pump spray bottle. The resulting oil mist may not be quite as fine as that from an aerosol can, but it will meet most of your baking spray needs. Store indefinitely in a dark cabinet.
While a food dehydrator will do a better job of preserving the pale color of onions and garlic, your oven on its lowest temperature will do the job and create dried slices that are easily pulverized into a sweet, caramel-colored powder. For a fragrant salt, mix one part powder with two parts fine salt. You can also use this method to create shallot, chile, or bell pepper powder.
ABOUT ½ CUP POWDER
½ pound onion or garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Place the onion or garlic slices on the tray of a food dehydrator and dehydrate for 6 to 8 hours until the slices are completely dry. Use a spice grinder to mill into a fine powder.
If you do not have a food dehydrator, preheat the oven to 150°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spread the onion or garlic slices evenly over the prepared baking sheet and bake until dry, about 3 hours. Cool to room temperature and use a spice grinder to mill into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.
Feel free to get as oniony (or not) as you’d like with this homemade sour cream and onion flavor. I love the little specks of green that dried chives give, but onion powder will give you more flavoring.
Combine the sea salt, sour cream powder, and onion powder in an airtight container. Store the powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
For vegan Sour Cream and Onion Flavoring, replace the Sour Cream Powder with powdered Vegan Cashew Cream (this page).
This chip (or cracker) seasoning is a great blend of smoky, salty, and sweet.
ABOUT ⅛ CUP FLAVORING
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
3 teaspoons garlic salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons Onion Powder (this page)
1½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
Dash of cayenne pepper
Combine the paprika, garlic salt, sugar, onion powder, chili powder, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper in an airtight container. Mixture will keep for up to 1 month at room temperature.
While this recipe makes just enough flavoring for a single recipe of chips or crackers, it stores well, so feel free to make a much larger batch to have on hand to sprinkle on popcorn or even a baked potato.
Combine the onion powder, garlic powder, cilantro, dill, Sour Cream Powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Store the powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
For vegan Ranch Flavoring, replace the Sour Cream Powder with powdered Vegan Cashew Cream (this page).
I learned this trick of turning almost any cheese into a powder from Seattle Food Geek’s Scott Heimendinger (SeattleFoodGeek.com), whose DIY molecular gastronomy is always as entertaining as it is informative. Scott makes his own tapioca granules by grinding up small pearl tapioca in a spice grinder, but starting with tapioca starch is a bit quicker and makes a lighter, fluffier cheese powder. I use cheddar here, but you can use any favorite cheese. Have fun!
ABOUT ½ CUP POWDER
2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon water
¼ to ⅓ cup (35 to 60 grams) tapioca starch
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
Preheat the oven to its lowest setting, 170°F to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
Combine the cheese and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until the cheese has melted. Stir constantly so the cheese doesn’t brown.
Combine the melted cheese and 35 grams of the tapioca starch in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. If the mixture begins to resemble dough, add a bit more tapioca starch, and pulse again. Continue to add tapioca starch until the crumbs feel dry to the touch.
Spread the cheese crumbs evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the cheese crumbs are completely dry, about 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Pulse in a spice grinder or blender, along with the salt and sugar, until the mixture is a fine powder. If the mixture is too moist, add another 10 to 20 grams of tapioca starch. Store the cheese powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
While there is no perfect vegan variation for this powder, you can use nutritional yeast or powdered Vegan Cashew Cream (this page) as a substitution.
Dehydrated sour cream is a great addition to any chip seasoning. Follow this same process to make powdered yogurt, which is great anywhere you’d use powdered sour cream.
ABOUT ⅓ CUP POWDER
½ cup sour cream
Spread the sour cream very thinly with an offset spatula over strips of parchment. Place the strips on the tray of a food dehydrator and dehydrate until the sour cream becomes mostly transparent and fully dry, about 5 hours.
If you do not have a food dehydrator, preheat the oven to 150°F (or as low as your oven will go). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Spread the sour cream very thinly with an offset spatula over the parchment. If your oven has a fan, turn it on, and cook until the sour cream is completely dry, 4 to 5 hours.
Scrape the dried sour cream off the parchment (it should easily release) and into a food processor, blender, or spice grinder. Blend to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
This cream is a great substitution whenever you need sour cream, and can be dehydrated as a great vegan variation for the Sour Cream Powder.
ABOUT ½ CUP CREAM OR ⅓ CUP POWDER
¼ cup raw cashews
½ tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Salt
¼ to ⅓ cup water
Soak the cashews in water for 1 to 2 hours.
Drain the cashews, then blend with the lemon juice, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and the water until creamy and smooth.
For powdered Vegan Cashew Cream, dehydrate the cream by following the Sour Cream Powder instructions above.
