The ratio for using granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar is 1 cup granulated sugar per 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar. Write it on a sticky note and keep it on the fridge, because it is the kind of number you will use again — but do not stop there. The reason this page is long is that a sweetener swap is never only about sweetness. It changes how fast the bake browns, how moist the crumb stays, how far a cookie spreads, and how long the finished cake keeps. Get those right and nobody will know you substituted; get them wrong and the bake tells on you.
Sweeteners differ in sweetness, moisture and browning; liquid sweeteners need the recipe's liquid reduced. That single sentence is the key to this swap. Everything below follows from it: the conversion table with the liquid adjustments, three worked examples, what changes in the result, and the recipes where this substitution should not be attempted.
The ratio, in a table
The table below converts powdered sugar to granulated sugar for the amounts you are most likely to meet. The rule is always the same: 1 cup granulated sugar per 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar.
| Powdered sugar called for | Granulated sugar to use | Approximate weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon | about 28 g | |
| 1/3 cup | 3 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon | about 38 g | |
| 1/2 cup | 4 tablespoons + 1 3/4 teaspoons | about 57 g | |
| 2/3 cup | 6 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon | about 75 g | |
| 3/4 cup | 6 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons | about 85 g | |
| 1 cup | 9 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon | about 113 g | |
| 1 1/2 cups | 13 tablespoons + 2 1/4 teaspoons | about 170 g | |
| 2 cups | 1 cup + 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon | about 226 g |
By weight, one cup of powdered sugar is about 113 g and one cup of granulated sugar is about 198 g (King Arthur Baking, spooned and levelled). The two do not weigh the same cup for cup, which is why weighing is more reliable than scooping for this swap. All weights here are approximate — verify with a kitchen scale when the bake matters.
King Arthur lists 113 g unsifted; sifted powdered sugar is about 100 g per cup because sifting adds air.
Worked examples
Example 1: A vanilla sponge cake
A sponge cake is the hardest test of a sweetener swap, because the crumb is delicate and the flavour is mild. A recipe calls for 1 cup of powdered sugar. Using the ratio, that becomes 9 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon. Cream the butter and sweetener as usual, then add the eggs one at a time and fold in the flour. Bake at the same temperature, but check the cake five minutes early, because a different sweetener can brown faster or set at a different rate. If the sponge is a little denser or a little darker than usual, that is the swap showing — next time, try the swap in a more strongly flavoured cake first.
Example 2: Chocolate chip cookies
Cookies show a sweetener swap in the spread and the chew. A recipe calls for 3/4 cup of powdered sugar. Using the ratio, that becomes 6 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons. Cream the butter and sweetener until light, add the eggs and vanilla, then mix in the flour and chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking — chilling matters more than usual here, because a different sweetener changes how the dough hydrates and spreads. Bake one test cookie first: if it spreads too much, chill the dough longer; if it stays too thick, flatten the balls slightly. The chocolate will mask most of the flavour difference.
Example 3: A banana bread
Banana bread is the most forgiving place to try a sweetener swap, because the banana carries the flavour and the crumb is meant to be moist. A recipe calls for 1 cup of powdered sugar. Using the ratio, that becomes 9 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon. Stir the batter until it just comes together, pour it into the tin, and bake as usual. The loaf will be a little different in sweetness and a little different in moisture, but in a banana bread those differences read as character rather than a mistake. This is the recipe to start with if you have never made this swap before.
What changes in the result
Sweetness is the obvious change, but it is not the most important one. Sweeteners differ in sweetness, moisture and browning; liquid sweeteners need the recipe's liquid reduced. What matters more in practice is what the sweetener does to the structure of the bake. Sugar is a tenderiser: it interferes with gluten formation and delays the setting of starch, which is what makes a cake tender rather than tough. A substitute that does not tenderise the same way will give you a tougher crumb; a substitute that holds more water will give you a softer one. Sugar also controls spread — in cookies, it melts and lets the dough spread before it sets — so a different sweetener can make cookies thicker or thinner than the recipe intends. And sugar is a preservative in jams and a structural ingredient in meringues and candy, which is why those recipes are listed below under 'when not to substitute'.
When not to substitute
Do not swap 1:1 in candy-making, meringues or jam, where sugar's exact chemistry matters. In practice that means: do not make this swap in candy-making, where sugar's exact boiling behaviour is the whole recipe; do not make it in meringues, where sugar stabilises the egg white foam and a substitute can make the meringue weep or collapse; and do not make it in jam or preserves, where sugar is the preservative and getting it wrong is a food-safety issue, not just a taste issue. Be cautious in shortbread and in any recipe where sugar is a large share of the weight. And if the recipe is for someone managing blood sugar, remember that a different sweetener is not automatically a safe one — check with the person, and do not present a swap as a health claim.
Practical guidance
If you do not have a scale, measure carefully and consistently: spoon dry sweeteners into the cup and level them off, pack brown sugar firmly, and measure liquid sweeteners in a jug at eye level. Do not guess at the liquid adjustment — it is the part of the swap people most often forget, and a quarter cup of extra liquid is the difference between a moist cake and a soggy one. Store the substitute in an airtight container; keep liquid sweeteners at room temperature so they pour easily, and keep dry sweeteners away from steam and damp, which makes them clump.
All conversions on this page are approximate. A kitchen scale is the most reliable tool you own: weigh the substitute, note the number that works for your recipe, and use it next time. If a bake matters — a birthday cake, a loaf for guests — test the swap first in a small, forgiving recipe before you commit to the important one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use granulated sugar in meringue or candy?
No — not safely, and not with a good result. Meringue depends on sugar to stabilise the egg-white foam, and candy depends on sugar's exact boiling behaviour; a substitute changes both, and the result can be a weeping meringue or a candy that never sets. Jam is the same: sugar is the preservative, and getting it wrong is a food-safety issue. For those recipes, use the sugar the recipe calls for, or find a recipe written for the substitute from the start.
Will the texture change with granulated sugar?
Yes, a little. Sugar tenderises crumb, controls spread and holds moisture, and every substitute shifts that balance. A liquid sweetener usually makes a moister, softer crumb; a dry substitute can make a drier one; a high-intensity sweetener adds sweetness without any of sugar's bulk, so the bake can be drier and less tender. The changes are small in a strongly flavoured bake and most noticeable in a plain cake or a cookie. If the texture matters, try the swap first in a forgiving recipe such as banana bread or brownies.
Can I use granulated sugar in tea and coffee?
It depends on the sweetener. Dry sweeteners that dissolve well work in hot drinks; liquid sweeteners work too, though they add a flavour of their own. Sweeteners that do not dissolve — date sugar is the classic example — will sit at the bottom of the cup and are best kept for baking. High-intensity sweeteners need only a tiny amount in a drink, so measure carefully: a pinch too much can make a cup of tea unpleasantly sweet. Taste as you go.
Does granulated sugar dissolve the same way as powdered sugar?
Not always. Fine and liquid sweeteners dissolve quickly; coarse ones such as demerara and turbinado dissolve slowly and can leave a crunch, which is welcome in a crumble topping and unwelcome in a smooth custard. Date sugar does not dissolve at all. If the recipe needs the sweetener fully dissolved — a syrup, a custard, a smooth frosting — choose a fine or liquid sweetener, or dissolve the substitute in a little warm liquid first and let it cool before adding it.
How much granulated sugar do I use instead of 1 cup of powdered sugar?
Use 9 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon — that is the ratio 1 cup granulated sugar per 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar applied to one cup. All amounts on this page are approximate, so if the bake is sensitive, weigh the substitute and note your own number for next time.
Is granulated sugar sweeter than powdered sugar?
Sweeteners differ in sweetness, moisture and browning; liquid sweeteners need the recipe's liquid reduced. Sweetness is not the whole story, though: a sweetener can match sugar's sweetness and still change the bake, because sugar also controls moisture, browning, spread and texture. Judge the swap on the finished bake, not on a spoonful of the sweetener, and adjust the amount slightly next time if the result is too sweet or not sweet enough.