How to Make Homemade Sugar Cubes

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 4, 2021

Sugar cubes are extremely simple to make at home - all you need is sugar and water. In addition to standard cubes, you can add color and flavor to add fun flair to a tea party or another gathering. Learn how to make sugar cubes using two different methods: using a pan in the oven or an ice cube tray you leave out overnight.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Sugar Cubes in the Oven

1
Pour a cup of sugar into a bowl. You can use any type of sugar except powdered sugar. Choose raw sugar, brown sugar, or plain granulated sugar.
2
Add three teaspoons of water to the bowl of sugar. Pour it over the sugar evenly and let it sit for a few seconds.

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3
Mix the water and sugar with a fork. Try to remove the clumps of sugar and make a smooth mixture. If clumps of sugar remain, continue mixing to remove them. The sugar is ready when it retains it shape when lightly pressed.
4
Line a baking pan with parchment paper. You can use a bread pan, a loaf pan, or any type of glass or metal pan that is oven safe.
5
Pour the sugar onto the parchment paper. Pack the sugar into the base of the pan very tightly with a spatula or another tool that is stiff and flat. The height should be similar to a commercial sugar cube, around 1.27cm/1/2 an inch.
- If you want sugar pieces that aren't shaped like cubes, pour the sugar into oven-safe candy molds or muffin tins.
- If you have candy molds that aren't oven safe, you can still use them. Pour the sugar into the molds and use a spatula to flatten the tops. Instead of putting the molds in the oven, cover them loosely with parchment paper and leave them on the counter overnight. They'll be hard by morning.
6
Score the sugar. Using a knife, cut the sugar sheet into cubes of the size you want. Try to cut neat, even squares. Do not forget this step; if you do, you will end up with a sugar block, rather than sugar cubes.
7
Put the pan in an oven preheated to 120°C or 250°F. Set a timer for 1 hour.
8
Remove the pan of sugar from the oven. After one 1 hour, take the pan out and let the sugar cubes cool for at least 10 minutes.
9
Break up the cubes. Pull the sugar cubes out of the pan and break them apart with your hands or something smooth like a knife. If cut properly, they will break fairly easy.
10
Store the cubes. Put the sugar cubes into an airtight container for future use. Or, pop them into your coffee or tea right now and enjoy.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Ice Cube Tray Version

1
Get silicone ice cube trays. This method works best if you choose silicon ice cube trays with cute shapes, such as hearts, stars, animals or something quirkier than the same old cube. Silicon trays are the best because you'll be able to remove the sugar cubes much more easily, with less likelihood of damaging them.
2
Pour the sugar into the mixing bowl. You can make more than 1/2 a cup's worth but this is a good amount for a beginner to play with.
3
Add a teaspoon of water into the sugar and mix. Continue adding water a teaspoonful at a time until you have mixed together a paste of sugar and water. Don't make it too gooey or wet, or the sugar will dissolve.
- At this stage you can mix in a few drops of food coloring to make colored cubes.
- Consider adding a few drops of vanilla, almond, or lemon extract to make flavored sugar.
4
Spoon the sugar paste into each mold of the ice cube tray. Fill the molds about halfway only.
5
Pack the sugar. Press down into the molds with the back of a spoon to make an even surface and to pack the sugar down so that it sticks together.
6
Dry the sugar. Set the tray aside in a dry spot to let the water evaporate. If it's humid in your kitchen, the cubes might not set.
7
Remove the sugar shapes. Remove each piece of sugar by carefully pushing from the base of the ice cube tray and tapping gently into the palm of your hand. Store in an airtight container or use straight away.
8
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Will it still work if you use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper?

Community Answer

Yes, but you may have a harder time trying to separate the cubes from the foil, causing the cubes to break.
Question

How long does this usually take?

Community Answer

It depends on which method you use, but it looks like at least 1.5 hours for the first method. The second method depends on how long it takes for your sugar to dry.
Question

Are these horse safe?

Infinityhappycat

Community Answer

If you use a clean pan and horse-safe sugar, yes, they should be safe for a horse to eat.

Warnings

Make sure to use the exact amount of water in the first method. Too little water will make the sugar cubes crumble, and too much water will make them rock solid.

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