Lanthanide cation exchanged resins were used as catalysts for the acetalization of sucrose. Ytterbium(III)- and erbium(III)-exchanged resins promote the transacetalization of dialkyl acetals of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. A two-step one-pot procedure provides direct access from the unsaturated aldehyde to a series of sucrose 4,6-acetals in good yields from unprotected sucrose without concomitant glycosidic bond cleavage.