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Powdered sugar

Powdered sugar is finely milled sugar used in icings, glazes, dusting, and delicate baked goods.

Powdered sugar — illustrative ingredient image

About Powdered sugar

Powdered sugar is granulated sugar milled into a very fine powder. It is used in icings, glazes, frostings, confectionery, dessert dusting, and delicate baked goods. Commercial formulations vary: some contain a small amount of anti-caking ingredient, while others are simply finely ground sugar.

It has a clean sweetness and a smooth, light texture when dry. It dissolves readily in moist mixtures, producing a smoother sweetened icing, glaze, or frosting. Products containing anti-caking material may feel slightly less silky, so the precise texture depends on the formulation and how it is incorporated.

Powdered sugar is white and flour-like, and is sold as a dry powder. It may be sifted or dusted directly over desserts, whisked into liquids or fats, or mixed into doughs and batters. Moisture changes it from a loose powder into a paste, glaze, icing, or frosting.

Ingredient type
sweetener

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Where powdered sugar appears

7 linked foods

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Desserts

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for powdered sugar

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

powdered sugar

British English

icing sugar

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Powdered sugar nutrition & diet

Powdered sugar nutritional value

Sugars, powdered

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
389kcal
Protein
0.0g
Carbs
99.8g
Fat
0.0g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Evaluate the finely milled sugar as a dry ingredient or as part of an icing, glaze, dusting, or baked product. Sifting, blending, and dissolution affect handling but do not identify the edible portion by themselves. Record added starches, flavorings, fats, liquids, and the amount incorporated into the finished food.

Compare the right form: Match the reference to the actual powdered sugar formulation, including anti-caking starch or other additives, and to its dry or recipe-incorporated portion.

Diet considerations

Powdered sugar is plant-derived sugar, but commercial formulations may include anti-caking ingredients. It differs from icing made with butter, dairy, egg, or other animal products, and from coatings containing cereal ingredients. Compatibility therefore depends on the formulation and recipe; the serving context determines its carbohydrate pattern.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Depends on the version
  • Vegetarian
    Depends on the version
  • Pescatarian
    Depends on the version
  • Keto
    Typically incompatible
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Depends on the version
Check the refining process and processing aids for the particular producer.
Vegetarian · Depends on the version
Check the refining process and processing aids for the particular producer.
Pescatarian · Depends on the version
Check the refining process and processing aids for the particular producer.
Keto · Typically incompatible
A concentrated sugar ingredient; the amount used matters. No serving-level carbohydrate calculation is available.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar).
Low-carb · Depends on the version
A concentrated sugar ingredient; the amount used matters. No serving-level carbohydrate calculation is available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Sugars, powdered ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .