Differences in Confectioner's Sugar & Powdered Sugar

There are more types of powdered sugar than you can shake a swizzle stick at.

The terms "powdered" and "confectioner's" sugar are interchangeable. They both refer to a product that is finely pulverized granulated sugar, often with 3 percent cornstarch added for texture. However, within this world of powdered sugars, there are a number of varieties. Not all are available to the consumer, who is more likely to be familiar with the type found in supermarkets: 10X.

3X

Available mainly to industrial bakers, 3X powdered sugar is one of the coarsest of the powdered sugars. The number before the X in a sugar designation refers to the fineness of the screen size through which the sugar can be sifted. Another industrial sugar that is commonly used is 6X powdered sugar.

4X

Another form of confectioner's sugar, 4X powdered sugar may occasionally find its way onto supermarket shelves, but it can be hard to come by. One-pound boxes of 4X by large sugar companies may be available to U.S. consumers, but they are rare and more likely you will find the more common and ubiquitous 10X confectioner's sugar.

10X

The standard powdered or confectioner's sugar found in grocery stores, 10X, is one of the finer grounds of powdered sugars and is used mostly for frosting, whipped cream, candy and dusting and finishing pastries. When water is added, this powdered sugar forms a glaze that can be dribbled on cakes and other treats.

14X

The finest grind of powdered sugar, 14X, may be referred to as "superfine." This sugar will have high dissolving capacity. Keep in mind that powdered sugars cannot be used as a replacement for other types of sugar, and if you are dealing with moist cakes, for example, that need to be sprinkled, a non-dissolving sugar may be called for.

References

• What's Cooking America: Types of Sugar
• OChef: The Mysterious ZillionX Sugar
• The Fresh Loaf: What's the Difference Between the Two Sugars?
• Baltimore at Home: Sugar: Sorting Through the Sweet Terms