Royal Icing Mix: Confectioners' Sugar

Confectioners' sugar is a very finely ground form of granulated sugar, also known as sucrose, that typically includes a small amount of cornstarch to prevent caking. It is produced by milling regular sugar crystals into a fine powder.

This ingredient is primarily used as a sweetener and to create a smooth texture in frostings, icings, and glazes. Its fine consistency and anti-caking properties also make it ideal for dusting baked goods and for use in candies and meringues.

Confectioners' sugar, as a form of sucrose, is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. Its primary health consideration relates to its contribution to added sugars in the diet. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no specific amount of added sugars, and suggest consuming at most 10 grams of added sugars per meal. As a basic food ingredient, sucrose is not typically evaluated by JECFA or EFSA for an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) in the same way food additives are. Public health discussions often focus on the overall intake of added sugars and their potential impact on health.