Is Powdered Sugar Gluten-free?

Find out if powdered sugar is gluten-free, what it’s made of, and how to make sure your powdered sugar is always gluten-free. Plus get a list of gluten-free powdered sugar brands to look for at the store.

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If you love to bake, you’re probably no stranger to powdered sugar. This ingredient pops up in a lot of recipes with glazes, frostings, or as a light dusting over a dessert.

Powdered sugar is light in texture and is great for using over cane sugar, because it has a completely different texture that is needed to keep some recipes light and fluffy. 

If you’re getting started with a gluten-free diet or have been following one for a while, you know that looking at each ingredient you eat or use to bake with needs to be reviewed with a careful eye.

Some recipes are a little more evasive at finding answers than others, and I found that to be true with powdered sugar. 

In this post, we’ll talk all about powdered sugar, what it’s made of and if those ingredients are gluten-free. We’ll answer the question “is powdered sugar gluten-free?” and go over your options for how to make sure the powdered sugar you use is always gluten-free, including a list of gluten-free brands.

What is powdered sugar?

Powdered sugar is a finely ground sugar that is mixed together with a small amount of starch (usually cornstarch or tapioca starch) for use in baking. 

It can be found under a few different names: powdered sugar, confectioner’s sugar, and icing sugar. All three are used for the same purpose and can be used interchangeably.

What is powdered sugar made of?

Powdered sugar is made of sugar that’s been ground into a powder, then mixed with a starch to help absorb moisture and prevent clumping when used in baking recipes.

The starch used in powdered sugar is usually cornstarch or tapioca starch.

Is cornstarch gluten-free?

Since corn is not a gluten-containing grain and is naturally gluten-free, it is considered safe for a gluten-free diet. 

That said, some cornstarch is processed on shared equipment as gluten-containing grains, so you’ll need to be aware of this when buying powdered sugar.

Read on: Is cornstarch gluten-free?

Is sugar gluten-free?

Sugar is naturally gluten-free and can safely be enjoyed on a gluten-free diet.

Read on: Is sugar gluten-free?

Is powdered sugar gluten-free?

Knowing that both cornstarch and sugar are gluten-free, we’d assume that powdered sugar is always gluten-free, right?

Not always. Unfortunately, even though both ingredients are generally considered safe for a gluten-free diet, it’s not always true that the powdered sugar is gluten-free. Some brands of powdered sugar use other starches that may contain gluten.

Another reason we can’t always assume powdered sugar is gluten-free is due to cross contamination from shared equipment. Cross contamination can come from shared equipment from gluten-containing grains.

The best way to make sure your powdered sugar is gluten-free is to review the ingredients lists for no hidden sources of gluten. Look for cornstarch or tapioca starch as opposed to other starches in the ingredients list. Also, look for a gluten-free label. This will ensure the company has done proper testing to ensure gluten is not present in their product.

How to make sure your powdered sugar is always gluten-free

If you are concerned about gluten being in your powdered sugar, you can opt to make your own at home – it’s easy. Add cane sugar and some gluten-free cornstarch to a blender or food processor and blend until fine. Use this as you would any other store-bought powdered sugar.

Gluten-free powdered sugar brands

Many brands of powdered sugar are gluten-free as they use a gluten-free starch like corn starch or tapioca starch. However, that doesn’t mean there’s not a likelihood of cross contamination when being processed.

Here are a few gluten-free powdered sugar brands to look for next time you’re at the store. Note that these are brands that have a gluten-free label and the companies have confirmed their products are gluten-free.

• Aldi
• Kroger
• Wholesome

Read on: The best dairy-free icing brands

Read on: 25 Dairy-free frosting recipes

Are my favorite brands of powdered sugar gluten-free?

You might already have a favorite brand of powdered sugar that you pick up every time you’re baking. Let’s go through some of the most popular brands of powdered sugar and answer whether they’re gluten-free or not, so you have a list of what your options are.

Is Aldi powdered sugar gluten-free?

The icing sugar from Aldi is listed in their Guidance for People Avoiding Gluten document, making this safe for a gluten-free diet.

Is C&H powdered sugar gluten-free?

C&H does not make gluten-free claims with their sugars. I sent an email to the company to find out if this brand is gluten-free and will post their response when I hear back.

Is Domino’s confectioner’s sugar gluten-free?

According to the Domino Sugar website, “none of our sugars contain gluten. Although our Confectioners Sugar contains 3% corn starch and this product may contain a very minuscule amount (less than 0.01%) of corn gluten. Corn starch is added to prevent caking in the sugar as it’s a much finer texture. Except for corn starch, no ingredients other than cane sugar are used in any of our consumer products.”

Corn starch is naturally gluten-free, so this is safe for a gluten-free diet.

Is Good & Gather powdered sugar gluten-free?

According to the packaging, Good & Gather powdered sugar contains no gluten-containing ingredients. However, they also don’t have a gluten-free label, meaning you’ll need to be aware that cross contamination is possible before buying.

Is Kroger powdered sugar gluten-free?

Kroger brand confectioner’s sugar has a gluten-free label on their product page on their website and is safe for a gluten-free diet. Look for the label on the package itself when buying in person.

Is Rogers icing sugar gluten-free?

According to the Rogers website, the company uses cornstarch in their icing sugar, a gluten-free ingredient. They say their icing sugar is gluten-free, but there is no gluten-free label on the packaging.

If you’ve been following a gluten-free diet or just getting started with one, I hope that you’ve found the information you’ve been looking for regarding gluten and your gluten-free diet. 

Most powdered sugar is gluten-free, but you can always look for a brand with a gluten-free label if you need to be extra certain there is not a chance of cross contamination.

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