Why Baking With Organic Powdered Sugar Could Backfire

With an organic diet becoming increasingly important to people, the food industry has produced organic versions of most grocery store items. You now have multiple organic options for chicken nuggets, crackers, and pasta sauce when grocery shopping. Making these goods at home, however, means finding an organic version of each ingredient at the store. For baked goods, organic all-purpose flour is a pretty straightforward swap, as are organic granulated sugar and butter. But when it comes to powdered sugar, there's a catch. You'll find options for organic powdered sugar at most supermarkets (and 365 by Whole Foods organic powdered sugar on Amazon), but it's not made equal to the regular stuff. Using organic powdered sugar can alter the final texture, color, and flavor of your baked goods in a negative way.

The biggest difference comes not from the sugar itself but from the additives. In your run of the mill powdered sugar, cornstarch is added to prevent caking. That is, it helps keep the sugar from absorbing water from the air that would make it clump together, and it keeps it from melting when dusted on top of things. Because it's cheaper, the organic version swaps organic tapioca starch for the cornstarch. This small substitution results in powdered sugar that absorbs more water and dissolves more easily, both of which can be a bad thing in baking.

All this is not to say that you can't use organic powdered sugar in your buttercreams or to top your lemon bars — you just need to do your homework. First, consider what you're using it for. If your goal is to make white frosting, know that using organic powdered sugar will make the mixture a darker, off-white color because it's made from raw sugar. This also gives it a more complex molasses-like flavor compared to the stark sweetness of regular white sugar. If you want to dust it on top of a fresh baked item, do so just before serving, as it will dissolve into anything hot or wet within 30 minutes.

The most important tip when using this organic baking ingredient? Sift it before use. Because it attracts and absorbs water, it clumps very easily, and the lumps are surprisingly hard to get rid of with a whisk. To ensure proper incorporation and a smooth consistency, always sift organic powdered sugar. Some pluses? Since tapioca starch dissolves better than cornstarch, using sifted! powdered sugar with tapioca starch is the secret to the best, most glossy royal icing. It also works in the same way as cornstarch as a thickening agent, so organic powdered sugar can be added to caramel sauce and any other heated or non-heated glazes for an unbeatable consistency.