What Is Flossing Sugar?

Have you come across flossing sugar in your search to find supplies to make cotton candy? Perhaps you’ve even been recommended some. But what is it exactly, how does it differ from regular sugar? Well, these are just some of the many questions I will be answering here today.

So, what is flossing sugar? Flossing sugar is a type of flavored and dyed sugar used to make cotton candy. It provides a softer and fluffier consistency per ounce when used. As such, it is often used by the large cotton candy producers as it creates a superior cotton candy.

In many ways, you can imagine flossing sugar as pre-prepared sugar, ready to be used to make cotton candy.

It takes away that flavouring and coloring step, too.

So it’s highly practical.

But what is it make of and how does it differ exactly? Let’s continue to explore, shall we?!

What Is Flossing Sugar Made Of?

Flossing sugar is made of sugar, flavoring and food coloring. The exact flavoring and food coloring differ by brand and by flavor.

For instance, if we take a look at the popular Gold Metal Floss Sugar.

They offer over 13 different flavors, ranging from blue raspberry to pink vanilla.

If we take a look at the ingredients for each, you’ll get a better idea at what makes this particular product:

Gold Metal Floss Sugar Blue Raspberry Ingredients

Sugar, artificial raspberry flavor, FD&C Blue #1 (E133).

Gold Metal Floss Pink Vanilla Ingredients

Sugar, artificial vanilla flavor, FD&C Red #40 (E129).

Gold Metal Floss Cherry Ingredients

Sugar, artificial cherry flavour, (E129, E133).

Is Flossing Sugar The Same As Regular Sugar?

Flossing sugar is not the same as regular sugar. While flossing sugar is mostly made of sugar, it has been pre-prepared – by being both colored and dyed.

What Is The Difference Between Flossing Sugar And Regular Sugar?

The main differences between flossing sugar and regular sugar are the color, flavor, smell and coarseness. Equally, flossing sugar is designed to be ‘ready to use’, and ‘all that you need’ to make cotton candy. However, if you use regular sugar, you will also need to add a coloring/dye and be more careful during production .

At the same time, due to the preparation methods, flossing sugar provides a fluffier cotton candy consistency without concentrated parts or an uneven texture/flavor.

This is because flossing sugar has been designed to be the right coarseness (sugar granular size) to work with cotton candy machines.

Can You Use Regular Sugar For Cotton Candy?

You can use regular sugar for cotton candy, but it will be missing in flavor and color unless additional dyes and colors are used. At the same time, production is more challenging as regular (granulated) sugar can either be too fine or too coarse, which makes it more likely to burn or clog.

What Kind Of Sugar Is Best For Cotton Candy?

The best sugar for cotton candy is flossing sugar. It’s designed specifically for cotton candy, saves time, resources and is known to make a fluffier consistency. It is also generally affords you a wider pool of different flavors/colors unless you can get creative.

Below, I outline just a few reasons why to use flossing sugar.

Why To Use Flossing Sugar

  • Ready to use – with flossing sugar, dyes, colors and flavors are already added. You do not need to find/add work out quantities yourself.
  • Flavor possibilities – You can combine flossing sugar flavors to create new, weird and wonderful flavor combinations. Sure you can do this with regular sugar and flavorings, but it is more difficult and easy to mess up!
  • Perfect consistency – Flossing sugar is the perfect granular size to prevent burning or clogging. It usually included calcium silicate, or an anticaking flowing agent too. These factors help ensure a much more even, fluffier consistency where flavor is spread evenly throughout. It tends to last longer and not go hard as quickly too.

So now you know what you need to get, should you decide you want to make some cotton candy.

And if you are looking for a recommendation of flossing sugar specifically, look no further than the Gold Metal brand.

I like to get mine from Amazon, they sell a 2-pack there, as you can see below 👇

Concession Essentials - CE Floss Sugar -2pk Cotton Candy Floss Sugar 2 Pack (Pink Vanilla and Blue Raspberry)
  • Country of origin : United States
  • Makes 60 to 70 cotton candy cones from each carton
  • 3.25Lbs of each flavor
  • Great for Carnivals, Fairs , Fundraisers, and birthday parties

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