Confectionery vs. Pastry — What's the Difference?

Confectionery is the art of making confections, which are food items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Exact definitions are difficult.

Pastry is a dough of flour, water and shortening (solid fats, including butter or lard) that may be savoury or sweetened. Sweetened pastries are often described as bakers' confectionery.

Sweets and chocolates considered collectively

Dough or paste consisting primarily of shortening or another fatty substance mixed with flour and water, often baked and used as a crust for sweet foods such as pies and tarts.

Candies and other confections considered as a group.

Baked sweet foods made with pastry

The skill or occupation of a confectioner.

One of these baked foods.

A confectioner's shop.

(Informal) A sweet baked good.

(uncountable) Foodstuffs that taste very sweet, taken as a group; candies, sweetmeats and confections collectively.

(countable) A baked food item made from flour and fat pastes such as pie crust; also tarts, bear claws, napoleons, puff pastries, etc.

(uncountable) The business or occupation of manufacturing confectionery; the skill or work of a confectioner.

(uncountable) The food group formed by the various kinds of pastries.

A store where confectionery is sold; a confectioner's shop.

(uncountable) The type of light flour-based dough used in pastries.

Sweetmeats, in general; things prepared and sold by a confectioner; confections; candies.

A place where pastry is made.

A place where candies, sweetmeats, and similar things are made or sold.

(uncountable) The act or art of making pastry.

A food rich in sugar

Desserts of all kinds, whether or not these incorporate the baked item made from flour and fat, or that section of a kitchen that prepares these.

A confectioner's shop

The place where pastry is made.

Articles of food made of paste, or having a crust made of paste, as pies, tarts, etc.

A dough of flour and water and shortening

Any of various baked foods made of dough or batter