We've been there. You're frantically baking away—whisking egg yolks and butter, sifting flour, measuring butter—when you go to the pantry to pull out the brown sugar, and you're out. Show
How on earth are you going to make those perfect chocolate chip cookies without the brown sugar? Well, don't panic. We have a few substitutions that will likely do the trick in replacing it. (Oh, and if your sugar's gone hard, try these hacks!) Brown sugar is just white sugar without the molasses extracted out. That's what gives it the moist, sandy texture and brown color with the deep, nutty flavor. So
to replace brown sugar, you're going to need some of the same sweetness and nuttiness. Granulated Sugar + MolassesIf you have molasses, just make some homemade brown sugar by mixing one cup of white sugar with one to two tablespoons of molasses, depending on how light or dark you'd like your brown sugar to be. Granulated Sugar + Maple SyrupSame idea here, but with a product you are more likely to have on hand. You can make your own version of brown sugar by adding maple syrup to white sugar and basically get the same effect as the molasses. Use the same ratios: one cup white sugar to one to two tablespoons of maple syrup. Coconut SugarThis type of sugar is made from coconut palm and can be swapped in for brown sugar using a one-to-one ratio. It should give the same sweetness and color. Honey, Maple Syrup, or Agave NectarIf you're making a sauce or a glaze, using these liquid sweeteners as a replacement should work just fine. When throwing them into a baked good, account for the extra liquid by using a ratio of 3/4 cup liquid sweetener to one cup brown sugar. Granulated SugarJust using regular white sugar should still work in almost any recipe that calls for brown sugar. But be aware that whatever you are making will come out a little drier—perfect for fans of crispy cookies! Maple Sugar, Palm Sugar, Date Sugar, or Muscovado SugarThese aren't super common pantry staples, but if you happen to have any of the above fancy sugars on hand, they can be used to replace brown sugar in a one-to-one ratio. Felicia LaLomia is the Food & Culture Editor for Delish. When she isn’t covering food news or writing features about delicious trends in the culinary world, she’s searching for her next perfect bite. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. When you need the best brown sugar substitute to make an amazing recipe, check out this complete list of great brown sugar alternatives! Everything you need to know about which substitute to choose for specific types of foods, and how to use them! Amazingly tasty brown sugar is a common cooking and baking ingredient that is easy to use substitutes for!Bake without missing a beat when you have these handy brown sugar substitutes! When you're getting ready to cook or bake and start out with gathering your ingredients, you can confidently move forward even when missing brown sugar! All you need is just one of the many alternatives shared here to get amazing results!
What is brown sugar?Brown sugar is a brown sucrose sugar product. The sugar is either refined or unrefined, and the sugar crystals are brown in color. This is either due to some residual molasses if it is natural brown sugar, or molasses added to refined white sugar, if it is commercial brown sugar. Brown sugar is a commonly used ingredient in both cooking and baking. Light Brown Sugar vs. Dark Brown SugarThe difference between light brown sugar and dark brown sugar comes down to the amount of molasses that the ingredient contains. Based on volume, commercial light brown sugar contains around 3.5% molasses and dark brown sugar contains up to 6.5% molasses. Based on weight, regular commercial brown sugar contains up to 10% molasses. It is considered soft, as it is naturally moist from the molasses. So, it is no surprise that you will notice one is lighter in color, while the other is darker in color. Dark brown sugar does have a slightly richer flavor, similar to caramel or toffee. Can you use light brown sugar and dark brown sugar interchangeably?For the most part, yes. While dark brown sugar has more moisture, it is such a small difference that you would unlikely ever notice the difference and there is no need to alter any of the other ingredient measurements. However, you will notice a slight difference in color, taste, and texture. The color will either be lighter or darker, have a deeper toffee flavor or less of that rich flavor, and might either rise slightly more or slightly less, depending on which you use in place of the other. How is brown sugar different from raw sugar, cane sugar, muscovado, and turbinado sugar?Raw sugar is made by refining sugar cane. It is an added sugar, not a natural sugar, and in the U.S., is mostly produced in Florida. Raw sugar is less refined, therefore containing more of the natural molasses that is present in sugar cane and is light brown in color. Cane sugar is the sugar made from sugar cane. The molecules that make up sugar cane are identical to the molecular makeup of white granulated sugar, so they are essentially the same product. However, white granulated sugar can be made from either sugar cane or sugar beets. Cane sugar is lighter in color than brown sugar and isn’t moist like brown sugar, but both come from the sugar cane plant. Muscovado is another sugar that is brown in color but is different from standard “brown sugar.” It is the most unrefined cane sugar, contains its natural molasses, and is rich, moist (moister than brown sugar), sticky, coarse, has a toffee-like flavor. It even contains some minerals and antioxidants. It is considered to be more artisanal due to the more laborious process of making it. Turbinado sugar is also made from cane sugar, is light brown in color, and has larger crystals. It’s actually the same thing as raw sugar, and gets its name from minimal processing, in which much of the natural molasses remains in the product. So, the difference between brown sugar and many other sugars is the process that it goes through, which determines color, taste, granule size, moisture levels, and ultimately, your final product! 12 Best Substitutes for Light Brown Sugar and Dark Brown Sugar1. Make Your OwnMake your own! Brown sugar is just white sugar that still has molasses in it. Even if you don’t have molasses, you can still make your own brown sugar using maple syrup, agave, or honey. Who knew it was that easy?! ***(See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for how to make your own dark or light brown sugar.) 2. White SugarUse the same amount of white sugar than the recipe calls for and you will still have a delicious outcome. The only difference you might notice is a crisper cookie or baked good, as white sugar has less moisture than its brown counterpart. 3. Muscovado SugarMuscovado is brown in color and has a higher molasses content, so you can replace light brown sugar with a 1:1 ratio. It also comes in a light and dark version, but it is still a bit more flavorful than brown sugar. 4. JaggeryJaggery is common in many South Asian cuisines and often found in a hard, block-like form. It works well with savory recipes, as it has an earthy flavor, and can be used as a substitute with a 1:1 ratio for both light and dark brown sugar. 5. Coconut SugarCoconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm and is very similar in flavor to brown sugar. Substitute with a 1:1 ratio in your recipes. 6. Turbinado SugarTurbinado can be used in place of brown sugar, although it is typically mild, has large granules, and is light in color. It is best used as finishing sugar, adding crunch and sparkle to the texture, as it is hard to mix into many recipes. Still, you can use a 1:1 ratio if you are in a pinch! 7. Raw SugarRaw sugar, although brown in color, is more like white sugar than brown sugar. It contains very little molasses, so if you are replacing brown sugar with raw sugar, add extra liquid to make up for the missing moisture. 8. MolassesSince brown sugar gets its claim to fame from it’s molasses content, it would be shameful to leave it out of the substitution list. Substitute using a 1:1 ratio, but be mindful that molasses is a liquid, so you will want to either reduce liquids elsewhere in the recipe or slightly increase dry ingredients. 9. Date Sugar or Date PasteMade from grated dehydrated dates, date sugar is a natural sweetener than is highly esteemed as a healthier alternative to processed sugar. Use equal parts. 10. Palm SugarPalm Sugar (or sometimes referred to as palm date sugar) comes in hard cones or blocks. It requires being shaved or chopped before using but is a natural sweetener that can be used in place of brown sugar. 11. Maple Syrup, Honey, AgaveThese liquid sweeteners will add great flavor but are best used in non-baked recipes, like sauces and glazes, as they are completely liquid, and brown sugar is solid. If you opt for these liquids, use about 75% of what the recipe calls for, and reduce other liquids in the instructions. That means if the recipe calls for 1 cup of brown sugar, use just ¾ of a cup liquid sweetener. 12. ApplesauceNot exactly similar to brown sugar, applesauce can be used in a pinch as a sweetener in baked goods. Applesauce is especially suited for use in banana bread, cakes, or similar baked goods. Substitutes for OatmealMaple syrup is a great substitute for brown sugar when making oatmeal because of its liquid texture and rich flavor. The amount you should use depends on how sweet you want the oatmeal to be. Start small and taste test until you get the desired outcome. In case you don’t have brown sugar, you can use white sugar, using a 1:1 ratio. If you want to sweeten your oatmeal naturally, without adding sugar, try using fruit (bananas, berries, mango, stone fruit, applesauce), dates or coconut, butters (nut or seed), nectars (agave, coconut), syrups (maple, date, sorghum, barley malt, yacon), spices (cinnamon, nutmeg), extracts (vanilla, peppermint, almond), milk (almond, soy, cows), or sweeteners like stevia, xylitol, or erythritol. Really, the options are endless! Substitutes for MeatloafBrown sugar is often used for meatloaf glazes. In the event that you don’t have brown sugar, you can still make a delicious meatloaf by substituting white sugar in its place, using the same amount. It may change the texture and flavor, but only slightly. If you have molasses on hand, you can always add molasses to the white sugar (or combine directly with ketchup or bbq sauce). Follow the recipe below! Substitutes for Cinnamon RollsAgain, white sugar is a perfectly acceptable alternative to brown sugar when making cinnamon rolls. If you use white sugar, you will have light, golden, fluffy cinnamon rolls that are still sweet. The final taste might be less sweet, which some people prefer. ❓ FAQWhat does brown sugar do in cookies? Brown sugar is often used in cookies. Due to the high moisture content from the retained molasses,
the cookies will be chewier, moister, and since it is acidic and activates the baking soda, they will be puffier. Which is more expensive, white sugar or brown sugar? Typically, brown sugar is more expensive than white sugar. This is either because of
how it’s processed or where it’s sourced from. Brown sugar is processed with molasses, which used to be less expensive than refined sugar, but has become almost double the price.
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. 📋 RecipeBest Brown Sugar Substitute: Homemade Brown Sugar (+ More!)When you need the best brown sugar substitute to make an amazing recipe, check out this complete list of great brown sugar alternatives! Everything you need to know about which substitute to choose for specific types of foods, and how to use them! Servings: 1 cup serving Calories: 832kcal Prep 5 minutes Cooking 0 minutes Total Time 5 minutes Pin Recipe Light Brown Sugar
Dark Brown Sugar
If you want to make brown sugar with jaggery instead of molasses, you can boil jaggery and water to make a sweet syrup-like product, trying 1 cup of jaggery with ¼ cup water. This liquid technically could be rubbed with white sugar, as described above, to make
brown sugar. Calories: 832kcal (42%) | Carbohydrates: 215g (72%) | Fat: 1g (2%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 297mg (8%) | Sugar: 215g (239%) | Calcium: 43mg (4%) | Iron: 1mg (6%) Brown Sugar Substitute, Homemade Brown Sugar, how to make brown sugar Course Substitutions Cuisine American Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love! What sugar can I use instead of light brown sugar?Plain white sugar. When all else fails, you can replace brown sugar with an even measurement of granulated white sugar without fear of ruining your recipe. White sugar lacks the same rich flavor that brown sugar adds, but depending on the type of recipe, you may not notice much flavor change at all.
Can I use regular brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?The good news is that light and dark brown sugar are interchangeable: You're not going to ruin your cookies, your crumble, or your banana bread by swapping one for the other.
Is there a substitute for brown sugar in a recipe?Thankfully, when it comes to recipes that rely on the flavor and texture of brown sugar, there's a simple substitute that you can make. All you'll need is some granulated sugar and molasses.
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