The best substitute for brown sugar is homemade brown sugar, made by mixing 1 cup of white granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon (for light) or 2 tablespoons (for dark) of molasses, but maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar also work well, while white sugar is a simple 1:1 swap if flavor isn't critical. Your choice depends on whether you need that rich, caramel flavor and moisture, with the DIY option providing the closest match.
You can substitute brown sugar by making your own with white sugar and molasses (1 tbsp for light, 2 tbsp for dark per cup), or use maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, or even muscovado sugar for similar flavor and moisture, though ratios might need adjustment. White sugar works but makes baked goods crisper and milder in flavor.
REDUCED-CALORIES & LESS-SUGAR
What are Brown Sugar Blends? Brown Sugar Blends let you cut sugar and calories while still getting the familiar taste, texture, and browning properties of regular brown sugar. Depending on the brand, they contain 50–75% fewer calories than traditional brown sugar.
Turbinado, Muscovado, or Demerara Sugar
Use these sugars as a one-to-one substitute for brown sugar. Of all the three, muscovado is the closest to brown sugar because it contains a similar amount of molasses, and therefore, moisture.
Brown Sugar Substitute: Muscovado Sugar
Look for light muscovado to get a flavor that's as close to brown sugar as possible.
To make DIY light brown sugar, measure out one cup of granulated sugar and one tablespoon of molasses. Just stir them together thoroughly before adding to your recipe.
Using White Sugar Instead of Brown Sugar: If swapping white sugar for brown, your baked goods will be drier and crisper, with a lighter flavor. You may want to add a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup to mimic some of the moisture from the molasses.
🙌🍯✨ For every cup of brown sugar you need, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar, or add 2 tablespoons molasses for dark bown sugar. Add directly to your recipe or blend it well, and voila!
Truvia For Baking Brown is a low-calorie sweetener with a hint of molasses to provide a warm brown sugar-like taste. Use it in oatmeal, cookies or wherever you use brown sugar.
Some brown sugar side effects include: May increase tooth decay risk: Oral bacteria convert sugar into acids that damage tooth enamel and promote cavities2,15. May contribute to weight gain: Sugary foods add extra calories and do not promote fullness, increasing the likelihood of overeating2.
The healthiest sugar alternatives are whole foods like fresh/frozen fruit (bananas, berries) and fruit purees (unsweetened applesauce) for natural sweetness with nutrients, while Stevia and Monk Fruit extract are excellent zero-calorie choices for blood sugar control. Other options include honey/maple syrup (use sparingly due to calories) or sugar alcohols like xylitol/erythritol, but always check labels and prioritize reducing overall sweetness, notes Johns Hopkins Medicine and Calo Blog.
Cooking with honey is easy! Honey can be used in place of refined sugar (including granulated sugar, brown sugar and even corn syrup) in almost any recipe. Follow these four tips so you know just how much honey to use. Click here to download a copy of our Cooking with Honey Kitchen Cheat Sheet.
🍯🧡🍯 Believe me, it's better than store -bought, and it's fresh and homemade. Just mix 1 cup of white sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses—that's it. If your molasses is dark, you will get darker brown sugar.
For every cup of brown sugar called for in your recipe, substitute 1 cup (198g) white granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons (14g) molasses for light brown sugar; or 1 cup (198g) white granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon (21g) molasses for dark brown sugar.
White Granulated Sugar and Honey, Agave, or Maple Syrup
Combining white sugar with molasses may be a better brown sugar substitute, but if you don't have molasses, other liquid sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar will work as well.
A lot of people like to try to use maple syrup in place of molasses. Maple syrup, however, doesn't really work in the same was as it is thinner and has a more subtle taste. You can, however, replace it with 100% pure maple syrup. The best ratio is ⅔ cup of maple syrup for every 1 cup of brown sugar.
You can substitute brown sugar by making your own with white sugar and molasses (1 tbsp for light, 2 tbsp for dark per cup), or use maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, or even muscovado sugar for similar flavor and moisture, though ratios might need adjustment. White sugar works but makes baked goods crisper and milder in flavor.
While brown sugar contains slightly more vitamins and minerals than white sugar, it still offers less nutritional value than pure maple syrup. Maple syrup has fewer calories and considerably more calcium, riboflavin and manganese than brown sugar.
Q: Can I replace caster sugar with brown sugar? A: Yes, you can absolutely switch white caster sugar for brown sugar in recipes. Brown sugar has a slightly finer crystal texture and contains molasses which adds both alovely caramel flavour and added moisture to your recipes.
In most baking recipes, you can substitute brown sugar for white sugar in a one-to-one ratio. So, if your recipe calls for one cup of white sugar, swap one cup of brown sugar.
Brown and Light Brown Sugar: Brown and light brown sugar may be the simplest substitute for granulated sugar. You can use either one as a 1:1 replacement resulting in darker, denser baked goods with more of a caramel or molasses flavor.
The cookies made with 100% brown sugar would be weirdly porous and take a while to crisp, but they'd be extra malty and delicious. The version made with 100% white sugar may not be as light, but they'd be particularly crisp and spicy, as the ginger would remain untamed by molasses.