Brown Sugar Substitutes – When planning to cook, it’s not uncommon to experience confusion when the required ingredients turn out to be lacking.
This situation becomes even more challenging when the ingredient is hard to find, as is the case with brown sugar.
So, in this article, dimulti will discuss the 7 brown sugar substitutes along with the tips you’ll need to still make delicious dishes even without brown sugar, so you don’t have to worry when ingredients are scarce.
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Table of Contents
Brown Sugar Substitutes
1. White Sugar and Molasses
The combination of white sugar and molasses is the best choice for a brown sugar substitute, as this is what brown sugar is made from.
To make it, simply mix 1 cup (200 gr) of white granulated sugar with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of molasses. If you want a darker sugar color, add 2 tbsp (30 ml) molasses instead.
Also Read: “Palm Sugar vs Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?“
2. White Sugar and Maple Syrup
If you’re short on molasses, you can substitute it with maple syrup.
To make it is also quite simple: mix 1 cup (200 grams) of white granulated sugar with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of pure maple syrup.
This combination will give you a similar sweetness to brown sugar, although with slightly different flavor nuances.
3. Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut tree. It is often sold as a healthy sugar alternative, as it contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber not found in other sugars.
Brown sugar can be substituted for coconut sugar in a 1:1 ratio. While coconut sugar looks similar in taste and color to brown sugar, it is not moisture resistant.
This can affect the outcome of the baking product. The cake will be a little dry and denser.
But don’t worry, you can work around this by adding a little more fat, such as butter or oil to the original recipe. You can also melt the coconut sugar first before incorporating it into the batter.
4. Honey, Maple Syrup or Agave
You can easily substitute brown sugar with honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar in your recipes. To make this substitution, simply replace 1 cup (200 g) of brown sugar with 2/3 cup (160 ml) of your chosen liquid sweetener.
However, it’s important to adjust the other liquid ingredients in the recipe by reducing them by about ¼ cup (60 ml) for every 2/3 cup (160 ml) of sweetener used.
Additionally, keep in mind that honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar caramelize faster than brown sugar, so you may need to reduce the cooking time, especially for baked goods like cakes.
By making these adjustments, you can ensure that your dish maintains its intended texture and flavor while using these natural sweeteners.
5. Raw Sugar
Raw sugar, such as turbinado or demerara, is an excellent substitute for brown sugar. With its natural light amber color and light caramel flavor, raw sugar offers a fairly close resemblance to brown sugar.
You can replace brown sugar with raw sugar according to the measurements listed in the recipe.
However, keep in mind that raw sugar has a coarser texture, which can affect the final outcome of the recipes you’re about to make.
To overcome this difference in texture, you can manually grind the raw sugar to make it smoother.
Another alternative is to first dissolve the raw sugar in a liquid ingredient, such as water, melted butter or oil, before mixing it into the batter.
This way, you can ensure that the raw sugar is well incorporated and does not interfere with the consistency of your final recipes.
Also Read: “Which One is Healthier, Brown Sugar or White Sugar?“
6. Muscovado Sugar
The next on our list of 7 brown sugar substitutes is muscovado sugar. Muscovado sugar is a good substitute for brown sugar as both contain molasses.
However, the molasses and water content in muscovado sugar is higher, which makes it stickier and prone to clumping.
You can use muscovado sugar in the same amount as the brown sugar required in the recipe.
Before processing, it’s best to sift the muscovado sugar first. This process will help break up the lumps and ensure that the sugar can be incorporated more easily in the dough.
With these simple steps, you can utilize muscovado sugar without compromising the quality and texture of your dish.
7. Regular White Sugar
Last but definitely not least is regular white sugar. You can replace brown sugar with regular white sugar.
The flavor produced by white sugar will be generally the same as brown sugar, but the texture of the cookies may be slightly different.
Brown sugar will produce softer cookies, while adding regular white sugar to the batter will make the cookies harder.
So there you have it! The 7 brown sugar substitutes that we’ve summarized just for you!
