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    Home | Food Facts | Food Substitutes

    Stop Searching - Here are the 12 Best Brown Sugar Substitutes

    Published: Feb 27, 2023 by Elle · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Brown sugar is one of the most versatile baking ingredients out there. From cookies to cakes, it adds a delicious sweetness that can’t be replicated by any other ingredient. But sometimes, you need a brown sugar substitute in your recipes – and that’s where these 12 brown sugar substitutes come in! Read on for all the details about why these are the best brown sugar substitutes.

    Brown Sugar Substitute
    Jump to:
    • What is Brown Sugar?
    • Uses for Brown Sugar
    • List of 12 Best Brown Sugar Substitutes
    • 1. DIY Brown Sugar
    • 2. Coconut sugar
    • 3. Date sugar
    • 4. Demerara sugar
    • 5. Sucanat (unrefined cane sugar)
    • 6. Turbinado sugar
    • 7. Muscovado sugar
    • 8. Palm Sugar
    • 9. Jaggery
    • 10. Honey, Agave nectar, or Maple syrup
    • 11. Blackstrap molasses
    • 12. Brown Rice Syrup or Barley
    • People Also Ask [FAQs]
    • Wrap Up: Brown Sugar Substitute
    • Recipe

    What is Brown Sugar?

    Brown sugar is made from white sugar that has been combined with molasses. It comes in both light and dark varieties; the darker the sugar, the more intense the flavor.

    Light brown sugar has a mild molasses flavor and a pale golden color, while dark brown sugar has an intense molasses flavor and a deep caramel color.

    Both types are perfect for baking as they add moisture and can help enhance flavors in cakes, cookies, pies, and muffins—you name it!

    Uses for Brown Sugar

    Brown sugars have many uses beyond baking! They add sweetness to oatmeal or yogurt bowls, give pancakes a boost of flavor, or can even be sprinkled on top of French toast before serving.

    You can also use them to sweeten your morning coffee or tea by adding it directly into your mug or using it as an alternative sweetener for recipes like lattes or chai teas.

    And because it adds such great moisture content to baked goods, you can use it for anything from banana bread to cookies to scones!

    List of 12 Best Brown Sugar Substitutes

    Running out of brown sugar can be a real bummer when you’re in the middle of baking something delicious. Don’t worry though—there’s an easy solution!

    Brown Sugar Substitutes

    1. DIY Brown Sugar

    Make your own brown sugar by combining white granulated sugar with molasses to make your own homemade version of brown sugar.

    1. To make light brown sugar, mix 1 cup (200g) of white granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of molasses.
    2. To make dark brown sugar mix 1 cup (200g) of white granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons (30ml)of molasses. Easy peasy!  

    2. Coconut sugar

    Coconut sugar is made by boiling down the sap extracted from the flower buds of coconut palms. The boiled-down liquid slowly crystallizes into granules that resemble light brown sugar.

    It has an earthy flavor and a subtle hint of molasses. It’s perfect for baking cakes, cookies, muffins, and other desserts. For best results, use it in combination with honey or maple syrup when replacing brown sugar in recipes. 

    Try Coconut sugar as a Substitute for Brown Sugar

    3. Date sugar

    Date sugar is simply dried dates that have been ground into a fine powder. It has a rich caramel flavor that pairs well with oatmeal cookies and banana bread.

    Date sugar can be used as an exact replacement for brown sugar in most recipes without any alterations needed. Its coarse texture makes it difficult to dissolve in cold beverages though—so it’s best used as an additive to baked goods instead of cold drinks like smoothies or shakes. 

    Try Date sugar as a Substitute for Brown Sugar

    4. Demerara sugar

    Demerara Sugar is made from evaporated cane juice that has been lightly filtered and pressed into crystals before being dried out completely.

    It’s got large grains with golden-brown color and a mild molasses flavor that adds just the right amount of sweetness to oatmeal or muesli bowls. Demerara works especially well when sprinkled on top of cakes as decoration since its crunchy texture adds contrast to the softness of cakes and other desserts alike!

    5. Sucanat (unrefined cane sugar)

    Sucanat is created by pressing freshly harvested cane juice until it forms large granules with golden-brown coloration and a full-bodied flavor profile.

    Since this type of sugar isn’t refined like regular white sugars are, its taste remains much closer to the natural flavor of raw cane juice than other types of sweeteners do—making it ideal for baking pies or cobblers where you want more pronounced flavors than what conventional white sugars offer! 

    Try Sucanat as an alternative to Brown Sugar

    6. Turbinado sugar

    Turbinado is a type of raw cane sugar that comes from freshly-harvested cane plants. It is minimally processed and lightly refined which gives it a unique flavor and texture that you won’t get from regular granulated sugars.

    It is slightly coarser than standard white sugars and has a light golden hue with hints of molasses flavor. Turbinado is an excellent substitute for brown sugar because of its similar texture and sweet flavor. When using it as a substitute for brown sugar, use twice or one and a half times as much turbinado as you would normally use brown sugar to get the same level of sweetness.  

    Try Turbinado sugar as an alternative to Brown Sugar

    7. Muscovado sugar

    Muscovado is another type of raw cane sugar that has been minimally processed but has more molasses than turbinado or other types of raw cane sugars.

    The result is a deep golden color with intense molasses flavors that make this an excellent choice for baking with strong flavor profiles like chocolate or gingerbread.

    It also has some interesting health benefits since it contains minerals like potassium and magnesium which are beneficial for general health maintenance.

    To replace brown sugar with muscovado sugar, use the same amount when substituting muscovado for granulated white sugar or half the amount when using it as a dark brown sugar substitute

    Try Muscovado sugar as a replacement for Brown Sugar

    8. Palm Sugar

    Palm sugar comes from the sap of certain palm trees species such as Toddy palms or Palmyra palms in India and Southeast Asia. This sap is boiled until it crystallizes into small grains which are then dried into what we know as palm sugar granules (or flakes).

    Palm sugars have a unique flavor profile with caramel notes combined with mild floral notes which makes them perfect substitutes for light or dark brown sugars in baking recipes like cakes or breads where they can really shine through!

    To substitute palm sugars in place of regular white sugars, use twice as much while to substitute them in place of light/dark brown sugars use half as much (as per recommendations above).  

    Try Palm Sugar as a replacement for Brown Sugar

    9. Jaggery

    Jaggery is another type of unrefined cane sugar made from boiling down sap from various species of palm trees until crystals form (similar to palm sugar).

    The difference between jaggery and other types of unrefined cane sugars lies in its production process – jaggery does not require any additional refining steps so its flavor is more robust than other types of unrefined cane sugars due to its higher content of minerals like iron, calcium, and zinc along with vitamins B1 & B2 present naturally in its raw form!

    Jaggery works well as an alternative to both light/dark brown sugars when used at half the amount recommended by recipe instructions (again according to instructions above).  

    Consider using Jaggery as a substitute to Brown Sugar

    10. Honey, Agave nectar, or Maple syrup

    These three sweeteners are all great alternatives to use in place of brown sugar. All three are naturally occurring sugars, so they add flavor as well as sweetness.

    They also lend moisture to baked goods like cakes, cookies, and muffins. When substituting these for brown sugar in recipes, make sure to reduce the other liquid ingredients by ¼ cup for every 1 cup of honey/agave/maple syrup used. 

    11. Blackstrap molasses

    This dark syrup is made during the process of refining sugarcane into table sugar and adds a unique depth of flavor to recipes. Blackstrap molasses adds color and richness which can make desserts like gingerbread stand out from the rest.

    It’s best used in small amounts when substituted for brown sugar since it has such a strong flavor and can easily overpower other ingredients if not used carefully.

    To substitute blackstrap molasses for brown sugar in recipes, replace each 1 cup of light or dark brown sugar with ¾ cup blackstrap molasses and reduce the liquid ingredients by 3 tablespoons per ¾ cup of blackstrap molasses used. 

    12. Brown Rice Syrup or Barley

    Both of these products have complex flavors that pair perfectly with fruit-based recipes like streusels, pies, crumbles, cobblers, and jams.

    Brown rice syrup has more nutritional value than many other sweeteners because it contains minerals like manganese and zinc while barley syrup adds a mild maltiness to desserts like blondies and oatmeal bars.

    To substitute either one for brown sugar in recipes, replace each 1 cup of light or dark brown sugar with 1¼ cups barley or rice syrup and reduce other liquids by 3 tablespoons per 1¼ cups barley/rice syrup used.

    Consider using Brown Rice Syrup as a replacement for Brown Sugar

    People Also Ask [FAQs]

    How To Store Brown Sugar?

    To ensure the highest quality, brown sugar should be stored in a cool, moist environment in a rustproof container with a tight-fitting lid or re-sealable, moisture-proof plastic bag and consumed within six months of purchase and opening.

    Does Brown Sugar Go Bad?

    Brown sugar does not expire, but it should be stored properly to ensure its longevity. If there is bug contamination, bad smells, or mold growing on the brown sugar, it should not be consumed.

    Is Brown Sugar Healthier Than White Sugar?

    Brown sugar is not necessarily healthier than white sugar, as they are nutritionally similar.

    Wrap Up: Brown Sugar Substitute

    • When it comes to substituting brown sugar in recipes, there are many options available.
    • Whether you choose white sugars, jaggery, honey or agave nectar, maple syrup blackstrap molasses, or barley and rice syrups – each can provide a unique flavor profile to your dishes.
    • However, make sure that when using any of these alternatives for brown sugar the liquid ingredients should be reduced accordingly as per the instructions given above.
    • Additionally, store brown sugar properly if looking to preserve its quality over time, and avoid consuming it if bug contamination is present on the product surface.
    • Finally, remember that nutritionally speaking both white and brown sugars have similar properties so neither one provides health benefits over the other.

    Recipe

    How to Make Brown Sugar

    How to Make Brown Sugar

    Elle
    Making homemade brown sugar is surprisingly easy. All you need is some white granulated sugar and molasses.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 2 mins
    Course How To, Substitutes
    Cuisine Caribbean
    Servings 1 Jar
    Calories 828 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Light Brown Sugar:

    • 1 cup white granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon molasses

    Dark Brown Sugar:

    • 1 cup white granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons molasses

    Instructions
     

    • Starting off, mix the two ingredients together in a bowl.
    • Once they're thoroughly combined, transfer them to an air-tight container to keep it fresh.

    Notes

    • If you like your brown sugars on the drier side, I recommend cutting down the amount of molasses by a teaspoon or so when making both light and dark-colored sugars for future use!
    • For a more robust flavor, consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the brown sugar blend. This will add an extra layer of depth and complexity to your homemade brown sugar.
    • Additionally, try using demerara or turbinado sugar instead of white granulated sugar for a slightly different taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 828kcalCarbohydrates: 214gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 9mgPotassium: 296mgSugar: 215gCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Homemade brown sugar, How to Make Brown Sugar
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Elle Author (Spice and Life)

    Thank you for being here. If you are having a look around, it is most probably because you too love cooking with herbs and spices and are looking for your next recipe, tip, or trick.

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