Maybe you just want to find a healthy alternative to sugar. Whatever questions you have about the sweet stuff, we’ve got everything you need to know right here in our ultimate guide to sugar substitutions.
Brown sugar substitute
Brown sugar is refined white sugar with different amounts of those byproducts – molasses – added back into the sugar which changes the taste, texture and moisture content of the sugar. You can substitute it, but there are a few things you should know first.
What is brown sugar made of?
Brown sugar isn’t all that different from white sugar. In fact, it’s just a mixture of white sugar and molasses.
Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?
Yes! The best substitute for brown sugar is white sugar. You can swap white sugar for brown sugar at a 1:1 ratio in recipes without any major differences to the end result – you might just find biscuits and cakes turn out a little crispier and lighter.
How do you make brown sugar?
It’s really easy to make brown sugar substitute at home. Place 225g (1 cup) white sugar and 2 tsp molasses in a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the molasses into the sugar until well combined. Store in an airtight container.
How to make brown sugar without molasses
If you don’t have molasses, maple syrup or golden syrup are good alternatives for making brown sugar. Place 225g (1 cup) white sugar and 2 tsp maple syrup or golden syrup in a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the syrup into the sugar until well combined. Store in an airtight container.
Is brown sugar raw sugar?
Brown sugar is not raw sugar. Both are made from the same plant (sugar cane), but brown sugar is refined white sugar mixed with molasses, and raw sugar is a less refined version of white sugar.
It might seem confusing, but here’s a simple explanation: raw sugar, also known as turbinado sugar, is less refined than white sugar, but both come from the same plant (sugar cane) and are produced at different stages of the same process. In the final stages of refining white sugar, the moisture, minerals and colour (which are what differentiates raw sugar from white sugar) are removed. These byproducts are what we know as molasses.
Brown sugar is refined white sugar with different amounts of those byproducts – molasses – added back into the sugar which changes the taste, texture and moisture content of the sugar.
Caster sugar substitute
Caster sugar is a kind of white sugar with finer grains. It’s often found in recipes for delicate baked foods such as souffles, sponge cakes and meringues. Because it dissolves quickly, it’s often used in drink recipes too.
The best substitute for caster sugar is white sugar. If substituting caster sugar for white sugar when making a cake or biscuits, just beat the butter and sugar a little longer than the recipe calls for. When making meringue with white sugar, add the sugar slowly as it will take longer to melt into the egg white than caster sugar.
Alternatively, make your own caster sugar at home. It’s easy: just pour white sugar into a food processor and pulse, stirring and wiping down the sides of the processor occasionally with a spatula, until finely processed.
Palm sugar substitute
Palm sugar is a minimally refined sugar made from the sap of palm trees (such as date and coconut palms). The collected sap is boiled down, cooled and allowed to crystalise: this is what we know as palm sugar. It’s not as sweet as cane sugar and has a stronger caramel and molasses flavour.
You can substitute palm sugar with brown sugar, just reduce the quantity of brown sugar slightly as it is considerably sweeter than palm sugar.
Another substitute for palm sugar is maple syrup. The rule of thumb for this substitution is to swap every 100g of palm sugar in a recipe for 5 tbs maple syrup – just remember that maple syrup is a liquid so you will need to adjust the wet ingredients in your recipe accordingly.
Coconut sugar, made from the sap of coconut palms, is similar to palm sugar and can be used as 1:1 substitute. Date sugar is another great alternative to palm sugar it has the same caramel flavours.
Sugar substitutes
If you want to cut down on sugar or swap out refined sugar for something more natural, there are plenty of alternatives to explore. Let’s look at five commonly available sugar substitutes.
Honey
Honey is a great substitute for sugar. It will have little-to-no impact on the flavour of your cooking and baking and is affordable and widely available. As a bonus, there are several health benefits associated with honey, especially raw honey.
Because honey is slightly sweeter than sugar, you will need to adjust quantities slightly. For every 1 cup of sugar a recipe calls for, add 3/4 cup of honey instead. Also, as honey is a liquid, you will need to reduce the other liquids in your recipe when using it in place of sugar.
Agave
This plant-derived sweetener is made from the pith of the agave plant, which is native to Mexico. Although it contains the same amount of calories as sugar, it is 1.5 times sweeter than sugar and has none of the bitter aftertastes of other sugar substitutes.
To substitute agave for sugar, use 2/3 cup of agave for every 1 cup sugar, and reduce other liquid in your recipe by 1/4 to 1/3 cup.
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is the boiled sap of the sugar maple tree. Most of the world’s maple syrup comes from Canada, where the sap of the sugar maple tree is collected in late winter and early spring. The tree is drilled, or “tapped”, and a spout inserted to drain the sap into a bucket. The sap is then boiled, leaving a thick, sweet syrup.
Maple syrup has an earthy, sweet flavour and is an excellent source of calcium and potassium. While maple syrup has a 60 per cent sugar content, it still contains fewer calories and a higher concentration of minerals than honey.
For every 1 cup of sugar a recipe calls for, add 3/4 cup of maple syrup. Also, as maple syrup is a liquid, you will need to reduce the other liquids in your recipe when using it in place of sugar.
Stevia
This plant-derived sweetener is one of the most popular sweeteners. Made from the Stevia rebaudiuna herb, which is native to Central America, it has no calories or carbohydrates and is 250-300 times sweeter than sugar.
Approved for use in Australia since 2008, it comes in a powder that can be used in drinks and cooking. However, we recommend you use Stevia with a light hand as a single teaspoon is equal to the sweetness of a whole cup of sugar.
Monk fruit sweetener
Monk fruit has been grown in China for over 1000 years. It’s a melon-like fruit from the gourd family that is naturally very sweet – almost 300 times sweeter than cane sugar! Monk fruit extract, called mogroside, mimics the sweet taste of sugar but contains 93% fewer calories and does not affect blood sugar levels. It can be enjoyed by those who follow a keto, vegan or gluten-free diet.
Monk fruit sweetener, such as Lakanto, can be used as a 1:1 substitute for sugar.
Coconut sugar substitute
Coconut sugar is the crystallised nectar of the coconut palm tree blossom, made by boiling the flower’s sap until it thickens and solidifies. It has a taste similar to brown sugar with hints of caramel.
While coconut sugar and palm sugar are not the same thing, they do both come from palm plants, and coconut sugar is a form of palm sugar. For this reason, palm sugar is the best substitute for coconut sugar in terms of taste, and can be used as 1:1 substitute.
In a pinch, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and white sugar can also be used as 1:1 substitutes for coconut sugar. However, as these sugars are sweeter than coconut sugar, you may want to decrease the quantities slightly.
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