Brown sugar substitute

For 1 cup of light brown sugar, use 1 cup white sugar plus 2 teaspoons molasses. For dark brown sugar, use 1 cup white sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses.

7 options, scored for what you are making · Checked

Out of brown sugar mid-recipe?

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What are you making?

  1. White sugar + molasses (light brown)

    Great fit

    1 cup granulated white sugar and 2 tsp molasses

    For this dish: Matches the moisture and mild caramel flavor that keep cookies chewy.

    How: Add the sugar and molasses straight to the recipe, or stir them together first. Use light (mild) molasses.

    What changes: Very close to store-bought light brown sugar. Other sources use up to 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup for light brown, which gives a deeper flavor.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  2. White sugar + molasses (dark brown)

    Great fit

    1 cup granulated white sugar and 1 tbsp molasses

    For this dish: Extra molasses gives deeper flavor and a chewier cookie.

    How: Add the sugar and molasses straight to the recipe, or stir them together first. Use light or dark molasses.

    What changes: Closer to dark brown sugar, with a stronger molasses flavor and more moisture. Other sources use up to 2 tablespoons per cup for dark brown.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  3. The other brown sugar (light for dark, dark for light)

    Great fit

    1 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed

    For this dish: The texture stays the same, with only a small flavor change.

    How: Swap light and dark brown sugar cup for cup. For a closer match to light brown, you can also mix 1/2 cup dark brown sugar with 1/2 cup white sugar.

    What changes: The color and the molasses flavor shift slightly, but the moisture and texture stay close.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  4. Muscovado sugar

    Great fit

    1 cup muscovado sugar

    For this dish: Rich flavor and moisture give soft, chewy cookies.

    How: Swap cup for cup. It is sticky and clumps easily, so sift it or add it gradually while mixing.

    What changes: Stronger molasses flavor and a stickier texture than regular brown sugar.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  5. Coconut sugar

    Works

    1 cup coconut sugar

    For this dish: Cookies can turn out drier and less chewy.

    How: Swap cup for cup. For baked goods, add a little extra butter or oil because coconut sugar holds less moisture.

    What changes: Baked goods may turn out drier or denser, and the flavor is milder and less like molasses.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  6. White sugar + maple syrup

    Works

    1 cup granulated white sugar and 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

    For this dish: Soft, though less chewy than with real molasses.

    How: Use the sugar and syrup in place of the brown sugar, added straight to the recipe.

    What changes: Gives a lighter caramel flavor than molasses, closer to a light brown sugar. Sources use 1 to 2 tablespoons of syrup per cup.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  7. White sugar alone

    Avoid

    1 cup granulated white sugar

    For this dish: Cookies turn out crispier and lose the chew.

    How: Swap cup for cup, with no other changes.

    What changes: You lose the caramel flavor and color, and cookies may be crispier and less chewy. King Arthur says results can be unpredictable.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

Scores are our editorial judgement from the sources below, not lab tests.

What brown sugar does in a recipe

Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses in it. The molasses adds moisture, a slight acidity and a caramel flavor. That moisture is why cookies stay soft and chewy, so a substitute needs to bring sweetness plus some molasses flavor and moisture.

Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef

A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.

You ask Sous Chef

"I don't have brown sugar."

Sous Chef edits the recipe

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated white sugar and 2 tsp molasses
Added to the steps: Add the sugar and molasses straight to the recipe, or stir them together first. Use light (mild) molasses.
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When not to substitute

Do not swap brown sugar in a tested canning or preserving recipe. In recipes where molasses flavor is the point, like gingerbread, use dark brown sugar or add the molasses.

Common questions

Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?

Yes, cup for cup. You lose some caramel flavor, and cookies may be crispier and less chewy.

How much molasses do I add to make brown sugar?

King Arthur uses 2 teaspoons per cup of white sugar for light brown and 1 tablespoon for dark. Other sources use up to 2 tablespoons per cup, so add more if you want a deeper flavor.

What kind of molasses is best for homemade brown sugar?

Light molasses is the usual choice. Blackstrap is less sweet and can taste bitter, so avoid it here.

Related

Sources

Cook with what you have.

Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.

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