The Best Brown Sugar Substitute

We've likely all experienced running out of an ingredient mid-recipe. The question becomes, do I have to run out to the store to buy more, or do I have something on hand I can replace with it?

If you're anything like me, I will try basically any substitution I can rather than run to the store, and this is especially true with brown sugar.

A brown sugar substitute happens to be a fairly easy swap because you can make a homemade version of it using two other pantry staples. While there are all sorts of other swaps touted online, from coconut sugar to maple syrup, this is often the closest and least complicated substitution to make.

Read on to find out more about how to substitute brown sugar in baking.

What Is Brown Sugar? 

It helps to understand what brown sugar is when trying to find a substitute. It’s white refined sugar with up to 10 percent molasses (by weight) added in. Molasses is a byproduct of the sugar refining process. It’s intensely flavorful but not all that sweet (you’ll realize this immediately if you sample the stuff while baking).

By combining white sugar with molasses, you get the sweetness you desire from a sweetener and also the nuanced flavors molasses can impart in a recipe. The molasses also gives brown sugar a moist texture, and makes it more acidic, which is especially important to consider in baking as this can impact the final texture of baked goods. This is why brown sugar must be substituted carefully.

Can You Use Light Brown For Dark Brown Sugar and Vice Versa?

Generally yes. This is why many recipes don’t specify the kind of brown sugar used, although we always try to at Southern Living.

The difference between the two types of sugar is the amount of molasses each contains, with dark brown sugar typically containing almost double the amount of molasses. This gives it a richer caramel flavor that is sometimes specifically desired in a recipe, like in our Peanut Butter-Banana Upside-Down Cake.

The default in baking, however, is considered light brown. In a pinch you can substitute dark brown for light, and vice versa. Just know that the amount of molasses will impact the color and flavor of the final result slightly. 

The Best Brown Sugar Substitute

The best substitute for brown sugar tends to be less of a substitute but rather a homemade version of the real thing. This means putting that bottle of molasses you purchased for gingerbread who knows how many holidays ago to good use.

I always use Stella Park’s trusty formula. Her ratio of about 1 3/4 cups white sugar to 2 tablespoons molasses hasn’t failed me yet. 

A few important things to note about making this swap:

• As Parks notes, you don't want to use Blackstrap molasses. You’ll need unsulfured molasses, which is what most baking recipes call for anyhow.
• A stand mixer might seem fussy, but it’s truly the best way to evenly distribute the molasses in the sugar. Doing it with a spoon or whisk quickly becomes a sticky mess and takes much longer to get everything distributed. 
• The final result tends to have a richer brown color than the sugar you might get from the store, but that’s completely fine. 

Can I Replace Brown Sugar With White Sugar?

If brown sugar is made from white sugar you might think that swapping white for brown in a recipe is an easy solution. However, it’s not a good idea, at least in baking.

In a dressing or sauce, it might turn out fine, but using white sugar for brown in doughs and batters can change how it rises and spreads, sometimes to a drastic degree. White sugar alone can result in flatter and crisper baked goods, which isn’t always the goal. 

The acidity in brown sugar can work in tandem with baking soda to produce a nice rise, which white sugar alone can’t do. In most cases, it’s best to make a brown sugar substitute or go get a new box when it comes to baking, or be okay with the fact that making the swap will have mixed results. 

Other Options

You’ll find many articles on the internet listing tons of other sweeteners, both granulated and liquid, as replacements for brown sugar, but we would caution against thinking of these as universal solutions. In some cases they work, and in many others, they don’t. 

For example, in our recipe for Brown Sugar-Glazed Brussels Sprouts With Bacon, you could easily swap maple syrup or honey for the brown sugar, but in our Brown Sugar Pound Cake, using maple syrup or honey would upend the formula with too much moisture.

You might say, why don’t I just use less honey to make up for the extra moisture? I like the way you think, but liquid sugars don’t behave the same way as brown sugar in baking. The crystals in brown sugar contribute to the structure of the cake in a way liquid sweeteners like maple syrup don't.