Can you substitute syrup for brown sugar

Back in the day, brown sugar was sugar cane juice that was partially evaporated, then run through a centrifuge to remove some but not all of the natural molasses that gives it its color. The only difference will be in color and taste. Just to state the obvious, light brown sugar makes baked goods with lighter color and milder flavor; dark brown, darker colored baked goods with more assertive but still very mild molasses flavor.

Structurally, the two sugars function the same. If you have molasses and granulated white sugar, you can make your own substitute. For every cup of brown sugar called for in your recipe, substitute 1 cup g white granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons 14g molasses for light brown sugar; or 1 cup g white granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon 21g molasses for dark brown sugar.

Note that brown sugar g per cup weighs slightly more than white sugar, but don't worry about that. Once you add the molasses, the weight of your DIY brown sugar will be very close to the weight of "real" brown sugar, and your recipe won't need any further adjustments.

In a pinch you may be able to substitute white granulated sugar for brown sugar, but to do so is to tempt the culinary gods. If you use white sugar in place of brown, your cookies may spread less or more, depending on the other ingredients in the recipe.

Cake and muffins may not rise as well; or they may rise just fine, depending on their mixing technique stir-together or creaming. In short, using white granulated sugar in place of brown sugar will produce unpredictable results; sometimes the swap works just fine, sometimes not so well.

In recipes calling for baking powder no baking soda , and where the amount of brown sugar is less than that of white sugar, you can probably get away with the substitution. Take our Cinnamon-Streusel Coffeecake , for instance.

The small proportion of brown sugar has no impact on the cake's structure, thus allowing you to substitute granulated sugar. The cake's filling calls for a cup of brown sugar, plus cinnamon and cocoa powder; no granulated sugar at all. Substituting white sugar here is OK structure-wise filling doesn't really have any structure ; but you'll lose the wonderful caramelized flavor of brown sugar, and the coffeecake will be that much the poorer for its absence.

After all, at some point you do have to pay the piper. Unfortunately, the grain size of these sugars can vary a lot from manufacturer to manufacturer, which can make a difference in your baking. Most are packaged in a bag with a window, allowing you to check grain size. If the sugar is larger-grained akin to coarse white sparkling sugar or sanding sugar , it may be unreliable for baking and is best used for decorating and garnishing.

Here are your most reliable choices, in descending order:. At the end of the day, your best bet is to never run out of brown sugar! But if you do find yourself lacking this key ingredient, now you know how to cope. No matter your baking challenge, we're here for you.

Call, chat with, or email one of our knowledgeable and patient! Baker's Hotline specialists — we'll get you through any crisis. PJ bakes and writes from her home on Cape Cod, where she enjoys beach-walking, her husband, three dogs, and really good food! If you have a bottle of the real stuff at home, use it in place of molasses.

Maple syrup mimics its sweetness and color, plus gives white sugar the moisture it needs to pull off this substitute. Use 1 cup of white sugar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for every cup of brown sugar. White sugar can be a decent alternative—but only in some cases. Brown sugar also has more moisture than white sugar, so the final product may be a bit flatter and crispier. In recipes that use less than half as much brown sugar as white and no baking soda, replace the brown sugar with white in equal parts.

Unlike white granulated sugar, turbinado sugar is unrefined and raw. While large-grain turbinado is ideal for garnishing or finishing desserts, fine-grain turbinado has small enough granules that it will melt into batter or dough. Substitute brown sugar with fine-grain turbinado sugar.

This light-brown gem is created from the nectar made by coconut blossoms, which gets boiled and ground into sugar. Refined sugars are hygroscopic, meaning they attract and retain water and as a result, offer more moisture to baked goods than alternatives. So, if coconut sugar is all you have on hand and you want to avoid a dense, dry dessert, try adding a little extra oil or butter to the recipe to compensate. Adding a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream helps too.

Replace brown sugar with coconut sugar in equal parts and add extra fat to give the dish more moisture. This pantry staple is sweeter than white sugar and acidic like brown sugar. You can swap honey in for brown sugar when making soft baked goods like cake, and you may just fall in love with its slight floral flavor. This Will Be the Amazon Coat of Does Hand Sanitizer Work?

We Ask Hamptons Chicago San Francisco. Connect With Us. Are you sure you want to remove this item from your Recipe Box? Create a Password Forgot your password? Enter your registered email below! To Save to My Recipe Box. The difference is just the amount of molasses.

That means that dark brown sugar tends to have a slightly stronger caramel flavor perfect for gingerbread cookies.

The other route is to use one of these sugar alternatives. PS: Check out these best butter substitutes and baking powder substitutes too! Quite possibly the easiest sub for brown sugar is using granulated white sugar. For every cup of packed brown sugar, swap in 1 cup of white sugar. Since brown sugar is just granulated sugar with added molasses, you can easily make a DIY version by mixing molasses with white sugar until combined. For light brown sugar: Use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses.

For dark brown sugar: Use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of molasses. Try maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey, and follow the same ratio as above. This natural sugar has a similar sweetness to brown sugar.