Brown sugar substitutes and how to make brown sugar at home
Mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses (light) or 2 tablespoons (dark). A milder option and swaps for when you have no molasses.
The easiest brown sugar substitute is one you can make in a minute: stir 1 tablespoon of molasses into 1 cup of granulated sugar for light brown sugar, or 2 tablespoons for dark. Use it cup for cup in place of brown sugar. It has a stronger molasses flavor than store-bought, so for a closer match use 2 teaspoons (light) or 1 tablespoon (dark) per cup.
That works because brown sugar is simply white sugar with molasses in it. If you have no molasses, plain granulated sugar, coconut sugar and other brown sugars will also work, though each one changes the flavor, moisture or color of what you are baking. This guide gives the exact amounts and what to expect.
Key takeaways
- For 1 cup of light brown sugar, mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses.
- For 1 cup of dark brown sugar, mix 1 cup granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons molasses.
- These mixes taste stronger than store-bought. For a closer match, use 2 teaspoons (light) or 1 tablespoon (dark) per cup.
- With no molasses, use 1 cup of granulated sugar for 1 cup of brown sugar. The result is lighter in flavor, drier and crisper.
- Light and dark brown sugar can stand in for each other 1 to 1, with a small change in color and flavor.
- Measure brown sugar firmly packed into the cup.
Brown sugar substitutes at a glance
These are all per 1 cup of packed brown sugar the recipe calls for.
| If you need | Use | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup light brown sugar | 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses | Close in moisture and chew, with a stronger molasses flavor than store-bought |
| 1 cup dark brown sugar | 1 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons molasses | Deeper color and a bold molasses flavor, stronger than store-bought dark |
| 1 cup brown sugar (either kind) | 1 cup granulated sugar, no molasses | Milder flavor; baked goods come out drier, paler and crisper |
| 1 cup light brown sugar | 1 cup dark brown sugar (or the reverse) | Slightly darker or lighter color and flavor, otherwise the same |
| 1 cup brown sugar | 1 cup coconut sugar | Similar color; drier and less molasses flavor |
| 1 cup brown sugar | 1 cup fine-grained muscovado or turbinado sugar | Similar color and a richer flavor; check the grain size |
How to make brown sugar at home
Brown sugar is white granulated sugar with molasses added. Store-bought brown sugar contains up to about 10% molasses by weight; King Arthur Baking puts typical light at about 3.5% and dark at about 6.5%. That is why a mix of the two ingredients is a close match.
- Measure 1 cup of granulated sugar into a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar, or 2 tablespoons for dark. For a milder, store-bought-style sugar, use 2 teaspoons (light) or 1 tablespoon (dark) instead.
- Mix with a fork, a spatula or your fingertips until the color is even and no pale streaks are left. For a larger batch, pulse it in a food processor.
- Use it right away, measured firmly packed, or store it airtight.
You can also skip the bowl: King Arthur Baking says you can add the sugar and molasses to the recipe separately, at the same time, with the same result.
Why published ratios vary
You will see different amounts of molasses in different places. King Arthur Baking uses 2 teaspoons per cup for light and 1 tablespoon per cup for dark, which lands closer to store-bought sugar. NDSU Extension lists ¼ cup of molasses per cup of sugar, which gives a very dark, strongly flavored sugar. This guide uses 1 tablespoon for light and 2 tablespoons for dark as the main ratio, because it is easy to remember and gives a rich, moist sugar that works well in cookies, cakes, sauces and glazes.
Be aware that these mixes are stronger in molasses than the packaged kind. A tablespoon of molasses weighs about 21 grams and a cup of granulated sugar about 198 grams, so the light mix is about 9.6% molasses by weight and the dark mix about 17.5%. Compare that with about 3.5% and 6.5% in typical store-bought light and dark. For a closer match to store-bought, use King Arthur’s amounts of 2 teaspoons (light) or 1 tablespoon (dark) per cup. If a bake tastes too strongly of molasses, use less next time.
Either light or dark molasses works. Light (mild) molasses gives a gentler flavor, while dark molasses is stronger and less sweet.
What to use if you have no molasses
Granulated sugar
Use 1 cup of granulated sugar for 1 cup of brown sugar. NDSU and Utah State extension publications both list plain granulated sugar as a substitute.
Expect less molasses flavor, and baked goods that are paler, drier and crisper. King Arthur Baking points out that brown sugar is also slightly acidic, which is why recipes with brown sugar often use baking soda for leavening. Without it, cakes and muffins may not rise quite as well and cookies may spread differently. The swap is safest in recipes where brown sugar is a small part of the sugar, or where baking powder, not baking soda, is the leavener.
Light brown for dark, or dark for light
Use 1 cup of one for 1 cup of the other. King Arthur Baking says the only difference is slightly darker color and a slightly stronger molasses flavor with dark brown sugar. The two weigh the same, so you can swap by weight or by volume.
Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar is commonly swapped 1 to 1 for brown sugar: use 1 cup for 1 cup. It gives a similar color and a toasted, caramel-like taste, but it is drier and has less molasses flavor, so baked goods may be a little less moist.
Muscovado and turbinado sugar
King Arthur Baking groups these with “natural” brown sugars, made from partly refined cane juice instead of white sugar with molasses added. They can stand in for brown sugar 1 to 1 when the crystals are fine and about the size of granulated sugar. Coarser crystals, such as turbinado, can make drop cookies spread more and are better saved for toppings.
Liquid sweeteners such as honey or syrup are not a like-for-like swap, because they change the moisture in a recipe. They need other adjustments, so this guide sticks to dry sugars.
How substitutes change cookies and cakes
Brown sugar does more than sweeten. Its molasses adds moisture, color, flavor and chew, and it makes batters slightly more acidic.
- Cookies. Brown sugar helps cookies stay soft and chewy. With plain white sugar, expect cookies that are crisper and spread differently. The homemade mix with molasses is the best choice here.
- Cakes and muffins. A cake made with white sugar instead of brown tends to be lighter in color and a little less moist. Check that a recipe leavened with baking soda still rises well.
- Sauces, glazes and toppings. Flavor matters most. Use the molasses mix, or dark brown sugar, to keep the caramel taste.
How to keep brown sugar soft
Brown sugar hardens as its moisture escapes, so store it in an airtight container or a tightly closed bag.
If it has already turned into a block, return some moisture to it:
- Bread slice method. Put a slice of bread in the sealed container with the sugar and leave it for a day or two. Take the bread out once the sugar is soft, then break up the clumps with a fork.
- Microwave method. Cover the sugar with a damp (not dripping) paper towel and heat in short bursts, breaking it up with a fork between each. Use it right away, since it hardens again as it cools.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make brown sugar from white sugar?
Stir 1 tablespoon of molasses into 1 cup of granulated sugar for light brown sugar, or 2 tablespoons for dark brown sugar. Mix until the color is even. For a milder, store-bought-style sugar, use 2 teaspoons (light) or 1 tablespoon (dark) per cup.
Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?
Yes. Use 1 cup of granulated sugar for 1 cup of brown sugar. The baked goods will have less molasses flavor and will be drier and crisper, and cakes or muffins made with baking soda may rise a little less.
Can I substitute dark brown sugar for light brown sugar?
Yes. Use it 1 to 1. Dark brown sugar gives slightly more molasses flavor and a darker color, and otherwise the two work the same way.
How much molasses do I add for dark brown sugar?
Add 2 tablespoons of molasses to 1 cup of granulated sugar. For light brown sugar, add 1 tablespoon. For a milder match to store-bought dark brown sugar, use 1 tablespoon.
Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?
Yes, it is commonly swapped 1 to 1: use 1 cup of coconut sugar for 1 cup of brown sugar. It has a similar color and a toasted, caramel-like flavor, but it is drier and has less molasses flavor.
How many cups are in a pound of brown sugar?
A pound of brown sugar is about 2¼ cups, according to NDSU Extension.
