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Baking

Granulated sugar: what it is, how to pick and store it

White sugar sweetens, browns and, in baking, keeps cakes tender and makes cookies spread and crisp.

How to pick it

Cane and beet sugar work the same. Superfine (caster) sugar dissolves faster in drinks and meringues.

How to store it

An airtight container at room temperature; it keeps indefinitely if it stays dry. Break up clumps with a fork.

Out of granulated sugar? What to use instead

  • Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
  • Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
  • Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.
  • Honey or maple syrup: ¾ cup for each cup of sugar; cut other liquid by 3 tbsp. Moister and denser, with the sweetener's flavor, and edges won't crisp the same.

All 5 swaps for sugar, with what changes

Granulated sugar: cups to grams

Granulated sugar
MeasureGrams
1 cup200 g
½ cup100 g
⅓ cup67 g
¼ cup50 g
1 tablespoon13 g
1 teaspoon4.2 g

Weights from USDA FoodData Central. Granulated sugar: converter and grams to cups

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Pick and store tips are in our own words. Storage times and safe temperatures are only shown where a U.S. government source gives them, named on each line; for anything not listed here, see USDA's FoodKeeper app.