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Sugar and sweeteners

Substitutes for sugar

Sugar does more than sweeten: it keeps cakes tender and moist, helps cookies spread and crisp, and browns crusts. Cutting or swapping it changes all of that a little.

  1. Less sugar

    How much
    Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads
    What changes
    Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
    Skip it for
    Jam, meringue, caramel and candy, where sugar sets the result.

  2. Brown sugar

    How much
    The same amount, packed
    What changes
    Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
    Best in
    Cookies, crumbles, sauces, glazes.

  3. Coconut sugar

    How much
    The same amount
    What changes
    Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.
    Best in
    Cookies, muffins, granola.

  4. Honey or maple syrup

    How much
    ¾ cup for each cup of sugar; cut other liquid by 3 tbsp
    How
    Add ¼ tsp baking soda per cup and lower the oven 25°F, since liquid sweeteners brown faster.
    What changes
    Moister and denser, with the sweetener's flavor, and edges won't crisp the same.
    Best in
    Quick breads, muffins, granola.
    Skip it for
    Crisp cookies, meringue.

  5. In place of superfine sugar

    Homemade superfine sugar

    How much
    The same amount of granulated sugar, blended
    How
    Blend granulated sugar in a dry blender for 30 seconds.
    What changes
    Dissolves quickly, just like store-bought.

Simmerbee recipes with sugar (88)

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On those recipes, tap Swaps next to the ingredient for the short version.

More sugar and sweeteners swaps

Brown sugarPowdered sugarHoneyMaple syrupCorn syrup

Ingredient guide: Granulated sugar: pick, store and measure

All substitutions