Substitutes for brown sugar

Brown sugar substitutes

Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses, which adds moisture, chew and caramel flavour. Mixing molasses back into white sugar is the closest swap.

What brown sugar does

White sugar coated with molasses. It adds sweetness, moisture, chew and caramel flavour; dark brown sugar has more molasses than light.

Quick reference

SubstituteAmount
Granulated sugar + molasses (light brown) Sources vary1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molassesper 1 cup brown sugar
Granulated sugar + molasses (dark brown) Sources vary1 cup granulated sugar + 2 tbsp molassesper 1 cup brown sugar
Granulated sugar alone Sources vary1 cup granulated sugarper 1 cup brown sugar

When the substitute matters

  • Light brown sugar: 1 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon molasses.
  • Dark brown sugar: 1 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons molasses.
  • No molasses: plain sugar works in sauces, less well in cakes and chewy cookies.

The substitutes, in detail

Granulated sugar + molasses (light brown)

Amount: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per 1 cup brown sugar

Sources vary

America's Test Kitchen, Food Network, Taste of Home and King Arthur use 1 tbsp molasses per cup. Land O'Lakes uses 2 tbsp for light brown sugar; another King Arthur article uses 2 tsp.

  1. Pulse the sugar and molasses in a food processor, or add the molasses with the recipe's wet ingredients.

Best for

  • cookies
  • cakes
  • sauces
  • glazes

What changes

Close to store-bought light brown sugar in colour, moisture and flavour.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: America's Test Kitchen·Food Network·Taste of Home·King Arthur Baking·Land O'Lakes

Granulated sugar + molasses (dark brown)

Amount: 1 cup granulated sugar + 2 tbsp molasses per 1 cup brown sugar

Sources vary

America's Test Kitchen, Food Network, Betty Crocker and Healthline use 2 tbsp. King Arthur uses 1 tbsp for dark brown. The extension charts and Saskatchewan Health go up to ¼ cup molasses per cup (Saskatchewan: with ¼ cup less liquid).

  1. Pulse the sugar and molasses in a food processor, or add the molasses with the recipe's wet ingredients.

Best for

  • gingerbread
  • baked beans
  • barbecue sauces
  • chewy cookies

What changes

Deeper colour and stronger molasses flavour.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: America's Test Kitchen·Food Network·Betty Crocker·Healthline·Food Network·North Dakota State University Extension

Granulated sugar alone

Amount: 1 cup granulated sugar per 1 cup brown sugar

Best for

  • sauces and glazes
  • recipes where brown sugar is a small part

Not for

  • cakes and muffins (King Arthur warns they may not rise as well)
  • chewy cookies

What changes

Same sweetness, but less moisture, chew and caramel flavour. King Arthur warns results can be unpredictable.

  • vegan
  • dairy-free
  • egg-free
  • gluten-free
Sources: North Dakota State University Extension·Utah State University Extension·Saskatchewan Health Authority (provincial government health agency, Canada)

Don't use

  • Granulated sugar alone in cakes and muffins

    King Arthur says plain white sugar in place of brown gives unpredictable results, and cakes and muffins may not rise as well.

How we source this

Each swap is backed by at least two independent sources, including a test kitchen, university extension service or product maker. The amounts replace one unit of the original ingredient and do not work in reverse. See the full source list.

Sources

Related substitute pages