Brown Sugar Substitutes

Out of brown sugar? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert brown sugar between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the brown sugar converter.

What to use instead of brown sugar

  • White sugar + molasses

    DIY mix

    1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses

    Closest match by flavour and moisture. Whisk the molasses into the sugar with a fork until evenly coloured. Use 2 tbsp molasses for dark brown sugar.

  • Sugar

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white sugar (1:1 by volume)

    Quick swap when you have no molasses. Loses the caramel notes and moisture, so expect a crisper, plainer cookie or cake. Add 1 tbsp extra liquid per cup of sugar to compensate.

    See sugar substitutes →

  • Raw Sugar

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup raw sugar (1:1 by volume)

    Raw sugar has a trace of molasses but is dry with hard crystals (200 g vs 220 g per cup). Result is drier and crunchier; works best in toppings and crumbles.

    See raw sugar substitutes →

  • Palm Sugar

    Ingredient swap

    1:1 by weight

    Palm sugar has a similar caramel depth to brown sugar but a more complex, earthy flavour from the palm sap. Use the same weight; the texture is similar though palm sugar can be coarser in block or granulated forms.

    See palm sugar substitutes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for brown sugar?
There are 4 workable substitutes for brown sugar, depending on what you have on hand and which property of brown sugar matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually White sugar + molasses. Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting brown sugar change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the brown sugar converter
How do I measure brown sugar accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The brown sugar converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the brown sugar converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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