Granulated sugar, also known as table sugar, refined sugar, or white sugar, comes in numerous varieties that may serve as substitutes if you run out or want to reduce your consumption.

Because sugar exists naturally, granulated sugar is made by separating sugar crystals in beet or cane plants and soaking them in water.

To disclose the interior cells, the sugar is crushed or pulverized. The granules are then collected after drying on mesh or fabric.

This baking necessity, which is widely accessible in markets and grocery stores globally, is a simple carbohydrate that dissolves or melts readily, providing the customer with rapid energy.

Sugar is converted to glucose after digestion, so if you consume too much of it, your body will store it in fat cells. It’s heavy in calories and low in nutritional value.

Granulated sugar is best consumed as part of a rare treat. However, the majority of people appreciate it anyway. The typical adult in the United States eats roughly 77 grams of sugar each day.

Granulated sugar has a delicate flavor that complements other tastes and sweetens liquids, the most frequent of which being tea or coffee. Granulated sugar has a fine texture and may be processed further to form a powder.

Sugar barely degrades and may be stored for a year or longer before losing its flavor. Granulated sugar combines well with other ingredients and is often used in savory sauces or soups.

With that, let’s look at some granulated sugar alternatives you may use to sweeten your next recipe.

5 Recommended Substitutes for Granulated Sugar

What are some alternatives to granulated sugar? This section will go over some of the best alternatives you may use if your diet or a shortage of goods in your kitchen prevent you from making those delectably sweet chocolate chip cookies.

1. Cane Sugar

Cane sugar is a sugar that is created only from sugar cane, a plant that thrives in tropical areas and is related to bamboo. It is available in a variety of forms, including unprocessed, raw, and refined.

This sugar is made by cutting up sugar cane and extracting the juice. The liquid is cooked to produce a black syrup of unprocessed molasses.

The sugar is crystallized, however the method varies. The more the sugar crystals are washed, the more molasses is lost, resulting in a color spectrum ranging from white to brown.

Because it contains the bulk of the molasses, unrefined cane sugar is black. Raw is intermediate, with coarse to medium-sized crystals and a light brown color, indicating that it contains less molasses.

The purest type of cane sugar is refined, which is ground to a very fine consistency with all impurities eliminated.

Brown sugar, which will be discussed more below, is made from refined cane sugar with varying proportions of molasses added back in.

Cane sugar may be used straight from the box for cookies, cakes, and other delicacies. Many recipes will call for you to mix cane sugar with another sort of sugar.

It is soluble in water and melts when heated. Cane sugar may be used as a crunchy topping on cooked muffins.

Because of its sweetness, cane sugar makes an excellent white sugar replacement, although the taste changes depending on how much molasses is added.

The more refined the sugar, the purer, cleaner, and sweeter the flavor. The sole disadvantage is that, depending on the molasses concentration, it might dry out or get clumpy.

2. Brown Sugar

Brown sugar has a dark hue and a rich taste due to the inclusion of molasses. It is often produced in major sugar-producing regions of the globe, such as the Caribbean and Brazil.

Regardless, brown sugar is widely used and preferred in sauces, glazes, and baked items due to its dark sweetness.

It has a shelf life of two years or more and behaves differently than raw sugar. Brown sugar is often used in baking, sweets, and cereal. The most frequent kind is light brown sugar.

Dark brown sugar, on the other hand, has a more robust taste. Brown sugar may be used instead of granulated sugar to add flavor and moisture to the dish, slightly increasing the moisture level.

Brown sugar is often used in meat marinades, such as bacon. It may be dissolved in sugar syrup and used in drinks or glazes.

Brown sugar should be firmly packed when measuring to ensure you use the correct quantity. It is denser than white sugar but lighter than raw sugar.

Most recipes combine brown and white sugar. It has a taste similar to toffee or caramel. The softer and less complex the taste, the lighter the sugar.

Brown sugar may be used in cakes, pastries, muffins, frostings, and even savory foods like beans, vegetables, or baked ham.

3. Honey

Honey is a natural, organic sweetener with no additives. It is readily digested and adaptable to all culinary techniques, and it has a long shelf life.

Honey is widely utilized in baked foods, marinades, and drinks across the world. It’s one of the most natural and healthy methods to sweeten foods.

It has a thick and golden consistency. Bees produce it by regurgitating nectar from blooming plants. Excess water evaporates, becoming the familiar and beloved honey.

Nonetheless, honey has been around since 2100 B.C. and is a highly valued aspect of existence. It was even used as money at one time.

There are many various types of honey, each having its own unique color, flavor, and texture.

Honey may be eaten with apples, spread on crackers, blended with yogurt, and used as a sugar substitute in baking. Remember that the texture of the dish will change, becoming moist and thick. However, it may provide a flowery, fruity, or woodsy flavor to your baked goods.

In general, one cup of honey equals one cup of sugar plus another cup of liquid, ideally water.

Honey may be used to toast peanuts, flavor a cake, and sweeten fried chicken. Honey never spoils when properly preserved. If you observe any crystallization, just reheat it with water and the texture will return to normal.

4. Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm blooms in Southeast Asia. It’s a terrific alternative for other sweeteners and is advantageous since it doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes like regular sugar.

The procedure of removing sap is identical to that of making maple syrup. The sap is reduced to a toasted, caramel-colored brown syrup. The liquid is then bottle, crushed into blocks, or crystallized.

Because it has no ingredients, coconut sugar is readily interchangeable. However, it may cost up to three times as much as brown sugar.

If you’re prepared to spend a little more, coconut sugar may be used in place of regular sugar in cakes, cookies, granola, and sauces. You’d just use a one-to-one ratio.

It does have a lower burning temperature, and the granule size is more visible. That wouldn’t matter for banana bread or pudding, but since coconut sugar is darker, it wouldn’t be your first choice for recipes like angel food cake.

You would use the same amount of coconut sugar, although it may need slightly more moisture than ordinary sugar. It tastes like toffee or caramel, with no discernible coconut flavor. Coconut sugar is available at speciality shops.

5. Confectioner’s Sugar

There are several refined sugars available in powdered form. Confectioners sugar, commonly known as powdered sugar, icing sugar, or 10X sugar, is the most common.

It’s a superfine sugar that’s perfect for frostings, sweets, and fudge. Confectioners sugar may be used to produce cookies or other baked delicacies that melt in your mouth, or it can be used as a dusting over ornamental sweets or fruits.

Powdered sugar is well-known for its smooth texture, making it perfect for decorating or crafting rich dessert bars. Although it dissolves quickly, many recipes ask for you to sift it again to make it fluffier and remove any lumps.

Confectioners sugar, on the other hand, operates differently from granulated sugar, which lacks the same identifiable, white look because to its bigger crystals. Furthermore, while mixing, granulated sugar adds more air.

A cookie baked with granulated sugar will turn out crisper. One prepared using powdered sugar will be supple and soft.

It effectively provides the proper sweet and smooth flavor, but it is dependent on the condition where granulated is replaced with powdered. The texture of cakes will not be precise.

Powdered sugar, on the other hand, is great for sweets. One cup of granulated equals one cup of powdered.

If you’re going to swap powdered sugar for granulated sugar, like all of these suggestions, measure it by weight rather than volume.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we’ll address some of the most frequent queries about replacing granulated sugar.

Can I Substitute Powdered Sugar for Granulated Sugar in Cookies?

In a pinch, you can, although it is not normally suggested. As previously said, powdered sugar is smooth with fewer particles, and the feel may be surprising. Cornstarch is often used, which may contribute to the strange consistency.

Can You Use Brown Sugar Instead of Granulated Sugar for Cookies?

Brown sugar and granulated sugar are essentially identical, although the texture of your cookies will alter, as with powdered sugar. They’ll be softer, moister, and darker.