Substitutions
Refined sucrose crystals from cane or beet, milled to a medium grain. The default sweetener most recipes are written around.
What it does in a recipe: Sweetness, moisture retention, tenderising, and the browning and spread that make a cookie a cookie. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: White sugar, Granulated white sugar, Table sugar
Quick answer
Caster sugar
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup caster sugar (200 g either way if you weigh)All substitutes, best first
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup caster sugar (200 g either way if you weigh)Chemically the same sucrose, only milled finer, so sweetness and browning behaviour are identical.
Trade-offDissolves faster, so creamed butter aerates a touch more and cookies can spread slightly wider. Nobody will taste a difference.
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup packed light brown sugarBrown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added back, so the sweetening power per cup is close, but the molasses brings water and a trace of acid.
Trade-offDarker crumb, softer and chewier texture, and a caramel note. The added acidity gives baking soda something extra to react with, so things can rise a shade more.
1 cup granulated sugar = 3/4 cup honey, and reduce the other liquid in the recipe by about 1/4 cupHoney is mostly invert sugar, which is sweeter than sucrose per gram and roughly 17% water, so you need less of it and must take the extra moisture back out.
MethodDrop the oven temperature by 25°F (15°C) and start checking early. Invert sugar browns faster, and an unadjusted oven will darken the crust before the centre sets.
Trade-offDenser, moister crumb that stays soft for days, plus a distinct floral flavour that carries into the finished bake. Not vegan.
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup coconut sugarGranulated sap sugar with a similar sucrose content and grain size, so it measures and creams much like white sugar.
Trade-offTurns everything a warm brown and adds a light butterscotch flavour. It dissolves more slowly, so it is a poor choice for clear syrups or pale meringues.
Allergen checkCoconut sugar comes from palm sap rather than the fruit, but US labelling still groups coconut with tree nuts, so packages may carry a tree-nut warning. Anyone managing a diagnosed coconut or tree-nut allergy should clear the specific brand with their clinician rather than trusting a general rule.
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup turbinado sugarPartly refined cane sugar with almost the same sucrose content, just left in much larger crystals with a thin molasses film.
MethodWhere the recipe creams sugar into butter, pulse the turbinado in a food processor for 20 seconds first so the crystals can cut air into the fat.
Trade-offThe coarse grain does not dissolve fully in short bakes, leaving a faint crunch and a speckled look. Excellent sprinkled on top, less reliable stirred through.
When a recipe leans on sugar for structure rather than sweetness — meringue, caramel, a creamed cake — swap grain size before you swap the sugar itself. Liquid sweeteners change the moisture balance and rarely drop in cleanly.
At a glance
| Category | Sweeteners |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | Sweetness, moisture retention, tenderising, and the browning and spread that make a cookie a cookie |
| Suits | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Alcohol-free |
| Swaps available for | Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 5 |
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.