Substitutions
A retail sweetener built around steviol glycosides extracted from the stevia leaf, usually bulked with erythritol or dextrose so it can be measured like sugar.
What it does in a recipe: Sweetness with negligible calories and no fermentable sugar — but none of sugar's bulk, browning or moisture retention. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Stevia blend, Cup-for-cup stevia, Steviol glycoside sweetener
Quick answer
Monk fruit sweetener blend
1 cup stevia blend = 1 cup monk fruit sweetener blend (cup-for-cup type)All substitutes, best first
1 cup stevia blend = 1 cup monk fruit sweetener blend (cup-for-cup type)Both are high-intensity plant sweeteners cut with the same sugar alcohols to the same measuring volume, so they drop in interchangeably.
Trade-offMonk fruit lacks stevia's slightly bitter, liquorice-like aftertaste, which most people count as an improvement.
1 cup stevia blend (cup-for-cup type) = 1 cup granulated sugarCup-for-cup blends are formulated to match sugar's sweetness by volume, so the exchange runs cleanly in both directions.
Trade-offGoing back to sugar restores browning, spread and moisture, so a cookie made this way will be softer, wider and more golden than the stevia version. It also restores all the sugar the swap was avoiding.
1 cup stevia blend = 1 1/3 cups erythritolErythritol is only about 70% as sweet as sugar, so it takes a third again as much to reach the same level.
MethodGrind it fine in a spice grinder before using it in icing or a custard, or the crystals stay perceptible.
Trade-offLeaves a cooling sensation on the tongue and recrystallises as things cool, which makes fillings and glazes turn slightly gritty. Large amounts cause digestive upset in some people.
1 cup stevia blend = 1 1/3 cups alluloseAllulose is roughly 70% as sweet as sugar but behaves far more like it in the pan, browning and staying soft rather than recrystallising.
Trade-offBrowns faster than sugar, so drop the oven 25°F (15°C) and check early. Baked goods stay noticeably softer and can be reluctant to crisp.
Concentrated stevia products are not measured like this: pure stevia extract powder is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, so 1 cup of sugar is replaced by roughly 1 teaspoon of it, with the lost bulk made up by yogurt, applesauce or extra flour. Always check which type the packet is before measuring.
At a glance
| Category | Sweeteners |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | Sweetness with negligible calories and no fermentable sugar — but none of sugar's bulk, browning or moisture retention |
| 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 | 4 |
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.