Are you interested in swapping out sugar in your recipes for something more exciting and flavorful? While it might seem tricky to get the measurements just right, especially since different substitutes can alter the texture and moisture of your batter or dough, don’t worry! We’ve done the hard work for you and have all the tips you need to make your sweet creations a success. Here are our six sweet ideas for what to use instead of sugar when it comes to baking:
1. Alternative Granulated Sugars
There is no shortage when it comes to alternatives for granulated sugars. Check out these substitutes to add unique flavors and textures or accommodate your health needs when whipping up sweet treats.
- Brown and Light Brown Sugar: Brown and light brown sugar may be the simplest substitute for granulated sugar. You can use either one as a 1:1 replacement resulting in darker, denser baked goods with more of a caramel or molasses flavor. Try this swap in our HERSHEY’S Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies!
- Ratio: 1 cup brown/light brown sugar for every 1 cup granulated
- Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is derived from the coconut plant, specifically coconut palm sap. Because it comes in a crystalline form, it’s an easy 1-for-1 substitution for recipes calling for both white and brown sugar. And it’s just as flavorful!
- Ratio: 1 cup coconut sugar for every 1 cup granulated sugar
- Stevia: When baking with Stevia, it's best to use a Stevia baking blend for optimal results. Since granulated sugar helps retain moisture and bulk, replacing it with Stevia requires a bit of creativity. To keep your baked goods moist and delicious, consider adding ingredients like bananas, yogurt, or applesauce. For extra bulk, try incorporating pumpkin or oats.
- Ratio: 1 cup of stevia for every 1 cup of sugar
- Monk Fruit Sweetener: When substituting sugar for a monk fruit sweetener, you can expect a few differences such as baked goods browning faster and a different structure or texture. If you’re new to baking with monk fruit sweetener, give our LILY'S and HERSHEY'S Keto Chocolate Chip Pancakes a try. You can always adjust based on your taste preferences and desired results.
- Ratio: ½ cup monk fruit sweetener for every 1 cup of sugar
- Date Sugar: Date sugar is a slightly sweeter alternative made from dehydrated dates that are ground into a sugar-like consistency making it a one-to-one replacement for both granulated or brown sugar in baking. It does tend to dry out baked goods, so increasing moisture through may be needed. Bonus: When using date sugar, you’ll also notice a sweet, butterscotch-like flavor!
- Ratio: 2/3 cup or 1 cup of date sugar for every 1 cup of sugar
- Erythritol such as Sorbitol and Maltitol: Experimentation is key when it comes to baking with these sugar alcohols. Something to keep in mind is that they do not caramelize or provide chewiness, so it could require some adjusting to get the desired texture.
- Ratio: 1 cup of erythritol, sorbitol or maltitol and ¼ teaspoon of pure stevia extract for every 1 cup of sugar
2. Honey
Something special about this sugar substitute is that its flavor profile varies based on the flowers where the honeybees got their nectar. That’s why locally sourced honey adds such a rich sweetness to any recipe. When using honey as your sugar substitute, you’ll want to decrease any liquid ingredients, such as water or milk, by ¼ cup for each cup of honey.
Ratio: ¾ cup honey for every 1 cup of sugar
3. Agave Nectar or Agave Syrup
When using agave, you’ll want to reduce the liquids in the recipe by 4 tablespoons and reduce oven temp by 25 percent. Because agave nectar is sticky, it may also help to use parchment paper — and you’ll want to combine your liquids before incorporating your dry ingredients.
Ratio: 2/3 cup of agave for every 1 cup of sugar.
4. Fruit and Fruit Concentrates
Using fruit or fruit concentrates as a sugar substitute in baking adds natural sweetness, moisture, and unique flavors while boosting the nutritional value, such as fiber, of your treats. Bonus, they can help maintain more stable blood sugar levels compared to refined sugar!
- Applesauce: Applesauce is a good substitution to consider for baked goods such as muffins and cakes as it offers natural sweetness and moisture without compromising texture. If using apple sauce and the batter appears too thin after adding, consider adding it in before and then reducing any other liquid ingredients as needed.
- Ratio: ¾ cup of unsweetened apple sauce for every 1 cup of sugar
- Jams, Jelly and Preserves: Similarly to applesauce, jams, jelly and preserves can add moisture and unique flavor to your sweet treats! Something to consider when using these alternatives is the flavor profile of what you are baking. For example, raspberry jam would pair well with a chocolate-based recipe or try using apricot preserves with almond-based treats such as Almond Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Filling.
- Ratio: ¾ cup of jam or jelly for every 1 cup of sugar
- Dates and Figs: Pureeing dates and figs offers a nutty, flavorful alternative to sugar and can also be used interchangeably with each other! Both are great as sweetening and binding ingredients in dessert recipes such as brownies or cookies.
- Ratio: 1 cup of date or fig puree for every 1 cup of sugar
- Ripe Bananas: Ripe bananas can come in handy in all kinds of ways when baking, including as a sugar substitute! Their natural sweetness makes them the perfect swap with baked goods like muffins or quick breads.
- Ratio: 1 cup of mashed ripe banana for every 1 cup of sugar
- Berries: Jams and jellies may have extra sweeteners, so to avoid any added sugar, mash up some berries of your choosing! The result? A sweet and berry good puree that adds fresh flavor and moisture to your favorite baked goods.
- Ratio: 1 cup of fruit puree for every 1 cup of sugar
5. Maple Syrup
A natural substitute for sugar, maple syrup is derived from boiled tree sap. Because it’s in a liquid state, you’ll have to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by 3 tablespoons. Be sure to read the label, though: Genuine maple syrup is different from pancake syrup, which does contain added sugar.
Ratio: ¾ cup of syrup for every 1 cup of sugar
6. Molasses
Known for its delicious, complex flavor, molasses is a by-product of refined sugar production. It has a distinct taste that is less sweet than honey or maple syrup making it good for fall recipes with spices such as apple crisp or pumpkin pie. When using molasses, you’ll want to reduce the liquids in your recipe by 5 tablespoons.
Ratio: 1-1/3 cups of molasses for every 1 cup of sugar.
Make It Sweet with Hershey
If you or someone in your family is sugar-free, it can feel limiting when you’re trying to follow dessert recipes. But with these sugar substitutes, you can bake cakes, cupcakes and more for everyone to enjoy! Use any of these convenient hacks in your next baking project. For complete recipes, check out our collection of Sugar-Free Dessert Recipes.
Frequently Asked Baking Questions
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Naturally sweet ingredients like honey, maple syrup, fruit, etc. are some of the best alternatives in terms of taste. Stevia and other marketed sugar alternatives may result in a slightly different sweetness profile and can also add a bit of bitterness. This is especially true for sugar alcohols like Erythritol and maltitol.
When it comes to consistency, it depends on the recipe. For baked products like brownies, cakes, and cookies using brown sugar is going to give the closest consistency to granulated sugar.
Overall, the choice is yours! We recommend testing and adjusting based on the type of recipe you are baking.
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In frosting and whipped cream, powdered sugar is fine to use and even recommended. However, in all other applications it is not a good sugar substitute because it contains a small amount of cornstarch. That small amount can drastically affect a recipe with less than desired results.
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In some cases, raising the baking temp and decreasing baking time will help the crystals melt. For other applications pureeing the sugar to a finer texture should avoid a grainy sugar texture.
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While both are produced from plants Stevia is 200 to 400 times sweeter than sugar and is a non-nutritive sweetener containing no calories or carbs. It is also usually mixed with other ingredients like sugar alcohols, fillers, and/or other sugar alternatives.
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White sugar is the refined product after all molasses is removed. Brown sugar is white sugar that is mixed with molasses. Brown sugar will give a chewier and denser texture because of the molasses. It will also give a caramel or toffee-like flavor to products.
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Cane sugar comes from the sugarcane plant while white sugar comes from sugar beets. They are often used interchangeably in baking. Cane sugar is usually less processed than white sugar, but they function the same.
