Ingredient substitution guide

Best substitutes for Brown Sugar

Best swap for brown sugar: Granulated Sugar Plus Molasses, 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses for light brown sugar, or 2 tablespoons for dark; stir the molasses in with the wet ingredients or pulse it into the sugar first.

All alternatives

  1. Granulated Sugar Plus Molasses

    Cooking substitute

    1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses for light brown sugar, or 2 tablespoons for dark; stir the molasses in with the wet ingredients or pulse it into the sugar first

  2. White Granulated Sugar

    Cooking substitute

    1 cup for 1 cup, but only where the recipe has little brown sugar or no baking soda; you lose the flavor and color, and cookies may spread differently or cakes rise less

  3. Turbinado Or Demerara Sugar

    Cooking substitute

    1 cup for 1 cup if the grains are fine like granulated sugar; coarse grains dissolve poorly in dry doughs and can make cookies spread more, so grind them fine

  4. Muscovado Sugar

    Cooking substitute

    swap by weight; darker, stickier and with a stronger molasses flavor than ordinary brown sugar

Source and limits

These swaps come from the substitution list Well Stockd uses to match recipes to your kitchen, last updated July 12, 2026. We remove swaps known to be unsafe, but not every swap has been tested in a kitchen. A listed swap is practical cooking guidance, not an allergen, medical, or nutrition equivalent. Check ingredient labels and what the recipe needs before substituting.

The ratios and usage notes above follow ordinary kitchen practice rather than a single published chart. For the classic swaps, and especially for baking, where an exact ratio decides whether the recipe works at all, these two cooperative-extension substitution tables go further than this list can:

Browse every ingredient and read how these swaps are sourced.