Ingredient substitution guide

Best substitutes for White Granulated Sugar

Best swap for White Granulated Sugar: Brown Sugar, 1 cup firmly packed for 1 cup; it is white sugar with molasses added, so baked goods come out darker, softer and moister with a molasses taste.

Other alternatives

  1. Superfine Sugar

    swap by weight, not by cup; the crystals are finer, so it dissolves faster and suits meringues, egg foams and drinks

  2. Raw Sugar

    1 cup for 1 cup; larger crystals, tan color and a mild molasses taste, so the result is less white and the flavor a little deeper

  3. 3/4 cup for each 1 cup of sugar, and cut the recipe's other liquid by 3 tablespoons; it is a liquid, so it cannot be creamed with butter or used for meringue, and it adds a maple taste

  4. 1 cup for 1 cup of sugar, cutting the recipe's liquid by 1/4 cup; in baking also add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda per cup of honey, lower the oven by 25 degrees F, and replace no more than half the sugar in cakes, cookies and brownies; not for babies under 12 months

Source and limits

These swaps come from the substitution list Well Stockd uses to match recipes to your kitchen, last updated October 6, 2026. We remove swaps known to be unsafe, but not every swap has been tested in a kitchen, and a swap is cooking guidance, not an allergen or nutrition equivalent. Check labels and what the recipe needs before substituting.

The ratios and usage notes follow ordinary kitchen practice rather than a single published chart. For exact baking ratios, these two extension tables go further:

Browse every ingredient and read how these swaps are sourced.