Brown sugar substitutes & calculator

For each cup of light brown sugar in your recipe, use 1 cup white granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons molasses. For dark brown sugar, use 1 cup white sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses.

Those are King Arthur Baking's substitution amounts. The calculator uses that same formula, so the cup, spoon, and gram quantities stay consistent.

How to make the mixture

Work the molasses into the sugar with a fork until the color is even, breaking up darker clumps as you go. Measure the ingredients for the amount your recipe calls for, then use that whole portion where it asks for brown sugar.

Keep the recipe's mixing method. Adding sugar to melted butter isn't the same as creaming it with softened butter.

For the 1 3/4 cups of brown sugar in our peanut butter brownies, enter “1 3/4” above. If the unfamiliar measurement is the butter instead, use the butter converter.

Light brown versus dark brown

If you have the other shade of brown sugar, use the same amount. Dark brown gives a stronger molasses flavor and deeper color.

What if I have no molasses?

White sugar alone loses the molasses flavor, moisture, and acidity. The result can change, especially in a cookie or a recipe relying on baking soda. See the leavener comparison before changing the sugar and leavener together.

Coarse turbinado sugar isn't the same texture as soft brown sugar. Domino explains the differences in moisture and grain size; don't assume any brown-colored sugar will behave identically.

Powdered sugar is another different product, not a cup-for-cup solution. If you also need help with superfine or caster sugar, that has its own substitution guide.