Natural Sugar Substitution Guide (Processed To Less Refined)
At A Glance
This natural sugar substitution guide will help you swap refined sugar for less refined sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, and panela without ruining your recipe. Use the dry-to-dry guide when you are swapping one granulated sweetener for another, and use the dry-to-liquid chart plus the baking adjustments when you swap sugar for syrups.
Sugar Substitution Guide Jump Links
Why This Sugar Substitution Guide Works
Refined sugar and natural sweeteners do not behave the same in recipes, so separating dry and liquid swaps prevents gummy, dense, or overly dark results.
Processed Sugar Vs Natural Sweeteners
Processed or refined sugars are typically highly processed granulated sweeteners. “Natural” here means less refined options like honey, maple syrup, panela/Sucanat, maple sugar, coconut sugar, and date sugar.
Dry To Dry (Granulated Swaps)
When it comes to dry or granulated sweeteners, you can always substitute 1:1 by weight and get basically the same results. As long as you are weighing (not using measuring cups), this is a pretty uniform and reliable way to make these substitutions.
Use this chart when you are swapping one granulated sweetener for another (this is the cleanest, most predictable type of swap).
| If your recipe uses | Swap with | Use this amount | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| White sugar (granulated) | Sucanat or panela (unrefined cane sugar) | Start 1:1 by weight | Deeper caramel flavour, darker colour, slightly more moisture. |
| White sugar (granulated) | Coconut sugar | Start 1:1 by weight | Toffee-like flavour, noticeably darker colour, slightly softer texture. |
| White sugar (granulated) | Maple sugar | Start 1:1 by weight | Lighter colour than coconut sugar, subtle maple flavour, crisp edges. |
| White sugar (granulated) | Date sugar | Start 1:1 by weight | Speckled look, mild fruit-caramel flavour, can bake up a bit drier. |
| Brown sugar (packed) | Sucanat or panela | Start 1:1 by weight | Similar “brown sugar” vibe, deeper flavour, slightly less sticky. |
| Brown sugar (packed) | Coconut sugar | Start 1:1 by weight | Similar colour, slightly less moisture than brown sugar, more rustic. |
| Brown sugar (packed) | Date sugar | Start 1:1 by weight | Less moisture and binding, best in sturdy doughs or bars. |
Dry To Liquid (Syrups)
Liquid sweeteners change the moisture and browning in a recipe, especially in baking. If you do this, decreasing other liquids when swapping maple syrup for sugar is critical. Lowering the oven temperature by about 25°F (15°C) is also important because honey/maple browns faster.
Use the chart below for a starting point, then adjust recipe liquids and watch browning when you swap in syrups.
When converting from regular white sugar to a natural syrup, substitution MUST occur by weight, not volume.
| White sugar | Weight measure | Brown rice syrup | Honey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 25 grams | 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp | 1 tbsp |
| 1/4 cup | 50 grams | 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp | 2 tbsp |
| 1/2 cup | 100 grams | 1/4 cup + 3/4 tsp | 1/4 cup |
| 3/4 cup | 150 grams | 3/8 cup + 1 tsp | 3/8 cup |
| 1 cup | 200 grams | 1/2 cup + 1 tsp | 1/2 cup |
| 2 cups | 400 grams | 1 cup + 2 tsp | 1 cup |
| 3 cups | 600 grams | 1 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp | 1 1/2 cups |
Note: While there is some weight variance between honey and maple syrup, you can use the same amounts. Maple syrup is slightly less intense in sweetness, so the final recipe may taste less sweet unless you adjust, but do not add extra syrup without accounting for the added liquid.
Reduce other liquids when replacing sugar with maple syrup. King Arthur’s guideline is to decrease liquid by 3 to 4 tablespoons per 1 cup substitution.
- Lower the oven temperature by about 25°F (15°C) to prevent over-browning with honey/maple.
- Optional: A small baking soda adjustment with honey/maple in certain batters.
FAQs About This Sugar Substitution Guide
Can I replace white sugar with honey in baking?
Yes, if you do the proper conversions.
Do I need to reduce liquids when using maple syrup?
Yes, just slightly.
Why do baked goods brown faster with honey?
Honey actually has a higher sugar content than other types of sweeteners, so they can “burn” faster, leaving your baked goodies darker.
Is brown rice syrup as sweet as sugar?
It’s mild, so the results can taste less sweet. I will often add a little extra of a different sweetener if brown rice syrup is the only sweetener called for in a recipe.