Baking
Best Brown Sugar (Packed) Substitutes
Out of Brown Sugar (Packed)? Here are 2 real substitutes, ranked and ratio-backed.
1. Granulated sugar + molasses
Ratio: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses (2 tbsp for dark brown sugar), stirred together
This is essentially how brown sugar is made — the closest possible substitute, matching flavor and moisture almost exactly.
Best for: baking
2. Granulated sugar
Ratio: 1:1
Works in a pinch but the result is drier and lacks brown sugar's molasses flavor and chewiness.
Best for: baking (flavor/texture compromise)
Brown sugar is one of the few ingredients on this site with a substitute that's essentially identical to the real thing rather than an approximation — mixing granulated sugar with molasses is literally how brown sugar is manufactured, so this substitute isn't really a compromise at all if you have molasses on hand.
Using plain granulated sugar as a substitute, by contrast, is a genuine compromise — it works in a pinch, but the result is noticeably drier and lacks both the flavor and the extra moisture-retention that molasses provides, which shows up as a less chewy, slightly less moist final texture in cookies and other brown-sugar-heavy bakes.
The amount of molasses used in the substitute also lets you approximate light versus dark brown sugar specifically — roughly 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup of granulated sugar approximates light brown sugar, while about 2 tablespoons gets closer to dark brown sugar's deeper flavor and moisture.
The light-versus-dark molasses ratio matters more in some recipes than others — a gingerbread or a barbecue-sauce-style glaze specifically wants dark brown sugar's stronger, more assertive molasses note, and using the light-brown version (or under-measuring the molasses in a homemade substitute) will leave that kind of recipe tasting noticeably flatter, even though the texture comes out fine either way.
A brown sugar substitute isn't always the right fix, either — a bag that's merely hardened into a solid block, rather than genuinely run out, doesn't need a substitute at all; a slice of bread sealed in the bag overnight, or a brief stint in the microwave with a damp paper towel over it, restores real brown sugar's texture without touching flavor the way any substitute inevitably does.
Muscovado sugar sits outside the two options ranked above as an unrefined, far less processed product that naturally retains much more of its original molasses content than either commercial light or dark brown sugar does — the result is a stickier texture and a deeper, almost slightly bitter edge that a homemade granulated-sugar-and-molasses mix only approximates rather than fully matches.
Need to convert Brown Sugar (Packed) first? See its conversion page.
Frequently asked questions
Is the granulated-sugar-plus-molasses substitute basically the same as real brown sugar?
Yes — this is essentially the manufacturing process for brown sugar, so it's one of the closest substitute matches on the entire site rather than a true compromise, assuming you have molasses available.
What happens if I just use plain granulated sugar instead of brown sugar with no molasses?
The result will be noticeably drier and lack brown sugar's molasses flavor and characteristic chewiness — it works in a pinch but is a genuine flavor and texture compromise, not a close match.
How do I make a dark brown sugar substitute specifically, not just light?
Use roughly double the molasses (about 2 tablespoons per cup of granulated sugar instead of 1) to approximate dark brown sugar's deeper molasses flavor and higher moisture content.
Does the substitute change between light and dark brown sugar specifically?
The granulated-sugar-and-molasses substitute adjusts by molasses quantity (about 1 tablespoon per cup for light, roughly double for dark), so the substitute itself scales to match whichever brown sugar type the recipe calls for.
Can I use maple sugar as a brown sugar substitute?
It's a reasonable dry-sugar substitute in terms of moisture behavior, though its flavor leans maple rather than molasses, which changes the finished flavor profile more than the granulated-sugar-and-molasses option does.