6 Best Sugar Substitutes When You're Out of the Sweet Stuff
Reach for one of these natural sweeteners!
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Top of mind in considering sugar substitutes may be a conscious decision to cut back on refined sugars, but it's important to remember that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Even alternative sweeteners should be used in moderation, as though there may be trace amounts of nutrients—compared to refined sugars, which have zero nutritional value—or other health benefits, you would need to consume a significant amount for it to make any difference, thus obliterating any so-called nutritional benefits.
Now that we've addressed the health-conscious elephant in the room, onto the sweet stuff! From various pie fillings to Ree Drummond's homemade lemonade, it's a cinch to use any of these sugar substitutes below as a sweetener, but when baking with plans to swap in a sub, it's always worth a deeper dive. Granulated sugar is used in batters or doughs to provide both moisture and aeration while also impacting the final shape and color of baked goods, meaning that a suitable substitute will need to cover all the bases that a recipe requires. (This is true of brown sugar substitutes, too.) When swapping in liquid sweeteners (like corn syrup substitutes and honey) in baking recipes, plan on reducing any added liquid in the recipe by about 1 tablespoon for each 1/4 cup of sweetener used; if the recipe does not call for an added liquid, increase the flour by about 1 tablespoon for every 1/4 cup of sweetener used. Ahead, try the best sugar substitutes for when you want to sweeten things up with something new!
Brown Rice Syrup
This is an ideal swap for corn syrup—see for yourself with these granola bars—and is great for making fudge and candy. Made from brown rice (surprise!), this syrup contains zero fructose, which is a notable form of sugar thought to negatively impact liver function and overall metabolic health.
Coconut Sugar
Unlike most other sugars derived from sugar cane, coconut sugar is made from the sap of coconut palm trees. It clocks in slightly lower on the glycemic index compared to granulated sugar, meaning that it's digested and absorbed more slowly. (That means it's less likely to cause a sugar rush—or crash!) It's not an ideal swap to cream with butter, as texturally it is softer than standard sugar, so it won't aerate butter as well, which will result in flatter, denser baked goods. That's not wholly problematic when making rich, dense treats like shortbread or cookies, but you might want to think twice about swapping in coconut sugar for any light and fluffy sponge cakes.
Fruit
No empty calories here! The sugar found in fruit is different from the other added sugars on this list, primarily because it is naturally occurring in nutrient-dense foods. The fiber found in fruits commonly used as a sugar substitute—think mashed bananas, applesauce, and dates—aid in slowing down digestion, which means less chances of a sugar rush and crash! (Ree uses applesauce to make her mom's muffins.) Fruit juices are also used as sweeteners, though they're best limited to use in foods like smoothies and oatmeal.
Honey
This thick, golden liquid produced by honeybees has a rich, unique flavor that varies based on the type of floral nectar collected. When swapped in for sugar in baking, it creates more of a dense, baked good, so try it out in quick breads and other soft, moist cakes. (Ree is also a fan of using honey to sweeten her smoothies.)
Maple Syrup
Cooked from the sap of maple trees, this thick, sugary liquid contains a small amount of antioxidants and essential minerals. It's comparable in calories to sugar, but it has a lower glycemic index. That means it takes longer to digest and it's sweeter, which ideally means you can use less of it. When used in baking, maple syrup imparts a more nuanced final result with richer undertones, similar to that of brown sugar. Maple syrup is also likely to result in a softer baked good than that of granulated sugar.
Molasses
Thick and sweet with slight bitter undertones, molasses is a byproduct of sugar production, as the brown syrup is what’s leftover after sugar crystals are removed from the boiled down liquid extracted from sugarcane or sugar beets. It's distinct flavor makes it the key ingredient in baked goods like Ree's spicy molasses cookies. When swapping in molasses for sugar, consider its slightly bitter undertones as the final result may not be as sweet as you'd like—experiment with a mixture of sweeteners or just a partial swap.
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