Granulated sugar
| Form | White cane or beet |
|---|---|
| Role | Sweetener · tenderness, browning, spread |
| Storage | Pantry, indefinitely |
| Season | Year-round |
| Allergens | none flagged |
| Pantry staple | yes (left off shopping lists) |
| Price | $3.49 / 4 lb |
| Nutrition | |
| Per teaspoon | 16 kcal |
| Per tablespoon | 48 kcal |
| Per cup | 774 kcal · 200 g |
| Per 100 g | 387 kcal |
| Approximate; enter values from a source you trust. | |
Description[edit]
Sugar does more than sweeten. Creamed with butter it cuts air pockets that become the crumb; in the oven it holds water, browns, and lets cookies spread. Liquid sweeteners do none of that the same way, so the substitution rules adjust liquids and temperature.
Find out more[edit]
Used in[edit]
| Recipe | Qty | Unit | Job in the recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banana bread | 0.75 | cup | sweet |
| Buttermilk pancakes | 2.0 | tbsp | sweet |
| Chocolate chip cookies | 1.5 | cup | sweet |
| Classic shortbread | 0.5 | cup | sweet |
| Lemon bars | 1.75 | cup | sweet |
| Pound cake | 1.5 | cup | sweet |
Can stand in for[edit]
Nothing yet.
Substitutions[edit]
| Use instead | When its job is | How much | Confidence | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey | any | × 0.75 | medium | Use ¾ the volume. Reduce other liquid by 3 tbsp per cup of honey, add ¼ tsp baking soda per cup, and lower the oven 25°F: honey browns fast. ⚠ Never for infants under one year. |
| Honey | creaming | as base rule | low | A liquid sweetener cannot be creamed with butter. Cookies spread thin and soft. |
| Maple syrup | any | × 0.75 | medium | Use ¾ the volume and reduce other liquid by 3 tbsp per cup of syrup. Milder browning than honey; flavor shows in quick breads. |
| Maple syrup | creaming | as base rule | low | Cannot be creamed; cookies spread thin. |