Quick Summary: The best substitutes for demerara sugar are turbinado sugar, light or dark brown sugar, muscovado sugar, golden caster sugar, coconut sugar, sucanat, vergeoise, molasses, or granulated sugar mixed with molasses. Most swap in at a 1:1 ratio. If you want to know what to use instead of demerara sugar in a pinch, turbinado is the closest match for crunch, while brown sugar is the easiest everyday alternative.
What is demerara sugar?
Demerara sugar is raw, unrefined cane sugar native to Guyana with large, golden-brown crystals. It is less refined than white sugar and retains some molasses, giving it a slightly caramelized flavor and a satisfying crunch to baked goods.
The sugar's crunchy texture makes it a great choice for sprinkling on desserts, muffins, cereal, or hot drinks like coffee and tea.
I have tried baking with demerara sugar, making one of my favorite recipes: banana bread. And yes, I liked it because of its natural molasses content and its deeper taste compared to refined sugars.
Since I am keen on French dessert recipes that sometimes use this type of sugar, finding a fitting substitute is often essential to preserve the intended texture and molasses-like flavor of the finished product.
What is the best demerara sugar substitute?
- Dark brown sugar: Best for cookies and cakes, as it adds moisture and a chewy texture.
- Light brown sugar: Use in sauces and glazes to impart a subtle caramel sweetness.
- Light muscovado sugar: Ideal for rich desserts like sticky toffee pudding with a desired deep molasses flavor.
- Dark muscovado sugar: Best for pastries with a strong molasses flavor.
- Granulated sugar and molasses blend: Use it for marinades and BBQ sauces that require a robust zest.
- Blond or golden caster sugar: Excellent for sponge cakes due to its light texture and hint of caramel.
- Coconut sugar: Perfect in tea or coffee and for baking and cooking.
- Sucanat: Used in pastries, drinks, and jams.
- Turbinado sugar: Sprinkle atop crème brûlée for a crackly caramelized crust.
- Vergeoise sugar: Used for making sugar tart, speculoos, Flemish flan, pancakes, and Belgian waffles.
- Molasses: Perfect for gingerbread baked goods and molasses cakes.
Top demerara sugar substitutes
Dark and light brown sugar
Demerara sugar is known for its large sugar crystals and robust molasses flavor, qualities that are not quite replicated by brown sugar. However, I find that brown sugar, with its soft, fine grains and milder taste, serves as a convenient stand-in.
When I use brown sugar as a replacement, I sometimes slightly increase the quantity to compensate for its subtler sweetness. I use one cup and a tablespoon of brown sugar for every cup of demerara sugar.
This helps to preserve similar moisture levels and sweetness in my recipes, ensuring delectable outcomes even with the substitution.
The amount and type of refiner's syrup (a type of molasses) determine the color and intensity of the taste. Both types of brown sugar can replace demerara sugar, but their small crystals dissolve more quickly.
Light and dark muscovado sugar
Muscovado sugar, like demerara, originates from cane sugar but has a higher molasses content. Also called Barbados sugar, this dark, sticky sugar lends a deep, more pronounced molasses and caramel flavor that enriches recipes with complex sweetness.
Its moist texture also contributes wonderfully to the dense texture of cakes and brownies.
When a recipe calls for the richness of demerara but needs more moisture or a fudgier outcome, muscovado is the perfect substitution. All you need to do is choose between light or dark muscovado sugar.
White granulated sugar and molasses
If you need to replace demerara sugar, you can create a simple substitute using white granulated sugar and molasses.
For each cup of demerara sugar needed, mix one cup of granulated sugar with one tablespoon of molasses. Mix them thoroughly until the molasses is evenly distributed through the sugar.
This sugar blend will not completely replicate demerara's larger crystals but will offer a similar caramel note and sweetness to your baking.
Blond or golden caster sugar
It is a fine, mild-flavored sugar made from golden cane syrup. As an unrefined sugar with a natural caramel-like flavor, it replaces demerara well. But its superfine texture differs from that of demerara.
Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar is derived from coconut tree sap and processed like demerara sugar. Both sugars are unrefined and share a golden color. Coconut sugar serves as a great alternative to demerara.
Sucanat
Sucanat (rapadura) is produced by vacuum dehydration of sugar cane juice. It contains about 15% molasses, which gives it quite a strong flavor, similar to demerara.
Sucanat has a very coarse texture, not crystalline, like demerara sugar. Still, due to its caramelized flavor, you can use it like demerara.
Turbinado sugar
Also known as raw plantation sugar, turbinado sugar is pale and crunchy with a subtle flavor. It has large crystals covered with a thin layer of molasses. This sugar is used to sprinkle on desserts (pies, cookies, and pastries) rather than for cooking.
If you cannot find demerara sugar, turbinado is a good substitute in equal amounts.
Vergeoise sugar
Vergeoise is produced from sugar beets by prolonged heating of the sweet juice. There are two types of vergeoise: blonde (cooked once) and brown (cooked twice). If you do not have demerara sugar, vergeoise is a good substitute.
It is a specialty sugar mostly used in Belgium and the north of France as a key ingredient in sugar tarts, speculoos, Flemish flan, pancakes, Belgian waffles, etc.
Molasses
Molasses is a liquid sugar, a byproduct of cane sugar refining. Molasses' flavor is similar to demerara but is much stronger. It is used in gingerbread and molasses cakes, but is limited in preparations with a more delicate flavor.
To replace demerara with molasses is not straightforward. You will need to adapt your recipe to compensate for the extra liquid.
How to substitute demerara sugar
The key lies in selecting a substitute resembling demerara sugar's distinctive caramel notes and crystalline texture. Each option provided serves a specific purpose and will ensure your baked goods are not only sweet but structurally right. For accurate swaps, use my baking ingredient conversions chart.
Your local grocery store indeed carries one of the best substitutes for demerara sugar. You can replace 1 cup of demerara sugar with:
- 1 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
- 1 cup muscovado sugar (light or dark)
- 1 cup granulated sugar and molasses blend
- 1 cup golden caster sugar
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 cup sucanat
- 1 cup turbinado sugar
- 1 cup vergeoise
- 1 cup molasses. However, either reduce the liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup (60 ml) or increase the flour by ¼ cup (30 g). Additionally, include ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to balance the acidity of the molasses.
FAQ
What is the best substitute for demerara sugar?
Turbinado sugar is the best substitute for demerara sugar because it has the same coarse crystals, golden color, and light molasses flavor, and can be swapped in at a 1:1 ratio. For everyday baking, light or dark brown sugar is the easiest alternative.
What can I use instead of demerara sugar?
You can use turbinado, light or dark brown sugar, muscovado, golden caster sugar, coconut sugar, sucanat, vergeoise, or molasses instead of demerara sugar. In a pinch, granulated sugar blended with a tablespoon of molasses per cup works too.
What is a good alternative to demerara sugar for baking?
Muscovado sugar is a good alternative for moist, rich bakes like brownies and sticky toffee pudding, while brown sugar suits most cookies and cakes. For a crunchy topping, use turbinado or golden caster sugar.
Is demerara sugar the same as brown sugar?
No. Demerara sugar is a raw, unrefined cane sugar that keeps its natural molasses and has large, crunchy crystals. Brown sugar is refined white sugar with molasses added back, so it has finer, softer grains and a milder flavor.
Can you replace demerara sugar with granulated sugar?
Yes, you can replace demerara sugar with granulated sugar at a 1:1 ratio for sweetness, but it lacks the molasses flavor and crunch. Add one tablespoon of molasses per cup to mimic the caramel notes.
What is a good replacement for demerara sugar as a topping?
For a crunchy topping on muffins, pies, or crème brûlée, turbinado or golden caster sugar makes the best replacement for demerara sugar, as both give a similar caramelized crackle.
Conclusion
Muscovado, turbinado, golden caster sugar, and granulated sugar with a touch of molasses can be substituted for demerara sugar in equal proportions. However, demerara sugar crystals are coarser than those of other types of sugar.
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