A Simple Guide To Substituting Brown Sugar, Light Or Dark

Light and dark brown sugar can be used interchangeably in many cases, but proper substitution is necessary if you want a specific flavor or amount of leavening for a baked good.

Light brown sugar contains 3.5% molasses, whereas dark sugar has 6.5%. If you need dark brown sugar but only have light, add one tablespoon of molasses for every cup of sugar.

If you have neither, add one tablespoon of molasses to one cup of plain white sugar and combine the two using a mixer or the back of a fork to create light brown sugar.

For dark brown sugar, adding another ½ to one tablespoon of molasses to the light brown sugar you made should give you the extra color and richness required.