This is the Best Sugar Substitute for Baking, According to Pastry Chefs

If there’s one thing just about any recipe for baked goods has in common, it’s the addition of sugar. Whether you’re making a batch of cookies, a dozen cupcakes, a cake, or muffins, sugar (either granulated, brown sugar, or a combo) is on the ingredient list.

But what if you can’t (or don’t want to) eat sugar? There are still ways to enjoy a little treat.

Often, sugar can be swapped for other ingredients in baking. It won’t play quite the same role in building structure and adding sweetness, but it can still allow non-sugar eaters to dig in. So, what’s the best sugar substitute for baking? We turned to three expert bakers to find out.

What Does Sugar Do in Baking?

First things first: It’s important to understand why sugar is on the ingredients list for most baked goods. Of course, it adds sweetness to a recipe, but it also plays a key role in developing texture.

In many baked goods recipes, the first step is to cream the butter and sugar. The sugar helps aerate the butter, creating tiny air bubbles to make for a light and tender texture. Adding a sugar substitute won't necessarily cause your baked goods to fall flat, however. There are plenty of substitutes that can still help achieve similar results.

The Sweet Sources

• Ann Ziata: Chef at the Institute of Culinary Education
• Dominick Miller-Luna: Pastry Program Manager at Little Saint in Healdsburg, California, and competitor on Food Network’s Summer Baking Championship
• Nicole Redd-McIntosh: Pastry chef and wedding cake baker at Nicole Bakes Cakes

The Best Sugar Substitutes for Baking 

The Chefs' Favorite Alternative: Coconut Sugar

If you’re looking for the closest substitute for sugar in baking, Ziata, Redd-McIntosh, and Miller-Luna all agree that coconut sugar is an excellent option. “You can use a one-to-one ratio,” says Redd-McIntosh, noting it can be used to substitute granulated and brown sugars.

“Similar to brown sugar, it’s just as sweet as white sugar with a toasted, toffee flavor,” describes Ziata. “It works great in cookies, bars, cakes, pie crusts, and more. You will get a stronger flavor and darker color than when using it, so keep that in mind when making lighter bakes." She likes it best combined with fruit, chocolate, caramel, coffee, and, of course, coconut.

Miller-Luna agrees, advising that it’s best to skip using coconut sugar in light, bright desserts, such as lemon curd or strawberry jam. “It lends an incredibly moist texture to your finished baked goods, such as in muffins and banana bread," he says.

When subbing in coconut sugar, use an amount equal to the granulated or brown sugar called for in the recipe. Ziata notes that it’s helpful to pulse coconut sugar in the food processor before using: It makes it less coarse and closer to the fine consistency of granulated sugar, which will help it more easily dissolve and created a more tender and evenly browned bake. One more note from Ziata: “The fiber in coconut sugar can absorb moisture, so you may need to add slightly more liquid."

Though coconut sugar may be a good fit for some people lowering their refined sugar intake, it's not for all diabetics.

The Runner-Up: Maple Syrup 

According to Miller-Luna, pure maple syrup still functions quite well in many recipes that call for sugars that are in solid form, despite it being a liquid. “I keep in mind its flavor profile and what I’m pairing it with in the final product," he explains, noting that it works nicely with baking spices, nuts, orange zest, and teas like Earl Grey."

The chefs say it's important to keep in mind the role that sugar is playing in your recipe. For cookies, creaming butter and sugar plays a role in structure, so a liquid option may not be the best route; however, when it comes to enriched dough, cake batter, or ice cream, it's fair game.

Because of this, Ziata advises using three-quarters cup of maple syrup for every one cup of granulated sugar. “Depending on the recipe, you may need to decrease the wet ingredients like milk or water or increase the amount of flour by a couple tablespoons to account for the extra moisture from the maple syrup,” she adds.

Other Sugar Swaps

Applesauce: The chefs applaud applesauce as another liquid substitute. “It can be a great way to add natural sugars into treats like cakes, muffins, and breads,” says Miller-Luna. “Its high water content might mean you need to adjust or increase your dry ingredients, but applesauce is a wholesome way to sweeten your baked goods.”

Monk fruit: Redd-McIntosh notes that she also loves to use the sugars derived from this small, round melon as a sub. When using a regular monk fruit substitute, she warns that it's on the sweeter side; however, there are monk fruit baking sugars specifically designed to be used as a one-to-one replacement.