It can be incredibly time consuming having to go to the grocery store, especially when it’s just for one item. If you want to speed up the whole process, and find some alternatives for demerara sugar, then we’re here to help you.
Demerara sugar is an essential component in many sweet treats, and most commonly it’s used for making fudge, or caramel based dishes.
As well as this, because it has a very thick, molasses quality, it adds a lot of flavor to cakes and pastries too.
Sometimes, because it’s not as common as other sugar varieties, it can actually be really difficult to find in the supermarket.
If you’re planning on making a recipe that absolutely requires demerara sugar, then there are a few substitutes that you can use too.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the very best you can find. To find out more, simply keep reading, as we take a closer look.
What Is Demerara Sugar?
Now, before we jump straight in and start taking a look at some of our substitutes, it’s best to cover what demerara sugar is, and what it’s typically used for. This will help us to assess some other alternative options for your baking.
Demerara sugar is essentially a sugar that’s brown in color, and is super unrefined. It was first produced in Guyana, where it’s still made ubiquitously today.
The juice is extracted from the sugar by harvesting the sugar cane, then after this it’s boiled so that the entire water content evaporates.
The rest of the syrup will then form crystals, which give us that sugar quality we’re looking for. It’s quite crunchy, and is used in baking items such as fudge.
It’s also great for creating caramel glazes too. In terms of flavor, it quite closely resembles brown sugar, but it’s far richer than this other variety.
Because the sugar is unrefined, it’s actually far better for you than lots of other options on the market. It has a number of different vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, zinc, and iron.
It’s known for being really great for your immune system, as well as aiding the digestive process.
As well as being used within baking, a lot of people will opt to put a little bit of demerara sugar on top of their granola or porridge. It adds a depth of flavor to dishes.
The Very Best Demerara Sugar Substitutes
Now that we’ve covered what demerara sugar actually is, we can move on to discuss some of our top substitutes.
The one you choose to use will depend on the purpose of what you’re making, as well as what you have access to in your cupboards.
We’re not saying that these are exactly like using the real deal, but they do get pretty close. To find out more, simply keep reading below.
1. Brown Sugar
We’re going to get started with a classic, and brown sugar is one that pretty much everyone uses and has in their cupboards.
Brown sugar actually makes quite a good replacement for demerara sugar, because it has a very chewy texture, as well as having that thick, rich, molasses taste we’re all accustomed with.
Brown sugar is also really accessible, and can be found in any grocery store, with a number of different brands on offer.
If you’re planning on using brown sugar in a recipe rather than demerara, then we’d recommend that you use the exact same amount.
The only difference that you’ll notice between your baked goods is that they might not taste as strong. Demerara sugar has an incredibly deep, rich flavor that brown sugar doesn’t fully emulate.
But, the good news is that they will produce the same texture for your baked goods. You can substitute demerara for brown sugar when you’re making items such as caramel and fudge too.
2. Muscovado Sugar
Muscovado is another popular type of sugar that most of us are familiar with. It’s unrefined, and has a super rich molasses flavor that matches that of demerara.
As you can see from the image, muscovado sugar is incredibly rich, and has a super grainy texture. This is because it’s unrefined just like demerara, which also means that it’s a healthier option.
Undefined sugars keep all of their natural vitamins and minerals. In terms of what you can bake using muscovado sugar, we’d consider using this one if you’re planning on making dense, baked goods.
This one would be particularly great for making cookies, or sturdy cakes, as the sugar is super compact. In terms of flavor, as we just mentioned, they’re very well matched.
Muscovado sugar, however, does have a slightly darker and deeper flavor than demerara, so perhaps take this into consideration and see whether you need to make any adjustments.
3. Molasses
If you want a completely different substitute for demerara sugar, then you could just go ahead and purchase some molasses. Molasses is a gooey substance that’s great for baked goods.
It’s not quite as sweet as the other sugars on our list, but does give a super rich and deep flavor.
This one is also really great because it’s actually one of the easiest to substitute. All you have to do is use the exact same amount of molasses as you would for the demerara sugar.
Some people shy away from using molasses for baked goods simply because it’s unfamiliar territory, but it’s actually so easy.
4. Cane Sugar
Now, this brings us on to our final substitute, which is cane sugar. Cane sugar is great because it’s completely unrefined, and it’s been made from the juices provided by sugarcane.
This one is great for creating baked goods such as cakes and cookies, because it has the same deep flavor. We wouldn’t recommend using this one for items such as fudge or caramel however, as it’s just not as sticky.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there is a bunch of stuff that you can use to substitute your regular demerara sugar. Depending on the item that you’re planning on baking, you can choose accordingly, and if need be, adjust the amount of the ingredient you use.
We sincerely hope that this article has been useful to you, and we wish you the very best in your baking endeavors.
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
Here at ButterandSaltGatherings, I want to offer a wide range of ingredients, flavors, meals and recipes so that you can start living each day to the fullest, and enjoy only the best food.
