Can you imagine your favorite cookies without the sweet taste of muscovado sugar? It’s not a pretty picture.
Muscovado sugar is a type of dark brown, unrefined cane sugar that offers an intense molasses flavor.
Unfortunately, it can also be hard to find in grocery stores and costs about $3 per pound on online stores.
Luckily, I’ve listed nine perfect substitutes for muscovado sugar so you can enjoy your favorite recipes guilt-free.
9 Best Muscovado Sugar Substitutes
The best substitutes for muscovado sugar are brown sugar and demerara sugar. You can also use jaggery, turbinado sugar, and molasses as substitute for muscovado sugar.
Here are 9 different types of sugars/sweeteners that can be used in place of muscovado sugar if you don’t have the original ingredient on hand.
1. Brown Sugar
It’s no secret that brown sugar is one of my favorite sweeteners.
Not only does it add flavor to your recipes (it has a delicious caramel aroma), but it also enhances the texture – your treats will get a crunchy texture from the tiny crystals of unrefined cane sugar!
Brown sugars come in two variants – dark and light.
Dark brown sugar has an intense molasses flavor and should be used for savory dishes.
Light brown sugar can be used interchangeably with white granulated flour and it’s delicious with desserts. I personally recommend getting muscovado sugar and light brown sugar.
If you can’t find muscovado sugar, brown sugar will be a near similar substitute.
2. Demerara Sugar
Demerara sugar has large, golden crystals and a deep amber color that makes your desserts look more decadent.
In fact, it’s the most popular type of muscovado sugar substitute! This type of unrefined cane sugar originated from Barbados and you can find it in most grocery stores these days.
The crystals are very fine but larger than regular table salt grains which give them a nice crunchy texture that complements many desserts and pastries!
Demerara sugar gives baked goods a sweet-salty flavor.
3. Turbinado Sugar
Another good muscovado sugar alternative is turbinado sugar, also known as “Sugar in the Raw” or “Cane Sugar”.
You can easily find it in most grocery stores these days! It’s light and fluffy with finer crystals, which make for a crunchy texture.
It offers a strong molasses flavor and is best used as an alternative to white sugar in cookies, cakes, and pies.
Turbinado sugar also tends to melt easier and faster than other brown sugars making it a preferred choice in recipes where a caramelized taste is needed.
4. Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional sweetener used in many parts of the world. It’s made by boiling down the juice from sugar cane and then it is dried out to form a thick, dark brown lump.
Jaggery has been used as a sweetener for thousands of years so you can be sure that it isn’t harmful to your health.
It looks similar to chocolate chips but tastes like caramel! Jaggery can be used as muscovado sugar replacement in most recipes.
The only downside with jaggery is that it is loaded with calories – each tablespoon contains 10 g of carbs, which is equivalent to two tablespoons of regular granulated sugar!
5. Granulated Sugar
This one is probably the most popular substitute for muscovado sugar because all you need to do is get a bag of granulated sugar and make sure that it doesn’t have any artificial sweeteners.
You can use granulated sugar in most recipes that call for muscovado sugar.
However, be cautious with the quantity because granulated sugar is slightly sweeter than muscovado.
6. White Sugar
I’ll be honest – white sugar is not an ideal muscovado sugar substitute if you care about food nutrition. But, if there’s nothing else available but white sugar, you can use it.
White sugar is made by refining regular granulated cane sugar until it’s white – this strips the molasses from the crystals.
The process also removes many essential nutrients and minerals including iron, calcium, zinc, potassium, and manganese! For that reason alone I recommend staying away from processed white sugars as much as possible.
If you absolutely must use white sugar in place of muscovado – try using organic cane sugar instead for maximum health benefits.
7. Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener made from the stevia plant. It’s very popular with people who like to avoid sugar because it has zero calories and no carbs.
There are many brand-name stevia products such as Truvia, PureVia, Sun Crystals, and SweetLeaf which make Stevia a readily available muscovado sugar substitute.
Stevia is available in both liquid and powdered forms. You can use either one of them interchangeably with muscovado sugar depending on your needs.
8. Molasses Sugar
If you’re looking for a 100% natural muscovado sugar substitute, the best bet is molasses sugar.
Molasses has a distinctly strong and bitter taste that most people find unpalatable.
But, in very small quantities it can be used to enhance the flavor of other ingredients in recipes such as gingerbread cookies or pumpkin bars.
It’s thick and syrupy when you buy it but it can easily be mixed with water to make molasses sugar – one of the best alternatives for muscovado sugar.
Molasses sugars are dark brown in color with a slightly bitter taste. You can use it just like regular granulated sugar in most recipes.
9. Rapadura
Rapadura is a type of unrefined brown sugar made from the whole sugar cane juice. It’s less sweet than granulated white sugar, which means you’ll need to use more of it in your recipes.
Unlike refined brown sugars, Rapadura does not go through any centrifugal refining process so it retains all its nutrients and minerals!
Since it retains all of its natural molasses, Rapadura is very similar to muscovado with a similar flavor profile.
The now-defunct Whole Foods Market chain used to carry Rapadura sugar in their stores. If you have access to Whole Foods, it’s worth checking out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does muscovado sugar look like?
Muscovado is a type of sugar derived from sugar cane and it’s part of the brown sugar family. This is how it looks:
It has a higher molasses content than other types of sugars, which gives it its characteristic color and sweetness.
In fact, muscovado sugar is an excellent source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
What does muscovado sugar taste like?
Muscovado sugar has a deep, molasses-like flavor that is perfect for baking or adding richness to savory dishes. It is not as sweet as other types of sugar, so it can be used in recipes that call for a less sweet taste.
Muscovado sugar is also less processed than other types of sugar, so it retains more of its natural flavor. If you are looking for a sugar with a deep, rich flavor, then muscovado sugar is the perfect choice for you.
People who love dark coffee, chocolate, and nuts will absolutely love this flavor. If you’ve ever tried Muscovado-flavored rum, it’s very similar to that taste.
Where can you use muscovado sugar?
Muscovado sugar can be used in any recipe that calls for sugar. It can be used to sweeten coffee or tea, baked goods, or even added to savory dishes.
Muscovado sugar is also perfect for making homemade jams and jellies. If you are looking for less processed sugar, then muscovado sugar is the perfect choice for you.
I recommend trying the following recipes that call for muscovado sugar:
- Gingerbread cookies
- Pumpkin bars
- Sugar cookies
- Hot chocolate
Can you eat muscovado sugar raw?
Yes, muscovado sugar can be eaten raw.
It is unrefined and has a high molasses content, which gives it a deep flavor. It is also sticky, so it can be difficult to eat without getting it all over your hands!
Can I use demerara instead of muscovado?
Yes, you can use demerara instead of muscovado in a similar quantity.
Demerara sugar is made from the second pressing of the cane. It’s very similar to muscovado but it has more texture because the crystals are larger.
Personally, I prefer muscovado sugar over Demerara because the latter has a bitter aftertaste that’s not pleasant.
Can you substitute brown sugar for muscovado?
Yes, you can do that. There are many recipes where muscovado and brown sugar are interchangeable.
Is muscovado sugar better than white sugar?
Yes, muscovado sugar is a better and healthier alternative to refined white sugar in most recipes.
White sugar is refined to strip off all its nutrients and flavor. It’s packed with chemicals that are harmful to your health.
On the other hand, muscovado sugar is very rich in minerals, contains antioxidant properties, and it’s packed with vital nutrients.
It does, however, contain a moderate amount of calories (about 1.5g per teaspoon) so you should not overdo it with this natural sweetener.
Final Words
Muscovado is a healthy natural sweetener that’s loaded with vital nutrients. It has a rich molasses flavor profile and it works well in many different types of recipes.
But, it won’t be an issue if you don’t have muscovado available in your pantry. It can be easily substituted with the aforementioned sugars and sweeteners helping you focus on the recipe and not on a grocery run.
Do you know any other substitute for muscovado that I missed? Let me know in the comments.
