Light brown sugar contains about 3.5% molasses and dark brown sugar about 6.5%, according to King Arthur Baking and University of Illinois Extension. Dark brown sugar is deeper in color with a stronger molasses flavor; light is milder. They weigh the same per cup and can usually be swapped one for one.
Key facts
- Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added back: about 3.5% for light and 6.5% for dark.
- King Arthur Baking says light and dark brown sugar are interchangeable by weight or volume.
- To make light brown sugar from dark, mix equal parts dark brown and granulated sugar (Utah State Extension).
- US recipes mean packed brown sugar: USDA lists 1 cup packed at 220 g, versus 145 g loosely filled.
- Brown sugar hardens as its moisture evaporates; a slice of bread in the container softens it in about a day (Illinois Extension).
What is the difference between light and dark brown sugar?
The difference between light and dark brown sugar is the amount of molasses. Dark brown sugar has nearly twice as much, which makes it darker and more strongly flavored. Light brown sugar has a gentler, caramel-like sweetness.
| Light brown sugar | Dark brown sugar | |
|---|---|---|
| Molasses content | About 3.5% | About 6.5% |
| Color | Lighter | Deeper |
| Flavor | Mild, caramel-like | Stronger, more assertive molasses |
| Typical uses (Sugar Association) | Sauces and most baked goods | Gingerbread, baked beans, barbecue and other full-flavored foods |
| Weight per packed cup | Same for both: 220 g (USDA) | |
Molasses content figures are from King Arthur Baking and University of Illinois Extension. Brands can vary a little in shade.
How is brown sugar made?
Most brown sugar is made by adding molasses back to white sugar. Illinois Extension explains that refining removes the molasses from sugar crystals to make white sugar; brown sugar puts some of it back. King Arthur Baking notes commercial brown sugar can contain up to 10% molasses by weight. The Sugar Association adds that some brown sugar is made by boiling a brown sugar syrup directly instead.
So brown sugar ingredients are simple: sugar and molasses. What makes brown sugar brown is that molasses coating. Molasses is also what makes brown sugar soft and clumpy: Illinois Extension notes it holds water, which helps keep baked goods moist.
Can you use light and dark brown sugar interchangeably?
Yes. King Arthur Baking says light and dark brown sugar can be substituted for each other cup for cup or gram for gram, because they weigh the same. Expect a change in flavor and color, not in structure: dark brown sugar gives a deeper color and more pronounced molasses taste, and light brown sugar gives a milder result.
When a recipe names one type, use it if you can. When it just says "brown sugar," either works.
Does the extra molasses affect baking soda?
Barely. Molasses is acidic, and acids react with baking soda. King Arthur Baking says the small difference in acidity between light and dark brown sugar is unlikely to matter in baked goods. (The difference between brown and white sugar is a bigger deal; see below.) Our guide to baking soda vs baking powder explains the chemistry.
How to make light brown sugar from dark
Mix 1/2 cup dark brown sugar with 1/2 cup granulated sugar to replace 1 cup light brown sugar. This ratio comes from Utah State University Extension.
How to make brown sugar from white sugar and molasses
To make brown sugar, combine granulated sugar with molasses. Sources differ on how much molasses to use:
| To replace | Granulated sugar | Molasses | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup packed brown sugar | 1 cup | 1/4 cup (unsulphured) | Colorado State University Extension |
| Light brown sugar | 1 cup (198 g) | 2 tsp (14 g) | King Arthur Baking |
| Dark brown sugar | 1 cup (198 g) | 1 tbsp (21 g) | King Arthur Baking |
Colorado State's 1/4 cup is several times King Arthur's amount, so expect a darker, stronger-tasting sugar; it's the version on our brown sugar substitutes page. King Arthur's smaller amounts give a milder result. Work the molasses into the sugar with a fork or your fingertips until the color is even, or, as King Arthur suggests, simply add both to the recipe at the same time. Weights for molasses are on molasses cups to grams.
Can you use white sugar instead of brown sugar?
Yes, in a pinch: Utah State Extension lists 1 cup granulated sugar for 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar. You'll lose the molasses flavor, color and some moisture. King Arthur Baking cautions that results are hard to predict. The swap tends to work better in recipes leavened with baking powder than in those that rely on brown sugar's acidity to activate baking soda, and it can change how cookies spread. In recipes where brown sugar carries the flavor, such as a filling, you'll notice the missing caramel note. More options are on our granulated sugar substitutes page.
How to measure packed brown sugar
Unless a recipe says otherwise, "1 cup brown sugar" in a US recipe means firmly packed. Spoon the sugar into a dry measuring cup, press it down with the back of a spoon, and keep adding until it's level with the rim. Turned out, it should hold the cup's shape. Our guide to how to measure flour covers packing brown sugar step by step, and dry vs liquid measuring cups explains which cup to use.
Packing makes a big difference. USDA lists 1 cup of packed brown sugar at 220 g and a loosely filled cup at 145 g. King Arthur Baking weighs a packed cup at 213 g.
| Amount | Packed brown sugar (USDA, 220 g per cup) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 55 g (about 1.9 oz) |
| 1/3 cup | 73 g (about 2.6 oz) |
| 1/2 cup | 110 g (about 3.9 oz) |
| 2/3 cup | 147 g (about 5.2 oz) |
| 1 cup | 220 g (about 7.8 oz) |
How many cups are in 1 pound of brown sugar?
One pound of brown sugar is about 2 cups packed. A pound is 453.6 g, and at USDA's 220 g per packed cup that works out to 2.06 cups. Loosely filled, the same pound fills about 3 cups. For other weights, use brown sugar cups to grams; 150 g of brown sugar, for example, is about 2/3 cup packed.
How to soften hardened brown sugar
Brown sugar hardens when air dries out the moisture held by its molasses. Illinois Extension's fix is to lay a slice of bread on top of the sugar in a closed container and leave it for about a day; the sugar takes up moisture and softens. Prevent it by keeping brown sugar in an airtight container. University of Georgia Extension puts brown sugar's best freshness at about 4 to 6 months when stored airtight.
Turbinado, demerara and muscovado vs brown sugar
Turbinado, demerara and muscovado are less-refined cane sugars that keep some of their natural molasses, rather than having molasses added back. They differ from regular brown sugar mainly in crystal size and texture.
| Sugar | What it is | Texture and flavor | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light or dark brown | White sugar with molasses added | Soft, moist, clumps; mild to strong molasses | Baking, sauces, glazes |
| Turbinado | Partially processed cane sugar; sold as "raw sugar" | Large, dry, blond crystals; mild brown sugar flavor | Sprinkling and stirring into drinks |
| Demerara | Light brown, large-crystal "raw" sugar | Crunchy; some tasters find it more caramel-like than turbinado | Crunchy topping for muffins and cookies |
| Muscovado (Barbados sugar) | Unrefined cane sugar with its molasses left in | Very dark, sticky, sandy; strong molasses | Where a strong molasses flavor is wanted |
America's Test Kitchen found turbinado and demerara interchangeable with each other, but advises against using them in batters and doughs because their big crystals don't dissolve as easily as granulated sugar. Illinois Extension notes turbinado lacks the soft, moist texture of brown sugar.
Is brown sugar healthier than white sugar?
No. Illinois Extension says brown and white sugar have a similar nutrient profile, and the small amount of molasses doesn't make brown sugar a healthier choice. Both count as added sugar.
Light or dark brown sugar for glazes and pork chops?
Either works in a glaze; dark gives a deeper color and stronger molasses flavor, light a milder one. Whatever the glaze, cook pork chops to USDA's safe minimum of 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, checked with a thermometer. See pork chop temperatures.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between light and dark brown sugar?
Molasses. Light brown sugar has about 3.5% molasses and dark brown about 6.5%, so dark is darker and more strongly flavored.
Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?
Yes, cup for cup. Expect a deeper color and a stronger molasses flavor; for a closer match, mix half dark brown sugar with half granulated sugar.
How do you make brown sugar?
Mix granulated sugar with molasses. King Arthur Baking uses 2 teaspoons molasses per cup for light and 1 tablespoon for dark; Colorado State Extension uses 1/4 cup for a stronger result.
How many cups are in a pound of brown sugar?
About 2 cups firmly packed, based on USDA's 220 g per packed cup.
What does packed brown sugar mean?
Brown sugar pressed firmly into a dry measuring cup until level, so it holds the cup's shape when turned out. A packed cup weighs about 220 g.
How do you soften hard brown sugar?
Put a slice of bread on the sugar in a closed container and leave it about a day. Store it airtight to keep it soft.
Sources
- King Arthur Baking: Light vs. dark brown sugar: What's the difference?
- King Arthur Baking: What can I substitute for brown sugar?
- University of Illinois Extension: What makes brown sugar brown?
- The Sugar Association: Types of sugar
- Utah State University Extension: Ingredient substitution (FN 255)
- Colorado State University Extension: Ingredient substitutions (Fact Sheet 9.329)
- University of Georgia CAES: Check your cooking staples
- America's Test Kitchen: Are turbinado and demerara sugars interchangeable?
