11 Best Substitutes For Coconut Sugar
A substitute for coconut sugar isn’t so hard to find. In general, you can replace coconut sugar with light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, honey, or granulated sugar.
Coconut sugar is made of coconut palm sap. It has a subtly sweet taste with a hint of caramel. It has similar nutritive and calory value as the regular raw cane sugar, but some research suggests that coconut sugar might possess some health benefits, such as preventing high cholesterol and heart disease.
Apart from already mentioned light/dark brown and granulated sugar, there are many more equally great coconut sugar substitutes, so keep reading to learn more about them!
Table of Contents
Substitute For Coconut Sugar
1. Raw honey
Raw honey comes in liquid form, and 1/4 cup of raw honey replaces 1 cup of coconut sugar. There are plenty of healthy ingredients in raw honey: pollen, beeswax, and propolis. They make raw honey one of the best substitutes for coconut sugar or any other sweetener.
2. Light brown sugar
Light brown sugar is simply a sugar that contains molasses. Molasses is a dark brown sugar cane juice that gives the brown sugar its distinctive color and coffee-caramel flavor.
3. Dark brown sugar
The only difference between light and dark brown sugar is the amount of molasses they contain. Light brown sugar contains 3,5% molasses, while dark brown contains 6,5%. This gives a richer caramel flavor to dark brown sugar. Brown sugar is also known as raw sugar because it is less processed than white sugar.
4. White sugar
Also known as refined white sugar and regular sugar, this sugar doesn’t contain molasses, but it is just as sweet as brown sugar, only without brown color and caramel flavor.
5. Maple syrup
A clever alternative to coconut sugar. Maple syrup is made of sap that’s found in sugar maple trees. 1/4 cup of marble syrup will replace 1 cup of coconut sugar, and it is worth mentioning that this sweetener has a slightly smoked caramel taste.
6. Sucanat
Short for “sucre de canne naturel” is an unrefined sugar made from heated and dehydrated sugar cane juice. It looks similar to coconut sugar, and it has a light caramel flavor.
7. Date sugar
Made of finely chopped dates, it is full of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. It has a sweet and mild flavor.
8. Agave nectar
Made from the syrup of the blue agave plant, it is much sweeter than the regular sugar, and it is more similar to honey. However, it has a low glycemic index, which makes it a bit better choice for those who are worried about their sugar levels after eating sweets.
9. Maple sugar
Similar to maple syrup, it is dehydrated and reduced into granules. It has a buttery caramel flavor with a hint of vanilla.
10. Mexican brown sugar
A variety of dark brown sugar, is usually found in Mexico. It has an earthy, caramel-like flavor.
11. Demerara sugar
Type of raw sugar with a dark color and coarse texture. Typically found in Guyana, it is most often used as a garnishing sugar when baking to add crunchiness. However, it can easily substitute coconut sugar in various recipes.
Substitute For Coconut Sugar In Brownies
When making brownies, you can use white or brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. Since your goal should be to achieve that brownie taste, brown sugar is a better option than the white one because of its caramel-like flavor, similar to coconut sugar’s flavor.
Substitute For Coconut Sugar In Banana Bread
You can try replacing coconut sugar with brown sugar or maple syrup when baking banana bread. It will taste just as good as when made with coconut sugar. Other options are honey, agave syrup, or date sugar. They will all serve the purpose and give your banana bread that sweet and caramel-like taste.
Substitute For Coconut Palm Sugar
Most people prefer cane sugar when substituting coconut palm sugar. Cane sugar is a good alternative to coconut palm sugar, but it is sweeter and has a more subtle taste when compared to the earthy coconut sugar flavor.
Keto Substitute For Coconut Sugar
Monk fruit sugar is a perfect keto substitute for coconut sugar because its sweetness doesn’t come from the sugars found in fruit but from the unique antioxidants called mogrosides. These antioxidants give monk fruit an intense sweet flavor.
Substitute Honey For Coconut Sugar
When you substitute coconut sugar with honey, maple syrup, and agave syrup, you should keep in mind that 1/4 cup of honey/maple syrup/agave syrup is enough to substitute 1 cup of coconut sugar. Honey, as well as the maple and agave syrup, is much sweeter than coconut sugar, so you should be careful when using them instead.
Substitute Erythritol For Coconut Sugar
Instead of coconut sugar, you can use erythritol. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol used as a food additive and low-calorie sugar substitute. 1/3 cup of erythritol will replace 1 cup of coconut sugar.
Substitute Stevia For Coconut Sugar
Stevia is a sweetener derived from the plant called …” stevia,” so this is as natural as it gets.
It has no calories and won’t increase your blood sugar levels. It can be used as a coconut sugar replacement in 1:1 proportion.
Substitute Swerve For Coconut Sugar
Swerve is a sweetener made of erythritol and oligosaccharides. It also has no calories, nor does it raise blood sugar levels, and can be used to replace coconut sugar in 1:1 proportion. Unlike stevia, it doesn’t leave an aftertaste.
Substitute Truvia For Coconut Sugar
Truvia is also derived from the stevia plant and erythritol. It can also be used as a coconut sugar replacement, but in 1/2:1 proportion, because it is sweeter than coconut sugar.
Summary
Now you know where to find a substitute for coconut sugar. You can try with some natural substitutes, such as white or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or date sugar. You can also try some other substitutes, such as stevia, truvia, swerve, or erythritol.
