TempoLife › Ingredient substitute guide › sugar
White sugar substitutes
Find substitutes for white sugar, with practical ratios and notes on texture, rise, moisture, flavour and calories.
What white sugar does in a recipe
Sugar is not only sweet. It creams air into butter, holds moisture, sets pectin in jam, feeds yeast, and browns through caramelisation. Cutting it changes all of those, which is why "just use less" is not a substitute.
Substitution is about structure, not taste, and no table row overrides an allergy. If the swap is for gluten, egg, dairy or nut allergy, use a recipe written for that diet: allergen-free baking changes the structure of the recipe, not just one ingredient.
Substitutes and ratios
| Use | Ratio | Best for | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honey | ¾ cup per 1 cup sugar, minus 2 tbsp liquid | cakes, bread, sauces | Sweeter than sugar, so less is needed; adds moisture and its own flavour, and browns faster. Slightly fewer calories at the reduced amount. |
| Maple syrup | ¾ cup per 1 cup sugar, minus 3 tbsp liquid | baked goods, granola | Like honey but with a maple note; the batter thins, so reduce other liquids. Slightly fewer calories at the reduced amount. |
| Erythritol | 1 : 1 | anything baked | Bakes like sugar without the calories or the browning; no caramelisation, so edges stay pale. Near-zero calories. |
| Stevia blends, labelled 1:1 | 1 : 1 | coffee, sauces, light batters | The sweetness is there but the bulk is not, so cakes lose moisture and structure; best where sugar was only sweetening. Near-zero calories. |
Substitution ratios and techniques: standard kitchen reference tables. Calorie comparisons use USDA FoodData Central figures. Checked 2026-09-06.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just cut the sugar in a cake recipe by half?
You can, and you will taste it, because sugar is structural: the cake will be drier, paler and firmer, and it will stale faster. A substitute replaces the job; simply reducing removes it.
Ingredients with a similar job
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added back. The molasses brings acid (which activates soda), moisture and the caramel note, and it makes cookies spread and chew.
Honey
Honey is sweeter than sugar and roughly a sixth water, with acids and enzymes of its own. It browns fast and keeps baked goods moist.
All ingredient substitutes
Browse the complete guide by the job each ingredient performs.
Track the ingredient you really used
TempoLife records the actual swap so the nutrition total reflects your plate, not the recipe you started with.