Granulated sugar carrying a small percentage of molasses, either left in during refining or blended back afterwards. It packs rather than pours.
What it does in a recipe: Sweetness plus moisture and mild acidity, giving chew, caramel flavour and a soft-set crumb. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Brown sugar, Soft light brown sugar
5substitutes
1close matches
Sweetenerscategory
Quick answer
Granulated sugar + molasses
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses
All substitutes, best first
5 ways to replace light brown sugar
Granulated sugar + molasses
Closest match
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses
This is literally how commercial light brown sugar is made, so you end up with the same sucrose, the same moisture and the same trace acidity.
MethodRub the molasses through the sugar with your fingertips or beat it in with a paddle until no dark streaks remain and the mixture clumps when squeezed.
Trade-offIndistinguishable once mixed properly. Streaky mixing is the only failure mode, and it shows up as dark patches in the bake.
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp maple syrup
Maple syrup supplies the same small dose of moisture and mild acidity that molasses does, with a rounder flavour.
MethodWork the syrup through the sugar until it is evenly damp before creaming or whisking it in.
Trade-offLighter in colour than real brown sugar and maple-scented rather than caramel-scented. It will not give you the deep note that carries a gingerbread.
Allergen checkAlthough it is pressed from palm sap and not the coconut flesh, US labelling treats coconut as a tree nut and many packs are produced on shared lines. Check the pack, and let a clinician rule on a diagnosed coconut allergy.
Granulated sugar on its own
In a pinch
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar
You keep the sweetness and the bulk, and lose only the molasses fraction - which is a small part of the weight but most of the character.
Trade-offPaler, crisper and drier. Cookies spread more and snap instead of bending, and the caramel background disappears entirely.
Brown sugar hardens because the molasses film dries out, not because the sugar has spoiled. Seal it with a slice of bread or a damp paper towel overnight and it softens again.
At a glance
Light brown sugar in summary
Light brown sugar at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Can I use granulated sugar + molasses instead of light brown sugar?
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp molasses. This is literally how commercial light brown sugar is made, so you end up with the same sucrose, the same moisture and the same trace acidity. Indistinguishable once mixed properly. Streaky mixing is the only failure mode, and it shows up as dark patches in the bake.
Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup packed dark brown sugar. The same product with roughly twice the molasses, so it measures identically and behaves the same in creaming and dissolving. Noticeably darker colour and a stronger, faintly bitter treacle note. In a delicate blondie or a butterscotch sauce that shift is obvious.
Can I use granulated sugar + maple syrup instead of light brown sugar?
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp maple syrup. Maple syrup supplies the same small dose of moisture and mild acidity that molasses does, with a rounder flavour. Lighter in colour than real brown sugar and maple-scented rather than caramel-scented. It will not give you the deep note that carries a gingerbread.
Can I use coconut sugar instead of light brown sugar?
1 cup packed light brown sugar = 1 cup coconut sugar, lightly packed. Coconut sugar already carries the caramel-toned minerality that molasses gives brown sugar, at a similar sweetness per cup. Drier than brown sugar, so cookies set up firmer and less chewy. Add 1-2 tsp water per cup if the dough looks crumbly.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.