How to Make A Molasses Substitute Recipe - Bigger Bolder Baking (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for molasses in baking? ›

Molasses is a thick, dark syrup made during the sugar-making process. First, the sugar cane is crushed and the juice is extracted. The juice is then boiled to form sugar crystals and removed from the liquid. The thick, brown syrup left after removing the sugar from the juice is molasses.

Brown sugar is actually a combination of granulated sugar and molasses, so it's a good substitute for molasses. While measurements may vary per recipe, you can generally replace 1 cup molasses with 3/4 cup packed brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will have a stronger molasses flavor than light brown sugar.

Molasses serve several purposes in baked goods such as: Sweetening: contributing to sweetness, although with lower intensity than sucrose. Its sweetness decreases as color darkens. Flavor: providing a broad and complex range of flavors, from caramel to bitter notes.

Don't fret if you ever need to swap maple syrup for molasses (or vice versa). As a general rule, you can sub in molasses for maple syrup 1:1 as a liquid ingredient, but since molasses isn't as naturally sweet as maple syrup, keep that in mind for how it might affect the final flavor.

Both light and dark brown sugar can be used to replace molasses in baking. One cup of molasses can be substituted with 3/4 cup of brown sugar. If you are looking for the closest flavor match for your recipe, try brown sugar.

The Best Molasses Substitutes

"Other substitutes include Sorghum syrup, and Treacle, an English version of molasses, you may find at an international market." Honey, dark corn syrup, and maple syrup can also be used to replace molasses in recipes.

In addition to its properties as a sweetener, molasses adds moisture, consistency and crust to baked goods such as cookies, dark breads, gingerbread and pies, as well as thickness to baked beans, marinades and sauces.

Blackstrap Molasses

How it tastes: It is the thickest and darkest in color, and also the least sweet with a pronounced bitter flavor. How to use it: Since it is bitter, only use blackstrap molasses if a recipe specifically calls for it.

Light brown sugar: Use 1 tablespoon molasses for every 1 cup sugar. Dark brown sugar: Use 2 tablespoons molasses for every 1 cup sugar.

Can you substitute golden syrup for molasses? ›

Cup for cup, golden syrup is a great replacement for light or dark molasses. Use it as you would for baking gingerbread or cookies.

Molasses is made as a by-product of the refined sugar making process. Molasses is what's left over after boiling down the cane juice. There are a few different kinds of molasses: dark, light, and blackstrap. What differentiates them is how many times they have been boiled down to be made into sugar.

In addition to containing vitamins and minerals, molasses is very high in sugar. In excess, sugar can be very harmful to a person's health. Excess sugar intake has been linked to some of the world's biggest health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

If your cookies are cakey, this is what might have gone wrong: You've added too much flour to the recipe. Either by measuring it incorrectly (see above) or because you were scared by how soft and/or almost runny the dough was before chilling. Don't add too much flour.

Many people use blackstrap molasses in place of refined sugars for health reasons. They're lower on the glycemic index than conventional sweeteners, which means they won't spike your blood sugar as much. This makes blackstrap molasses a great alternative for people working to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Mix 3/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/4 cup water and use in place of 1 cup molasses. Dark corn syrup: This is a good substitute for molasses in recipes that need a deep, caramel-like flavor. Honey: Honey has a slightly different flavor than molasses, but it can be used in a pinch.

Yacon syrup can be used just like honey, maple syrup, or molasses in all baking or cooking. It looks and tastes a bit like molasses, with a deep, caramel sweetness that lends itself well to baked goods, sauces, and desserts.

Add a tablespoon of buckwheat honey to a cup of white granulated sugar. This honey is darker than orange blossom or wildflower honey and has a strong flavor much like molasses that will come through in the resulting sugar.