Sugar and its Alternatives

Sugar and Its Alternatives

Sugar is what makes cookies so… well, sweet. But sometimes, you may realize you’ve run out of sugar right in the middle of a recipe. Or maybe you prefer an alternative. Or maybe, you’re looking to remove refined sugar from your diet. Well, look no further: these are sugar substitutes you can use. Bonus: you probably already have at least one in your cupboard.

Honey

Honey has different variants based on the flower, which will slightly alter the taste of your cookies – in a good way. Rather than your typical, white sugar-cane extract, it’s nice and rich, and the different tastes will give your cookies a unique twist. Check your local farmer’s market for the freshest honey!

Fruit Concentrates

No, we’re not talking fruit juice, with all that added sugar – we’re talking concentrates, which are the fruit extracts with water removed. These concentrates add a hint of sweetness to any recipe – we recommend bananas and figs.

Natural Maple Syrup

The key here is that it’s natural: pancake syrup has extra sweeteners, which can make it even sweeter than your half-cup of white sugar. The nutrients in maple syrup are attractive – it contains antioxidants and calcium, for example. What’s not to love?

Apple Sauce

Yep, I’m serious, it’s not just for babies and hospital cafeterias. It’s kind of like fruit concentrates, but you can buy the unsweetened type for less of a sugar punch; we promise it’ll still taste good! It’s also a fantastic substitute for eggs, so you can keep a recipe dairy-free and sweet.

Molasses

Molasses is what comes from processing sugar. So, why should you choose molasses over your typical white sugar? Well, molasses is less sweet with a specific, subtle taste, which can give your usual cookies a richer hit. It also contains a few nutrients, including iron and vitamins.

Any of these alternatives will enhance your cookies’ flavor profiles, so have fun experimenting! Which are your favorite alternatives to use? Let us know in the comments.