Baking Science
Brown sugar vs. white sugar in baking: does it matter?
They taste similar and look almost the same. But swap one for the other in a recipe and you will notice a difference — in texture, colour, moisture, and spread.
2 min read
By Stefan Ulrich · Last updated
What is the actual difference?
American soft brown sugar contains molasses; dark varieties have a stronger flavour than light ones. Dry raw cane sugar is a different product even when the label also says brown sugar.
How each sugar behaves in baking
White sugar is dry and neutral. It creams well with butter, creates a crisp texture in cookies, and helps baked goods spread. Brown sugar is hygroscopic — it attracts and holds moisture. This makes baked goods chewier, denser, and darker. It also adds a subtle depth of flavour that white sugar cannot replicate.
Changing the balance of white and brown sugar can affect chewiness and spread. The direction of the change depends on the rest of the recipe; brown sugar does not always make a thicker cookie.
The weight difference matters too
Our references are 220 g per packed cup of brown sugar and 200 g per cup of granulated sugar. That is a 20 g difference per cup, or 10% of the white-sugar reference. Check the source notes on the ingredient pages.
Brown sugar also needs to be packed into the cup for a consistent measurement — but even then, how firmly you pack it changes the result. Weighing eliminates this entirely.
When you can substitute, and when you cannot
If you want to change sugar type, look for a substitution tested for that recipe. Matching grams does not preserve moisture, flavour or the way sugar interacts with the other ingredients.
Coconut sugar and turbinado are dry sugars with different crystal sizes and flavours. They should not automatically inherit the packed measurement or behaviour of soft brown sugar.
The takeaway
Brown sugar adds moisture, chew, and depth. White sugar adds crispness and neutrality. They are not interchangeable in precise recipes — and because brown sugar weighs more per cup, always weigh both.
Sources and ingredient references
The linked ingredient pages explain the reference weights used here, including source differences. Conversions are estimates; the original recipe’s gram quantities take priority.