You can use demerara sugar instead of brown sugar at a ratio of 1:1. That is the direct answer, and it is the number to use. But sugar is not just sweetness in a recipe — it is moisture, browning, spread, structure and keeping quality all at once. It feeds yeast, tenderises crumb, helps a cookie spread, makes a crust crisp, and keeps a cake moist for days. Every sweetener does those jobs differently, so swapping one for another changes more than the taste, and this page explains what changes and by how much.

Demerara sugar brings its own character to the bake. Sweeteners differ in sweetness, moisture and browning; liquid sweeteners need the recipe's liquid reduced. In a strongly flavoured bake — a spice cake, a gingerbread, a dark brownie — that character is an asset. In a delicate bake — a vanilla sponge, a meringue, a shortbread — it can be the thing that gives the swap away. The ratio below is the starting point; the rest of this page is about using it well.

The ratio, in a table

The table below converts brown sugar to demerara sugar for the amounts you are most likely to meet. The rule is always the same: 1:1.

Brown sugar called for Demerara sugar to use Approximate weight Notes
1/4 cup 1/4 cup about 55 g
1/3 cup 1/3 cup about 73 g
1/2 cup 1/2 cup about 110 g
2/3 cup 2/3 cup about 147 g
3/4 cup 3/4 cup about 165 g
1 cup 1 cup about 220 g
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 cups about 330 g
2 cups 2 cups about 440 g

By weight, one cup of brown sugar is about 213 g and one cup of demerara sugar is about 220 g (King Arthur Baking, packed). The two do not weigh the same cup for cup, which is why weighing is more reliable than scooping for this swap. All weights here are approximate — verify with a kitchen scale when the bake matters.

Packed firmly, per King Arthur; loosely spooned brown sugar weighs about 170 g per cup, so packing matters more than brand.

Worked examples

Example 1: A batch of muffins

Muffins are a good middle ground: more forgiving than a sponge cake, less forgiving than shortbread. A recipe calls for 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Using the ratio, that becomes 3/4 cup. Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine with as few strokes as possible — the batter should look lumpy. Fill the cups two-thirds full and bake as usual. The muffins will have a slightly different crumb and may brown a little faster on top, so check them a few minutes early. If the tops brown too fast, cover the tin loosely with foil for the last few minutes.

Example 2: Brownies

Brownies are one of the easiest bakes to swap a sweetener in, because the chocolate does most of the work. A recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar. Using the ratio, that becomes 1 1/2 cups. Melt the butter and chocolate, stir in the sweetener and eggs, then fold in the flour. Bake as usual and check five minutes early. The brownies will be fudgy and rich, and the sweetener swap will be almost impossible to detect under the chocolate. If the swap adds a strong flavour of its own, brownies are the recipe where that flavour works best.

Example 3: Shortbread

Shortbread is a strict test, because it has only three ingredients and the sugar is one of them. A recipe calls for 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Using the ratio, that becomes 1/2 cup. Cream the butter and sweetener, then mix in the flour until the dough just comes together — do not overwork it, or the shortbread will be tough. Press the dough into the tin, prick it with a fork, and bake at a low oven until pale gold. Shortbread should be pale, not brown, so if your substitute browns faster, lower the oven by 25°F and watch it closely. The texture will be a little different, but a good shortbread is still a good shortbread.

What changes in the result

Four things change when you swap demerara sugar for brown sugar. First, the sweetness: Sweeteners differ in sweetness, moisture and browning; liquid sweeteners need the recipe's liquid reduced. Sweetness is not the same as sugar — a sweetener can be sweeter or less sweet than sugar at the same weight, and the ratio on this page corrects for that, but your palate may still notice the difference, especially in a lightly sweetened recipe. Second, the moisture: a liquid sweetener adds water the recipe did not ask for, and a dry sweetener may not hold moisture the same way, so the crumb can come out wetter or drier. Third, the browning: different sweeteners caramelise at different temperatures, so the bake can brown faster or stay pale. Fourth, the texture: sugar controls spread in cookies, tenderness in cakes and crispness in crusts, and every substitute shifts that balance a little.

When not to substitute

Do not swap 1:1 in candy-making, meringues or jam, where sugar's exact chemistry matters. In practice that means: do not make this swap in candy-making, where sugar's exact boiling behaviour is the whole recipe; do not make it in meringues, where sugar stabilises the egg white foam and a substitute can make the meringue weep or collapse; and do not make it in jam or preserves, where sugar is the preservative and getting it wrong is a food-safety issue, not just a taste issue. Be cautious in shortbread and in any recipe where sugar is a large share of the weight. And if the recipe is for someone managing blood sugar, remember that a different sweetener is not automatically a safe one — check with the person, and do not present a swap as a health claim.

Practical guidance

Measure the sweetener the way the recipe expects it to be measured. Granulated and caster sugar are spooned and levelled; brown sugar is packed firmly into the cup; liquid sweeteners are measured in a liquid jug at eye level. If you weigh instead — and you should, when the bake matters — the weights on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale and note your own number for next time. Store the substitute in an airtight container in a cool, dry place; liquid sweeteners crystallise if they get cold, so keep them at room temperature and warm the jar briefly in hot water if crystals form.

All conversions on this page are approximate. A kitchen scale is the most reliable tool you own: weigh the substitute, note the number that works for your recipe, and use it next time. If a bake matters — a birthday cake, a loaf for guests — test the swap first in a small, forgiving recipe before you commit to the important one.

Frequently asked questions

Is demerara sugar sweeter than brown sugar?

Sweeteners differ in sweetness, moisture and browning; liquid sweeteners need the recipe's liquid reduced. Sweetness is not the whole story, though: a sweetener can match sugar's sweetness and still change the bake, because sugar also controls moisture, browning, spread and texture. Judge the swap on the finished bake, not on a spoonful of the sweetener, and adjust the amount slightly next time if the result is too sweet or not sweet enough.

Will my cake brown more with demerara sugar?

Possibly — and it depends on the sweetener. Liquid sweeteners and those with more fructose tend to brown faster, so a cake can look done before the centre is set. Check with a skewer rather than by colour, and if the top is browning too fast, cover the tin loosely with foil for the last part of the bake. If your substitute browns more slowly, the cake may look pale when it is ready — again, trust the skewer, not the colour.

Can I use demerara sugar in cookies?

Yes, but expect the cookies to behave differently. Sugar controls spread: it melts in the oven and lets the dough spread before it sets. A substitute changes that balance, so the cookies may be thicker or thinner than the recipe intends. Chill the dough for 30 minutes and bake one test cookie first. If the cookies spread too much, chill the dough longer; if they stay too thick, flatten the balls slightly. The flavour difference will be small under the chocolate or spice.

Can I use demerara sugar in meringue or candy?

No — not safely, and not with a good result. Meringue depends on sugar to stabilise the egg-white foam, and candy depends on sugar's exact boiling behaviour; a substitute changes both, and the result can be a weeping meringue or a candy that never sets. Jam is the same: sugar is the preservative, and getting it wrong is a food-safety issue. For those recipes, use the sugar the recipe calls for, or find a recipe written for the substitute from the start.

Will the texture change with demerara sugar?

Yes, a little. Sugar tenderises crumb, controls spread and holds moisture, and every substitute shifts that balance. A liquid sweetener usually makes a moister, softer crumb; a dry substitute can make a drier one; a high-intensity sweetener adds sweetness without any of sugar's bulk, so the bake can be drier and less tender. The changes are small in a strongly flavoured bake and most noticeable in a plain cake or a cookie. If the texture matters, try the swap first in a forgiving recipe such as banana bread or brownies.

Can I use demerara sugar in tea and coffee?

It depends on the sweetener. Dry sweeteners that dissolve well work in hot drinks; liquid sweeteners work too, though they add a flavour of their own. Sweeteners that do not dissolve — date sugar is the classic example — will sit at the bottom of the cup and are best kept for baking. High-intensity sweeteners need only a tiny amount in a drink, so measure carefully: a pinch too much can make a cup of tea unpleasantly sweet. Taste as you go.

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