Can I use pure cane sugar in place of granulated sugar?

January 6, 2026 •

4 min read

Chemically, both granulated sugar and pure cane sugar are virtually identical, consisting of 99.95% sucrose. However, differences in their source and level of refinement can lead to noticeable variations in flavor, color, and texture that can impact your final baked goods and culinary creations.

Quick Summary

Pure cane sugar and granulated sugar can be substituted 1:1 in most recipes, but larger crystals and molasses content in cane sugar can alter texture and add a hint of caramel flavor, unlike the neutral granulated sugar. Performance in delicate recipes varies, while cookies and toppings benefit from cane sugar's qualities.

Key Points

1:1 Substitution is Generally Safe: In most recipes, particularly for cookies and brownies, pure cane sugar can be swapped for granulated sugar in a 1:1 ratio with good results.
Source vs. Form: Granulated sugar can come from either cane or beets, while pure cane sugar is always from sugarcane. The 'granulated' term refers to the crystal size, not the source.
Texture and Flavor Differences: Pure cane sugar is often less refined, retaining more molasses flavor and having slightly larger crystals, which can add a pleasant crunch. Granulated sugar has a neutral flavor and finer crystals.
Impact on Delicate Recipes: For delicate baked goods like meringues, angel food cakes, and smooth frostings, the finer, more evenly dissolving granulated sugar is the better choice.
Color Variations: The light golden color of pure cane sugar, from residual molasses, can subtly change the hue of white baked goods and frostings compared to the pure white of granulated sugar.
Aeration and Browning: Finer granulated sugar is more effective at creating air pockets when creamed with butter, leading to a lighter crumb. Pure cane sugar's retained molasses can enhance caramelization.

Understanding the Core Differences

While they both deliver sweetness, the key distinctions between pure cane sugar and granulated sugar lie in their source and level of processing. Granulated sugar, often referred to as 'table sugar,' is highly refined and can be sourced from either sugarcane or sugar beets. Its refining process strips away all molasses, resulting in a very fine, pure white crystal with a neutral flavor profile. Pure cane sugar, as the name implies, comes exclusively from sugarcane and is often less refined. This minimal processing allows it to retain a trace amount of molasses, which gives it a slightly larger crystal, a golden hue, and a more complex flavor.

What is Granulated Sugar?

Granulated sugar is the kitchen workhorse, prized for its consistency and neutral taste. Its uniform, fine crystals dissolve easily and evenly into batters, liquids, and meringues, making it the standard for most baking and cooking applications.

Characteristics:

Source: Sugarcane or sugar beets
Refining: Highly refined; all molasses is removed
Crystal Size: Fine and uniform
Flavor: Clean, neutral sweetness
Best For: Delicate cakes, meringues, custards, and simple syrups

What is Pure Cane Sugar?

Pure cane sugar offers a hint of artisanal character due to its source and less-intensive refining. It delivers sweetness with a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor, and its coarser crystals provide a pleasant crunch in certain applications.

Characteristics:

Source: Only sugarcane
Refining: Minimally refined; retains some natural molasses
Crystal Size: Often slightly larger than granulated sugar
Flavor: Sweeter with subtle molasses or caramel notes
Best For: Crunchy cookie toppings, coffee cakes, and barbecue rubs

How to Substitute in Baking and Cooking

For most recipes, especially straightforward ones like cookies or brownies, you can confidently make a 1:1 substitution of pure cane sugar for granulated sugar. However, there are specific applications where the differences become more pronounced. Knowing when to swap and when to stick to the recipe can be the difference between a good result and a great one. For delicate recipes where a smooth texture and pure white color are essential, granulated sugar is the superior choice. In recipes where a little extra character or a textural element is welcome, pure cane sugar can be a fantastic alternative.

When to Consider a Substitute

Cookies: Swapping pure cane sugar for granulated sugar can create a chewier texture and a richer, more caramelized flavor in cookies.
Streusels and Toppings: The larger crystals of cane sugar resist dissolving completely, providing a desirable crunchy texture for coffee cakes, muffins, or fruit crisps.
Barbecue and Marinades: The molasses content and deeper flavor of pure cane sugar can add complexity to savory rubs and glazes.

When to Stick to Granulated Sugar

Meringues and Delicate Cakes: For recipes like French meringue, angel food cake, or sponge cakes where the sugar needs to dissolve fully to create a stable foam and a tender crumb, granulated sugar is the safer option. Cane sugar's larger crystals may not dissolve completely, leading to a grainy texture.
Smooth Frostings and Custards: The fine grain of granulated sugar is essential for achieving a silky-smooth texture in buttercreams, custards, and other smooth confections.
Light-Colored Confections: For recipes where a pure white color is desired, such as white cake or vanilla whipped cream, the golden tinge of cane sugar can alter the appearance.

Comparison of Pure Cane Sugar vs. Granulated Sugar


Feature	Pure Cane Sugar	Granulated Sugar
Source	100% Sugarcane	Sugarcane or Sugar Beets
Refining	Less refined; retains trace molasses	Highly refined; molasses removed
Crystal Size	Slightly larger, less uniform	Fine and uniform
Flavor	Subtle molasses/caramel notes	Neutral, clean sweetness
Color	Light golden or blond	Pure white
Dissolvability	Slower; may leave grit	Fast and uniform
Best For	Crunchy toppings, cookies, barbecue rubs	Delicate cakes, meringues, custards, frostings

The Science of Substitution

Beyond taste and texture, sugar plays a vital role in the chemical reactions that happen during baking. It creates air pockets when creamed with butter (aeration), aids in leavening, and affects moisture retention, browning, and shelf life. The slightly larger, less refined crystals of pure cane sugar can influence some of these factors. For instance, in a creaming process, the size of the crystals directly impacts the air whipped into the butter, which can affect the final cake's rise and crumb structure. In contrast, granulated sugar provides predictable aeration for lighter, fluffier results. Ultimately, for most standard home baking, a 1:1 swap is functional, but knowing these details helps you anticipate and even leverage the subtle changes.

Conclusion: The Final Word on Swapping Sugars

When a recipe calls for granulated sugar, the safe and predictable choice is to use it. However, if you only have pure cane sugar on hand, a 1:1 substitution is acceptable in most cases, particularly for heartier baked goods like cookies, muffins, and brownies. Embrace the slight variations in flavor and texture as a positive outcome rather than a flaw. Conversely, for delicate, smooth confections or applications where a pure white color is critical, a perfect swap is less likely to yield an ideal result. With this knowledge, you can confidently make the best sugar choice for your next recipe, whether you seek consistency or a touch of rich, molasses-tinged character.

Learn more about how different types of sugar function in recipes in this comprehensive guide from King Arthur Baking Company(https://www.marthastewart.com/cane-sugar-vs-granulated-sugar-8603909).

Frequently Asked Questions

From a nutritional standpoint, pure cane sugar is not significantly healthier than granulated sugar. They contain the same calories and carbohydrates. The trace minerals found in less-refined pure cane sugar are in such small quantities that they have no meaningful impact on health.

Using pure cane sugar for meringue is not recommended. The slightly larger crystals may not dissolve completely, resulting in a grainy or gritty texture. For the best results, use fine, evenly dissolving granulated sugar.

Yes, pure cane sugar's light golden color can give white or light-colored baked goods and frostings a subtle off-white or golden hue due to the small amount of retained molasses.

While it can be used, some bakers find that pure cane sugar can caramelize differently or burn more quickly due to the retained molasses, making it harder to work with than the more predictable granulated sugar.

The molasses content and larger crystals of pure cane sugar can lead to a chewier, denser, and more moist cookie. This is often seen as a desirable characteristic in recipes like chocolate chip cookies.

If your pure cane sugar has noticeably larger crystals, consider pulsing it in a food processor or spice grinder to a finer consistency. This will help it dissolve more evenly and reduce the chance of a grainy texture in your recipe.

For most home bakers, the two are functionally identical. The refining process produces a product that is 99.95% pure sucrose, regardless of the source. While some experienced tasters claim subtle differences, they are generally undetectable in baked goods.