Helpful Tips For Reducing Sugar in Recipes
Updated: Nov. 17, 2023
Learn how (and when) to reduce the sugar in your recipes without sacrificing flavor, texture or that pinch of happiness.
Let’s make this clear from the get-go. Not every recipe, sad to say, is a good candidate for reducing sugar. Whether you’re using granulated sugar, confectioner’s sugar or turbinado, this ingredient can play an essential role in the composition of many recipes. Let’s face it, a creme brulee would be pretty sad without it. But that being said, there’s a little wiggle room when it comes to cutting the amount of sugar in a recipe without compromising flavor or texture. Follow along as we share how.
Ditch a White, Add a Yolk
Sugar not only adds sweetness but provides essential moisture to baked goods like quick bread and cake. This is because the chemistry of sugar actually attracts water molecules. (As evident in our Moist Chocolate Cake.) Be extra careful if you’re cutting down sugar in baked goods or else you’ll end up with something that’s tough and dry. If you find that’s the case, try eliminating an egg white and adding an extra egg yolk.
Cut It Down
Recipes like fruit-filled pies, custards or compotes usually use sugar solely for its sweetness, rather than to add moisture or texture. For a recipe like this Cape Cod Blueberry Pie, you could get away with eliminating about 1/4 cup of sugar without a drastic change in the recipe’s integrity.
Go For Fruit
Take advantage of fruit’s homegrown sweetness and be liberal with it when preparing pie, galette or any other dessert that calls for fruit. Sweet cherries, mango, kiwi and bananas are just a few fruits that are high in natural sugar. Rely on fruit and your dessert will taste satisfyingly sweet. Try cutting down the sugar in our Frozen Pineapple-Kiwi Pops or add some mango slices to your plain yogurt instead of buying the sugary kind.
Get Spicy
Spices carry a variety of nutritional benefits, and naturally sweet ones are a great way to mask the lack of sugar. Try adding in cinnamon or nutmeg, especially in conjunction with sugar substitutes, dried fruits or nuts.
Switch the Sweetener
When it comes to wanting to reduce added sugar in recipes, you’re in good company. With more people seeking alternatives to replace refined sugar and reduce their total sugar intake, there’s a wide range of ingredient options to meet all your recipe needs. Follow along for our favorites.
Agave
Yes, agave is made from the same plant as tequila, but that’s where the similarities end. Agave syrup is extracted from the pina, or the heart of the plant, and just 2/3 cup of it can be substituted for every cup of sugar. When using it, combine it with wet ingredients before adding dry ingredients.
Maple syrup
The breakfast staple is back to the rescue. With 3/4 cup replacing every cup of sugar, maple syrup yields baked goods that brown faster with less sugar. For the most delicious results, reduce all liquids used by 3 tablespoons per cup of maple syrup, and make sure you’re using the real stuff. Pancake syrup brimming with highly processed sugar won’t cut it. Want to start cooking with maple syrup? Check out our Morning Maple Muffins.
Stevia
The health world’s sweetheart, stevia (an herbal plant) has zero calories and is naturally sweet. When swapping it into recipes, follow package directions. Some products use 1/2 cup of stevia for every cup of sugar while others replace sugar cup for cup, and know that you might have to reduce baking temperature by about 25 percent to keep your baked goods from drying.
Applesauce
Unlike most other sweetener substitutes, unsweetened applesauce has a one-to-one ratio with sugar, making swapping it as easy as it is delicious. Here’s how to make it at home. Start by substituting just half the sugar with applesauce, leaving half the sugar in the recipe for the best texture and browning. If you like the texture, try using more applesauce and less sugar the next time. Experimentation is the key.
Honey
One of the most natural sweeteners on this list, honey is a friend to bees and your baking repertoire. Sub 3/4 for every cup of sugar you would have used, while decreasing the liquid in your recipe and lowering the oven temperature by 25 degrees. Did you know honey can last you a lifetime?
Unsweetened dried fruit
While not an option for every recipe, you can reduce the added sugar in certain desserts and keep them sweet by adding unsweetened dried fruit. Toss in some dried blueberries, cherries or fruit of your choice — they can be a great replacement for something like chocolate chips, or just a tasty addition. Don’t believe me? Add unsweetened dried fruit in lieu of chocolate chips in your favorite cookie recipe and see if you miss the sugar.
Reducing added sugar in recipes can yield dishes just as delicious as those packed with the sweet stuff, while giving you the opportunity to be more creative in the kitchen. That everything you whip up will be healthier is just an added bonus — and a perfect excuse to go back for seconds. Looking to go sugar-free? Try our 7-day meal plan.
