A guide to choosing the best sugars, syrups, and sweeteners for you
A guide to choosing the best sugars, syrups, and sweeteners for you
The 1st WhatSugar–approved sweetener is HERE!
TYPES OF REFINED SUGAR
On my journey to explore the world of sweeteners, I’ve found nearly twenty different types of refined sugar. In this guide, I gather everything you need to know and group them by source—sugarcane or sugar beets. Let's start with the most familiar and beloved of all: table sugar.
FROM CANE
SOLID vs LIQUID
Refined Sugar from Cane
Solid refined cane sugars come in various crystal sizes and have differing levels of moisture and molasses. They contain 91 to 99.96% sucrose, with small amounts of invert sugar (a mix of glucose and fructose). The most common types available in stores include:
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granulated
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powdered
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brown (light or dark)
Liquid refined cane sugars have lower sucrose content — ranging from 50 to 80% — and 20 to 50% invert sugar (glucose and fructose). You can learn more about the cane syrups below on another page:
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molasses (traditional, organic blackstrap, mild, dark, blackstrap)
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cane syrups (invert or golden syrup).
WHITE CANE SUGAR
Crystal Size
White cane sugars are produced in a range of crystal sizes, from coarse (0.75 to 0.6 mm) to medium (0.5 to 0.3 mm) to small (0.3 to 0.02 mm).
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​They have decreasing crystal size in the following order: sparkling, sanding, granulated, fine, extra fine, superfine, ultrafine, powdered 6X, powdered 10X, powdered 12X, and fondant. The image below illustrates and compares white cane sugars, from granulated sugar to fondant sugar.
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Despite the variation in crystal size, all white sugars have the same sweetness level and calories per gram. Fine sugars, like powdered and fondant varieties, contain about 3 percent cornstarch (or tapioca starch) to prevent clumping.​​
Granulated Sugar
The Gold Standard of Sweet Taste
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The Favorite Sweetener:
Granulated sugar is also known as table sugar, white sugar, refined sugar, or simply "sugar". It's the most widely recognized and used sweetener among home cooks. Granulated sugar can be derived from sugarcane, sugar beets, or it can be a blend of both.
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Variations in Crystal Sizes:
Granulated sugar has midsize crystals ranging from 0.3 to 0.55 mm. It can be labeled as Fine Granulated (0.32 to 0.42 mm) or Extra Fine Granulated (0.3 to 0.35 mm), depending on the manufacturer. Granulated sugar is the starting point for finer sugars like superfine, ultrafine, and powdered sugar.
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Purity and Zero Aftertaste:
Table sugar is one of the purest food products, containing about 99.95% sucrose. Its clean, pleasant sweetness from start to finish, that hits quickly, without lingering AND no secondary taste or aftertaste, makes it the gold standard of sweet taste.
Dive deeper into granulated sugar by clicking the button below, or explore all my sugar-related posts for more insights.
GRANULATED SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99.95% sucrose
Contains: 4g sugar per serving (1 tsp)
Calories: 16 per serving (1 tsp); 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
From imported and/or domestic raw sugar
Superfine Sugar
The Quick Dissolve Sweetener
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Fine Crystals:
Superfine is a refined sugar with smaller crystals than regular granulated sugar; crystal size ranges from 0.2 to 0.3 mm. ​It's typically produced by grinding granulated sugar and then screened to size. While superfine sugar is the standard household sweetener in countries like Brazil, it's less common in the U.S., where granulated sugar remains the norm.
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Dissolves Quickly & Gives Smooth Texture:
Compared to table sugar, it gives a smoother texture to icing, frosting, and fillings. Also called "bar sugar" or "quick dissolve sugar" as having small crystals, it dissolves faster. It readily incorporate into liquids, especially in cold alcoholic beverages. While bartenders often prefer to make simple syrups with table sugar for cost efficiency, superfine sugar is perfect for cocktails.
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Seems Sweeter and Whiter:
Superfine sugar dissolves more rapidly than large crystals, making it seem sweeter on the tongue when eaten alone, though it is just as sweet as granulated sugar. Its finer crystals create more surface area per spoonful, giving it a brighter, whiter appearance compared to larger crystals like those in table sugar. See the image below for a comparison between granulated and superfine sugars.
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Purity and Zero Aftertaste:
Superfine sugar, like granulated sugar, is composed of 99.95% sucrose. It also delivers a clean, pleasant sweetness that hits quickly without lingering, leaving no secondary taste or aftertaste.
Compare refined sugars in my blog post below, or explore all my sugar-related posts for more insights.
SUPERFINE & QUICK DISSOLVE SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99.95% sucrose
Contains: 4g sugar per serving (1 tsp)
Calories: 16 per serving (1 tsp); 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
From imported and/or domestic raw sugar
Same sweetness as table sugar
Ultrafine Sugar
Baker's Special or Caster Sugar
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Small Crystals:
Ultrafine is a refined sugar with smaller crystal size than granulated & superfine sugar; crystals size ranges from 0.1 to 0.2 mm. It dissolves the fastest of all white sugars and gives even smoother texture to icing, frosting, and fillings than superfine sugar.
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Baker's sugar:
Most professional bakers use this granulation as their all-purpose sugar; it produces a finer crumb in cakes & greater spread in cookies. When you use in place of table sugar, you get lighter texture cakes, smoother (fewer cracks) cookies and more delicate meringues.
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Seems Sweeter and Whiter:
Ultrafine sugar dissolves even more rapidly than superfine, giving the impression of greater sweetness on the tongue, though it is just as sweet as granulated and superfine. Its exceptionally finer crystals create even more surface area per spoonful than superfine sugar, resulting in a noticeable brighter, whiter appearance. See crystals in the image below.
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Purity and Zero Aftertaste:
Ultrafine sugar, like table sugar, contains 99.95% sucrose, but it's not as widely available in stores. It also delivers a clean, pleasant sweetness that hits quickly without lingering, leaving no secondary taste or aftertaste.
Compare refined sugars in my blog post below, or explore all my sugar-related posts for more insights.
CASTER SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99.95% sucrose
Contains: 4g sugar per serving (1 tsp)
Calories: 16 per serving (1 tsp); 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
Powdered Sugar
Confectioners Sugar
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What is Powdered Sugar?
Powdered sugar, also called confectioners’ sugar, has smaller crystals than granulated, superfine, and ultrafine sugars, with an average crystal size of less than 0.1 mm. Powdered, brown, and table sugar are the norm in grocery stores accross the U.S.
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Why Starch is Added:
Due to its fine nature, powdered sugar is prone to caking, lumping, and even dust explosions. To prevent these issues, around 3% starch (by weight) is added as an anti-caking agent, which also gives it a slightly floury taste.
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Crystal Sizes and Grading:
Powdered sugar is available in various fineness levels, determined by the number before an 'X.' A higher number indicates finer sugar—common grades include 6X (coarsest), 10X (most common), and 12X (finest).
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Composition and Uses:
With approximately 97% sucrose due to the added starch, powdered sugar is ideal for confections, icings, baked goods, and decorative garnishes, making it a versatile ingredient for sweet creations.
Compare refined sugars in my blog post below, or explore all my sugar-related posts for more insights.
10X POWDERED SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar, corn starch
Composition: 97% sucrose, 3% starch
Contains: 29g sugars per serving (1/4 cup = 30g)
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
From imported and/or domestic raw sugar
Same sweetness as table sugar
Fondant Sugar
Icing or Frosting Sugar
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What is Fondant Sugar?
Fondant sugar is a type of refined sugar with the smallest crystal size, typically less than 0.02 mm, making it finer than powdered sugar.
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Prone to Caking & Starch Addition:
Like powdered sugar, the fine crystals of fondant sugar are highly prone to caking, lumping, and dust explosions. To prevent this, about 3 percent starch is added, which gives it a slightly floury taste. Starch maintains it free-flowing and keep it from absorbing moisture.
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Appearance & Composition:
With finer crystals and increased surface area, fondant sugar appears whiter than table sugar. It contains approximately 97% sucrose due to the added starch.
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Availability:
Fondant sugar is a less common type of sugar; the most widely available is featured below.
Compare refined sugars in the post below, or explore all my sugar-related posts for more insights.
FONDANT SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar, corn starch
Composition: 97% sucrose, 3% starch
1/100th grain size of powdered sugar
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
Coarse Sugars
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What Are Coarse Sugars?
Large, glossy, transparent crystals that don't readily dissolve include sanding sugar (0.6 to 0.7 mm), sparkling sugar (0.65 to 0.75 mm), and rock sugar, the largest refined sugar. Because they have clear crystals, they attract and reflect light, creating a sparkling effect.
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Additional ingredients:
Coarse sugars may be polished with carnauba wax or sealed with confectioner’s glaze, a resin from tree sap processed by beetles. They often include food coloring or additives for decoration.
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Purity and Production:
Traditional coarse sugars are among the purest refined sugars, containing over 99.96% sucrose. They are crystallized from high purity sugar syrups under slow boiling conditions for extended times.
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Make Your Own:
Rock sugar (also called rock candy or sugar swizzle sticks) are widely available in stores. But with patience and time, you can easily make sugar crystals at home. Coarse crystals are formed by cooling a hot saturated solution of granulated sugar and waiting for crystals to form.
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Ideal for Decorating:
Perfect for topping baked goods like cookies and cakes, coarse sugars add sparkle and hold their shape without melting during baking.
Decorative sugar
Decorating or Decoratif Sugar
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What is Decorative Sugar?
It's a term that can refer to many types of sugars used to decorate a sweet. It typically includes sugars that do not melt easily such as sprinkles, jimmies, nonpareils, dragées, and pearls sugars. Because decorative sugar is rarely pure sugar, it's not included here on this page.
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Purity and production:
The main ingredient is sugar, but it may contain 2 to 10 additional ingredients, often being: sugar + starch + confectioner's glaze. The production method is traditionally done by pushing sugar through an extrusion die. Decoratives such as Belgium and Swedish pearl sugars (usually from beet) are made by crushing blocks of white refined sugar.​
ROCK SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: 99.96% sucrose
Same calories as table sugar
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
SPARKLING SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: 99.96% sucrose
Same calories as table sugar
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
SANDING SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: 99.96% sucrose
Same calories as table sugar
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
BROWN CANE SUGAR
It's a Blend
The most widely available brown sugars are not naturally brown. They're blends of sucrose crystals and molasses (cane syrups). Three types of brown cane sugar are sold in stores: light (or golden), dark, and free-flowing (or pourable). The color and rich taste of brown sugars are determined by the amount of molasses remaining after refining or added back over crystals.
Used in baked goods, brown sugar provides moisture, a slight molasses flavor, and allows them to stay chewy. I have a blog post that compares refined vs. raw vs. unrefined brown sugars. If you want unrefined brown sugar, read my blog post What is Unrefined Sugar, Anyway?
Dark vs Golden vs Light
Brown Sugars
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How are brown sugars produced?
Regular brown sugars from cane are produced in a Sugar Refinery by two different methods. One method results in crystals that are brown on the outside only, while in the other, crystals are brown all the way through.
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Coated or Painted Method:
These brown sugars contain crystals that are brown on the outside only.
It starts with raw sugar which is refined all the way to white granulated sugar and its surface is coated or ‘painted’ with a small amount of molasses.
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Crystallization Method:
These brown sugars contain crystals that are brown all the way through. They're made by redissolving raw sugar, and then concentrating and recrystallizing it, so that it retains some molasses.
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What's the Best Brown Sugar?
It's not easy to say whether one brand of brown sugar is just painted or is brown all the way through; one way or another, both brown sugars give a molasses flavor to your recipe.
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Why Do They Became Dry
Light (golden) or dark brown sugars tend to be sticky, and become dry, hard and lumpy due to loss of moisture during storage, particularly after the original package is opened. But I have some tips to avoid that. Check out two of my posts Save Your Brown Sugar! Tips to Keep It Soft Forever and Brown Sugar That Never Hardens? Yes, It’s Possible!
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How Much Molasses Do They Have?
Regular brown sugars vary in flavor and color. Light or golden brown sugar contains 2-3 percent molasses and consequently has a mild flavor. Dark brown sugar contains 6-8 percent molasses.
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Composition and Crystal Size:
Brown sugars contain 93 to 98 percent sucrose and 1.5 to 5 percent invert sugar (glucose + fructose). Water content for light brown is 2 to 3 percent water; dark brown, 2.5 to 3.5 percent water. Average crystal size is typically between 0.27 and 0.42 mm. ​
BROWN SUGARS
Ingredients: Brown Sugar (cane sugar, cane molasses)
Composition: 93.5-96% sucrose, 1.5 to 5% invert sugar (glucose + fructose)
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
From imported and/or domestic raw sugar
DARK BROWN SUGAR
Ingredients: Brown Sugar (cane sugar, cane molasses)
Composition: 93.5-96% sucrose, 1.5 to 5% invert sugar (glucose + fructose)
Calories: 16 per tsp; 48 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
1 tsp table sugar ~ 1 tsp firmly packed brown sugar
Pourable Brown Sugar
or Free-Flowing
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What is Pourable Brown Sugar?
Also known as free-flowing brown sugar, it has less moisture than regular brown sugars. The term "free-flowing" means it pours easily and does not clump, cake or harden as regular brown sugars do. It is promoted to be sprinkled over cereal and oatmeal.
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How is it Produced?
Produced by a method called CoCrystallization, which starts with extremely fine sugar crystals, from 0.003 to 0.03 mm, that are cocrystallized (agglomerated) with a cane syrup. Each granule of free-flowing brown sugar consists of many tiny crystals that are held together by the syrup in a porous sponge-like structure, which does not tend to dry and become hard and lumpy.
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Sweetness Level:
Promoted as "the pourable" and "the easy-to-measure" brown sugar, it's as sweet as regular brown and table sugars and so should be a cup for cup replacement for these sugars. When substituting this sugar for regular brown sugars, you should measure "equal volume", not "equal weight, because it is much lighter due to being much less moist.
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Composition:
Free-flowing brown sugar contains 91 to 94 percent sucrose, 2.5 to 3 percent invert sugar (glucose plus fructose), and about 0.75 percent water.
POURABLE BROWN SUGAR
Ingredient: Cane sugar, cane molasses
Composition: ~94% sucrose, 3% invert sugar (glucose + fructose)
Calories: 10 per tsp; 30 per Tbsp; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
1 tsp table sugar = 1 tsp lightly packed pourable brown sugar
Lump Sugar
Sugar Cubes or Tablets, Gourmet Sugar
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What is Lump Sugar?
Lump sugar is granulated sugar that is moist with water. It's then compressed or molded into a particular shape and allowed to dry. It's an agglomerate of medium-size crystals that once dried, maintain its shape.
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Shape:
The most common lump sugar are cubes and tablets. European style cubes — available in white, brown (white with caramel), and demerara (raw sugar) — are called as rough cut cubes.
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What's Gourmet Sugar?
The term gourmet sugar is usually used to refer to handmade lump sugar sold in a variety of shapes and colors.
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Composition & Uses:
Lump sugars are perfect to sweeten hot drinks like coffee and tea without the guesswork of measuring. They usually contain approximately 99 percent sucrose and 0.5 percent water.
SUGAR CUBES
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99% sucrose
1 cube (4g) is approx 1 tsp
Calories: 20 per cube; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
SUGAR TABLETS
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99% sucrose
1 tablet (5g) is approx 1 tsp
Calories: 20 per tablet; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
ROUGH CUT WHITE SUGAR CUBES
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99% sucrose
1 cube is approx 1 tsp
Calories: 20 per cube; 5 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
1 tsp table sugar ~ 1 cube
Most are from Mauritius
ROUGH CUT SUGAR CUBES
Ingredient: Cane sugar, caramelized sugar, cane syrup
Composition: ~ 99% sucrose
1 cube is approx 1 tsp
Calories: 20 per cube; 5 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
1 tsp table sugar ~ 1 cube
From Belize, Brazil, or else
DEMERARA SUGAR CUBES
Ingredient: Cane sugar
Composition: ~ 99% sucrose
1 cube is approx 1 tsp
Calories: 20 per cube; 4 per g
Same sweetness as table sugar
1 tsp table sugar ~ 1 cube
FROM BEET
BEET SUGAR & BLENDS
Beet sugar is refined sugar from sugarbeet, a root that grows in temperate climates, including U.S. farms in eleven states. In the United States, beet sugar is the dominant sugar, accounting for 55 percent of the refined sugar consumed each year.​
Contrary to cane sugar — which is available in unrefined, raw and refined forms — beet sugar is sold as a refined sugar only. Beet sugars are produced in a Sugar Factory. Put simply, beet juice is collected, its water is boiled off, and sugar crystals are separated from everything else.​
In the United States, only genetically modified varieties of sugar beets are planted. Therefore, organic sugar from beet is not produced in America. If you find a refined beet sugar in a store with the "non-GMO project verified" seal, it's imported from Europe.
Although the term sugar beet is composed of two words, to simplify, I use it connected — sugarbeet — or simply "beet". To learn all about beet sugar, read my blog posts below :
