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You\u2019re a few steps into these community-favorite bran muffins<\/a> when you realize: Uh-oh, no molasses in sight. The recipe only calls for three tablespoons\u2014so can you swap it out? Good news: Yes, you definitely can. Whether you\u2019re baking cookies, mixing BBQ sauce, or whipping up gingerbread, there\u2019s a molasses substitute for you. Below, we\u2019re diving into what molasses actually is, how it behaves in recipes, and the best molasses alternatives to use in a pinch (including two more options for subbing barley malt and date syrup, per your comments!).<\/p>\n Simply put, molasses is a byproduct of sugar processing, whether that\u2019s sugar cane or sugar beets. When sugar is refined, \u201cthe juice squeezed from these plants is boiled to a syrupy mixture from which sugar crystals are extracted,\u201d according to The New Food Lover\u2019s Companion<\/em><\/a>. \u201cThe remaining brownish-black liquid is molasses.\u201d Got it!<\/p>\n Sugar syrup is boiled three times, each of which yields a different grade of molasses. The first boil results in light molasses (what it sounds like: the lightest in color and flavor), the second is dark molasses (which has a darker color, deeper flavor, and thicker consistency), and the third is blackstrap. More on that below.<\/p>\n A result of the third, final boiling, blackstrap molasses is a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient. \u201cIn my neck of the woods, blackstrap was strictly reserved for doctoring fertilizer or livestock feed\u2014not something you’d want anywhere near a batch of gingerbread,\u201d Kentucky native and Serious Eats columnist Stella Parks writes<\/a>. \u201cBlackstrap has become an increasingly common sight recently, as its ultra-high mineral content makes it alluring to health food junkies.\u201d So, if you\u2019re buying molasses for a recipe, try to avoid blackstrap, whose flavor is subpar.<\/p>\n Adding sulphur dioxide helps \u201cclarify and lighten the color of cane juice, but it imparts a distinct smell,\u201d according to The Food Encyclopedia<\/em><\/a>. Opt for unsulphured, if you can find it, for a cleaner flavor. One of the more common brands you\u2019ll find in supermarkets, Grandma\u2019s Molasses<\/a> (yes, that\u2019s the brand\u2019s name), is unsulphured.<\/p>\n Molasses is molasses for a few reasons. All of these are important to consider before you move forward with a substitute:<\/p>\n Generally speaking, honey is very sweet, floral in flavor, and golden in color. That said, there are countless types of honey, so you can customize your pick to get closer to molasses. A deeper-colored, deeper-flavored variety (like buckwheat honey) would be a great match. Estimate a 1:1 substitute, or use slightly less honey to compensate for its greater sweetness and thinner consistency relative to molasses.<\/p>\n Sorghum is sometimes known as sorghum molasses<\/em>, which tells you how similar these syrups are. It comes by way of the cereal grain known as\u2014can you guess it?\u2014sorghum, and has a sweet-sour flavor. Like honey, it\u2019s slightly thinner than molasses, but makes a great substitute if you can find it outside the American south, where it\u2019s particularly popular. Estimate a 1:1 substitute in most recipes.<\/p>\n Maple syrup has a malty-caramelly flavor that, like honey, comes in various shades. When substituting molasses, use the darkest maple syrup you can find. Maple syrup is much thinner than molasses (about 34% water content in the former, versus about 20% in the latter), which makes this a trickier substitute in baked goods. If you are going to substitute maple syrup in place of molasses in a cake, for example, you could either do a 1:1 substitution, or if you\u2019re worried about the batter becoming too thin, you could reduce the liquid elsewhere by a small percentage (figure 5 to 15).<\/p>\n Like molasses, dark corn syrup is a liquid sweetener with a sultry color. Unlike molasses, it has a less complex flavor and more neutral sweetness. Estimate a 1:1 substitute or opt for half\u2013dark corn syrup, half\u2013something more flavorful, like honey or brown sugar (more on that below).<\/p>\n This ingredient, which also goes by light treacle<\/em>, is especially well loved in England. It\u2019s made by evaporating sugarcane juice until it becomes thick like corn syrup, yielding a golden color and toasty flavor. One of the most common brands is Lyle\u2019s<\/a>. Estimate a 1:1 substitution for molasses but expect a subtler color and flavor.<\/p>\n Brown sugar is sugar that contains molasses. Often, this means sugar is processed to the point of granulated, then the separated molasses is added back<\/em> to yield light or brown sugar (ironic, right?). The good news is that brown sugar, especially the darker variety, has a lot of the same flavors as molasses (because, well, it contains molasses). The catch<\/em> is that it\u2019s a dry sweetener, which could compromise a baking recipe designed for a liquid sweetener. If you\u2019re working with a savory recipe, you can estimate a 1:1 substitute (then adjust the liquid if needed). If you\u2019re working with a baking recipe, you can estimate \u00be cup brown sugar per 1 cup molasses, but might want to add 1 to 4 tablespoons water if the result seems off (say, a cookie dough that\u2019s crumbly where it should hold together, or a cake batter that seems too stiff).<\/p>\n Or, more specifically, rich simple syrup, aka a 3:1 mixture of granulated sugar to water. This means that if your recipe calls for a cup of molasses, dissolve 3\/4 cups of granulated sugar into 1\/4 cup water and sub in. While your final product won’t have the same richness and malty, roasty flavor that molasses brings, it’ll work functionally.<\/p>\n Sometimes seen as the U.K.’s counterpart to American molasses, black treacle has a very similar color and flavor\u2014but it’s somehow darker and more bitter, with a slightly burnt vibe (in a pleasant way!). As with light treacle, Lyle’s is the most common black treacle brand you’ll find in stores. Swap it 1:1 with molasses; the bonus is that it often comes in smaller containers than molasses, so you won’t have too much leftover.<\/p>\n Substitutes are a guessing game every time, so you might as well have fun with it. Instead of using one ingredient in place of molasses, consider mixing and matching to get what you\u2019re looking for. Say, in place of 1 cup molasses, you could do: \u00bd cup honey + \u00bd cup brown sugar (liquid sweetener, molasses-y flavor); \u00bd cup dark corn syrup + \u00bd cup maple syrup (liquid sweeteners, thick balanced with thin, big flavor).<\/p>\n Made from sprouted barley, this syrup has a thick, slow-pour consistency and deep, malty flavor\u2014making it one of the closest taste matches to molasses. It\u2019s less sweet, so if you’re subbing into a dessert recipe, you may want to add a touch more sugar or pair it with a sweeter syrup like maple. Swap 1:1 for molasses in most recipes, especially breads, bagels, and granolas.<\/p>\n Made from boiled-down dates, this thick syrup brings caramel and dark fruit notes to the table. It\u2019s naturally sweet, packed with minerals, and works well in baked goods or sauces where you want depth without overpowering bitterness. Sub 1:1 for molasses, though the flavor will lean fruitier and less smoky.<\/p>\n Here, molasses adds color and flavor, and keeps the bread moist. Try \u00bd cup honey instead, or \u2153 cup maple syrup.<\/p>\n This is a compote butter, aka a flavored butter, aka a very easygoing ingredient. Swap in whatever sweetener you like the flavor of, to taste. Think: honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup. Just add in small increments to gauge the thickness (you can always add more).<\/p>\n This cake recipe uniquely calls for<\/em> blackstrap molasses\u2014and a lot of it, too. This is a good place to explore a mix-and-match substitute, so you don\u2019t put too much pressure on any one ingredient. In place of the 1 \u00bd cups molasses, you can swap in \u00bd cup dark brown sugar, mixed with 1 cup honey, sorghum, or golden syrup.<\/p>\n Molasses makes these cookies from Dorie Greenspan delightfully chewy, so you\u2019ll want to replace it with another liquid sweetener who could accomplish a similar feat. Try honey or sorghum, a combo of dark corn syrup and brown sugar, or a combo of dark corn syrup and maple syrup.<\/p>\n What is molasses, anyway?<\/h2>\n
Terms you\u2019ll see on labels<\/h2>\n
Light vs. dark molasses<\/h5>\n
Blackstrap molasses<\/h5>\n
Unsulphured vs. sulphured molasses<\/h5>\n
Things to Consider Before Substituting<\/h2>\n
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1. Honey<\/h2>\n
2. Sorghum<\/h2>\n
3. Maple Syrup<\/h2>\n
4. Dark Corn Syrup<\/h2>\n
5. Golden Syrup<\/h2>\n
6. Brown Sugar<\/h2>\n
7. Simple Syrup<\/h2>\n
8. Black Treacle<\/h2>\n
9. A DIY Mix<\/h2>\n
10. Barley Malt Syrup<\/h2>\n
11. Date Syrup<\/h2>\n
Yogurt Bread With Molasses<\/a><\/h3>\n
Drop Biscuits With Molasses Butter<\/a><\/h3>\n
Dark Molasses Gingerbread Cake<\/a><\/h3>\n
Double Ginger Molasses Cookies<\/a><\/h3>\n
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