Light Vs Dark Brown Sugar: What Is The Difference?

If you're a baker or connoisseur of anything sweet, then you're probably pretty familiar with brown sugar. It is, afterall, one of the most common baking ingredients. It's often used to make cookies, cakes, and pies or as a sweetener option at local and chain coffee shops. It's even become a fan-favorite flavor for Starbucks iced coffee drinks and homemade coffee syrups. 

Despite its growing popularity, people still wonder what the main difference is between light and dark brown sugar. Before you can understand how they are different, you need to know how they are the same. Both these sugars are used to sweeten food and when used in small amounts, they can be interchangeable. However, using one over the other will noticeably change the appearance, texture, and flavor of your dessert or sweet treat. 

So, what makes them different? It's their molasses content. The amount of molasses in light brown sugar differs just enough that it has a slightly different appearance and flavor profile from dark brown sugar.

Light brown sugar, like dark brown, is refined white sugar plus the addition of molasses. However, light brown sugar has a small percent of molasses in it. That exact number is around 3.5%. This amount of molasses is just enough to make the sugar a light brown color and give it a subtle caramel-like flavor. 

The added flavor boost makes light brown sugar less sweet than regular white sugar. That's why they're usually paired together in most baking recipes. On its own, this sugar provides the perfect amount of sweetness to savory dishes such as glazed sweet potatoes, baked salmon, spicy bbq ribs, sesame chicken, and candied bacon. Its lower molasses content makes it perfect  for delicate desserts such as chewy brown butter cookies, banana bread muffins, lemon bars, carrot cakes, and the perfect chocolate chip cookies. 

Known as the all-purpose brown sugar, light brown sugar is more commonly used because it can be used in an array of recipes. It's also guaranteed to give any dessert a soft, melt-in-your mouth texture. Plus, its mild flavor pairs well with everything from peanut butter to coconut.

Dark brown sugar, on the other hand, is refined white sugar with double the amount of molasses. This sugar has roughly 6.5 percent of molasses in it. This percentage is what gives the sugar its dark brown color and rich flavor that resembles caramel or toffee.

The rich flavor of dark brown pairs beautifully with spiced desserts such as gingerbread cookies, rum spiced cake, pumpkin pie, maple cream pie, oatmeal raisin cookies, and toffee bars. The addition of molasses, which is a by-product of the sugar-making process, makes this sugar great for any desserts that need some extra moisture. It also makes it a required ingredient for savory dishes with complex flavor profiles such baked beans, barbeque sauces, spice-rubbed chicken, and glazed pineapple ham.

Compared to light brown sugar, the darker version is normally used for very specific recipes. Its deep caramel flavor can be very overwhelming when paired with light, airy desserts or subtle flavors. Its high molasses content can make baked goods too moist and crumbly when used to substitute light brown sugar. However, when used appropriately its complexity can take your meal or special treat to a whole new level of deliciousness.