6 Cane Syrup Substitutes [DELICIOUS Desserts]

Hey there, fellow culinary enthusiast! As you embark on this delectable journey through our articles, be prepared for a tantalizing adventure. Each click on our links could unveil delightful discoveries, possibly igniting your culinary creativity and, who knows, possibly adding a dash of sunshine to my day with a little commission from affiliate links. In other words, we sometimes earn a commission from partners listed. It's a win-win culinary rendezvous!

Are you planning on making some delicious desserts for your loved ones? Cane syrup is a sweetening agent widely used in many Caribbean and English recipes. It is commonly used in many baking and cocktail, and beverage recipes.

As great as cane syrup is, it is not an item every household has in their pantry. Some reasons for this include lack of availability in your local grocery and high prices on the product. 

If you’re planning on creating a dish or beverage that has cane syrup in the recipe, it might be an issue. But we don’t want our plans to go down the drain now, do we? The answer to avoiding such situations; use cane syrup substitutes!

What are the best cane syrup substitutes?

You can substitute cane syrup with maple syrup, corn syrup, agave nectar, simple sugar syrup, molasses or honey based on your preference.

To save you from the hassle of finding the proper cane syrup substitute, we’ve listed some of our best choices. Continue reading to see which one suits you best!

More About Cane Syrup! 

Before diving deep into this post, let’s understand more about cane syrup.

Cane syrup, also known as “golden syrup” by many, is extracted from the sugar cane plant. It is a type of molasses that is created by boiling sugar cane juice. Cane syrup adds a rich, sweet flavor to many dessert preparations. It can also be used to make various cocktails and other beverages. You can use it in savory recipes such as marinades and barbecue sauce.

In addition to being delicious, cane syrup offers its share of benefits. Many of us have a sweet tooth that needs to be satisfied occasionally. It is such a tough job to stay away from desserts!

Unfortunately, most of these delicious sweets contain sweeteners that are more often harmful than not. While cane syrup is a thick, rich sweetener, it is also less harmful than other types of sugar. It may not be a big difference, but cane syrup is an excellent substitute for many sugary ingredients.

Now that we’ve looked at cane syrup, you can pick the best substitute. So, what are you waiting for? Read further to learn more!

6 Amazing Substitutes for Cane Syrup

As mentioned, cane syrup is an excellent choice for a sweetener. However, you may not always have some on you. You may not have found it in your local store, it may have been out of stock, or it was simply too expensive. 

The above reasons should not discourage you from creating your favorite foods and beverages! Here are some of the best cane sugar substitutes.

1. Maple Syrup

Let’s kick off our list with a popular one: Maple syrup! Who doesn’t love some maple syrup drizzled on some hot pancakes? Well, turns out, you can also use it as a cane syrup substitute.

Maple syrup and cane syrup are both very similar, which makes maple syrup one of the best cane syrup substitutes. Since maple syrup is derived from the sap of maple trees and not sugar cane, it has a slightly more complex flavor. It will surely add incredible flavor to your food and take the flavor profile a notch higher! 

One thing you must remember while working with maple syrup is its consistency. Maple syrup is thicker than cane syrup. So, your final result may run thicker than you desire. One way to fix this is by mixing butter with maple syrup. You can then drizzle the delicious result over your pancakes or waffles!

2. Corn Syrup

Corn syrup is another excellent substitute for cane syrup. You can hardly tell the difference between the two! Additionally, corn syrup is always stocked up in most grocery stores. So you can always find them!

The sweetness levels of corn syrup and cane syrup may vary slightly. Corn syrup has a high fructose content which makes it sweeter. So, please keep this in mind before incorporating corn syrup into your recipes.

Corn syrup is also more budget-friendly than cane syrup.

Recommended reading – Alternative to Farina flour | Basting Oil Substitutes |  Substitutes For Fermento

3. Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is an excellent alternative to cane syrup. It is derived from the agave plant and has a flavor profile similar to honey’s. Agave nectar is a sweetener in many baked dishes and hot beverages. It is a healthier cane syrup substitute with a lower glycemic index. This doesn’t allow your blood sugar to spike.

For those looking for vegan or gluten-free options, agave nectar is the one for you! Please remember to find high-quality, reliable Agave nectar for the best-tasting result.

4. Simple Sugar Syrup

Simple sugar syrup is an excellent option if the recipe you’re following doesn’t require large quantities of cane syrup. 

While making the sugar syrup, please pay attention to the consistency while it boils. You can use either white sugar or brown, based on your preference. If you want to replicate the color of cane sugar, you better go with brown sugar. 

It is essential to thicken your sugar and water solution while it cooks. Forgetting to thicken your solution can potentially ruin your food. Runny sugar syrup on pancakes doesn’t sound too good, right?

Are you wondering how to make simple sugar syrup? You can get a similar consistency to cane sugar by mixing equal parts of sugar and water. Since you are using it as a cane syrup substitute,  add more sugar to increase the sweetness levels.

You can also prepare your simple sugar syrup in advance and store your refrigerator. The best part about simple sugar syrup as a cane syrup alternative is that it is made from ingredients available in every kitchen!

5. Molasses

Now, it is time to talk about molasses! Molasses or black treacle is one of the most popularly used sweeteners. They are dark brown with a thick consistency and delightful taste. It closely resembles the taste of cane syrup, making it an excellent substitute.

You can either use molasses on its own or mix it with some corn syrup. You can decide based on your taste preference.

Another thing to know about molasses is that it is darker in color than cane syrup. So, your food may look darker than you expected. If this isn’t an issue, they make for an incredible cane syrup substitute.

6. Honey

Lastly, we have honey. One of the reasons honey is one of the best cane sugar substitutes is that we can find it everywhere! It is a popular kitchen item found in most pantries. We all love honey’s sweet flavor and thick consistency. It is widely used and loved in many dishes around the world.

You cannot go wrong with honey; everyone loves it! Along with being delicious, it offers a variety of health benefits as well. Also, honey has a lower moisture content than cane syrup. So, you may need to adjust the baking time accordingly.

Are you wondering how much honey to use to replace cane syrup? It is recommended to use ¾ quarters of a cup of honey for each cup of cane syrup.

Please use darker honey for the best results in your cane syrup recipes! However, if you prefer going for your favorite type of honey, that works too.

Interesting further reading – Substitutes for Lamb Stock | Veal Stock Substitutes | Rich Tea Biscuits Substitutes

Frequently Asked Questions

Are cane sugar and molasses similar?

Cane sugar is a type of molasses that is made from raw, boiled sugar cane juice. On the other hand, molasses is a by-product derived from refining sugar. You can interchange these two ingredients when you don’t have one in your pantry. So, molasses is one of the best substitutes for cane sugar.

What does cane syrup consist of?

Cane syrup consists of sucrose from sugar cane and sugar bit, and sometimes varied quantities of glucose and fructose.

Are brown sugar and cane sugar the same?

Brown sugar is made from the molasses of sugar cane plants. The molasses is what gives brown sugar its color. On the other hand, cane sugar is derived from the sugar cane plant by a multistep process that is different from brown sugar production.

Conclusion

Finally, to the end of today’s post! We hope our article on the best cane sugar substitutes has given you ways how to continue making your recipes without cane sugar.

As discussed, there are many substitutes for cane sugar. If you want a healthier alternative to cane sugar, you can go with Agave nectar r honey. Maple syrup is an excellent choice, too, as it adds a delicious flavor to your food. You can also find corn syrup and molasses in your local grocery store.

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for our next post!