Quick answer: The main types of sugar used in kitchens and bakeries are granulated (white) sugar, caster sugar, icing (powdered) sugar, brown sugars (light, dark, demerara and muscovado), cube sugar, liquid sugars such as golden syrup, glucose syrup, molasses and treacle, and traditional unrefined forms such as jaggery. They differ in crystal size, moisture and how much molasses they contain, and each one behaves differently in cooking.
This guide covers where sugar comes from, each type with its best uses, the jobs sugar does in food beyond sweetness, and the cooking stages of sugar syrup. It is written for hotel management and bakery students, and for anyone who wants to understand why a recipe asks for one sugar and not another.
Where sugar comes from
Most of the sugar we use is sucrose, extracted from either sugar cane or sugar beet. Once fully refined, cane and beet sugar are chemically the same.
- Extraction: cane is crushed, or beet is sliced and soaked in hot water, to release the sugary juice.
- Clarification: impurities are removed from the juice.
- Evaporation and crystallisation: the juice is boiled down to a thick syrup and crystals are allowed to form.
- Centrifuging: the crystals are spun to separate them from the dark syrup, which is molasses.
- Refining: the raw crystals are washed, dissolved, filtered and re-crystallised to make white sugar.
Brown sugars either keep some of their molasses or have molasses added back after refining. That is why the amount of molasses explains most of the differences in colour, flavour and moisture.
Types of sugar at a glance
| Sugar | Texture / form | Flavour | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granulated (white) | Medium crystals, free-flowing | Clean, neutral sweetness | General cooking, syrups, sweetening drinks, jams |
| Caster (superfine) | Fine crystals | Neutral | Sponges, meringues, creaming with butter, custards |
| Icing / powdered | Fine powder, usually with an anti-caking agent | Neutral | Icings, buttercream, dusting, uncooked desserts |
| Cube / lump | Pressed granulated sugar | Neutral | Tea and coffee service |
| Light brown | Soft, moist | Mild caramel | Cookies, cakes, sauces |
| Dark brown | Soft, moist, more molasses | Stronger, toffee-like | Gingerbread, fruit cakes, barbecue sauces |
| Demerara | Large, golden, crunchy crystals | Light caramel | Toppings, crumbles, coffee |
| Muscovado | Very moist, fine, sticky | Rich, deep molasses | Rich cakes, sticky toffee pudding, marinades |
| Jaggery (gur) | Solid blocks or powder from cane juice or palm sap | Earthy, caramel, mineral | Indian sweets, chikki, traditional drinks |
| Golden syrup | Thick, pale golden liquid | Buttery caramel | Flapjacks, treacle tart, glazes |
| Glucose syrup | Thick, clear liquid | Mildly sweet | Sugar work, ice cream, fondants, preventing crystallisation |
| Molasses / treacle | Thick, dark liquid | Strong, slightly bitter | Gingerbread, dark breads, sauces |
White sugars
Granulated sugar
This is the everyday sugar on most tables. Its medium crystals dissolve easily in hot liquids, which makes it the standard choice for syrups, jams, sauces and general cooking. In baking it works well, but in delicate sponges and meringues it can leave a slightly grainy texture.
Caster sugar
Caster sugar has smaller crystals than granulated sugar. It dissolves faster and traps more air when creamed with butter, which helps cakes rise evenly. Pastry chefs prefer it for meringues, because the fine crystals dissolve fully into the egg whites and give a glossy, stable foam.
Icing sugar
Icing sugar is white sugar ground to a fine powder. Most commercial icing sugar contains a small amount of starch to stop it clumping. It is used for glacé icing, royal icing, buttercream and dusting finished desserts. Because it dissolves almost instantly, it is also useful in uncooked mixtures such as whipped cream.
Cube sugar
Cube sugar is granulated sugar that is moistened, moulded into cubes and dried. In food and beverage service it is used for tea and coffee because each cube is a neat, portion-controlled amount.
Brown sugars
Brown sugars contain molasses, which brings colour, moisture and flavour. Because molasses is slightly acidic, brown sugar can also react with baking soda in a recipe.
- Light brown sugar: soft and mild; good in cookies, giving a chewier texture than white sugar.
- Dark brown sugar: more molasses and a stronger flavour; suits gingerbread, rich fruit cakes and sauces.
- Demerara: large golden crystals with a crunchy texture; used mostly as a topping or in coffee.
- Muscovado: a less refined, very moist sugar with a deep flavour; excellent in sticky puddings and dark cakes.
Brown sugar hardens when it dries out. Store it in an airtight container. If it sets into a lump, leaving it sealed with a slice of bread or a damp cloth for a day usually softens it again.
Jaggery and other traditional sugars
Jaggery, called gur in Hindi, is made by boiling sugar cane juice or palm sap until it thickens and then setting it in blocks. It is not centrifuged, so it keeps its molasses and has an earthy, caramel taste. Jaggery is central to Indian sweets such as chikki, til laddoo and many regional desserts. Other unrefined sugars, such as khandsari and palm sugar, are used in a similar way in South and Southeast Asian cooking.
Liquid sugars and syrups
- Golden syrup: a pale, thick syrup made during sugar refining. It gives a soft, chewy texture to flapjacks and a shine to glazes.
- Glucose syrup: made from starch. Pastry chefs add it to sugar work, fondant and ice cream because it helps prevent sucrose from crystallising.
- Molasses: the dark syrup left after sugar crystals are removed. It is strongly flavoured and used in small amounts.
- Treacle: a term used in Britain for dark, molasses-type syrups.
- Honey and maple syrup: natural syrups that are not made from cane or beet, but are used in a similar way as sweeteners.
What sugar does in cooking
Sugar does much more than sweeten. Knowing its functions helps you understand why cutting the sugar in a recipe often changes the result.
- Browning: sugar caramelises when heated and also takes part in Maillard browning with proteins, giving colour and flavour to crusts.
- Tenderising: sugar slows gluten development and the setting of egg proteins, which keeps cakes soft.
- Aeration: creaming sugar with fat traps air; whisking sugar with eggs stabilises foams.
- Moisture retention: sugar holds on to water, which keeps baked goods moist for longer.
- Preserving: in jams and preserves, high sugar levels make it hard for microbes to grow.
- Food for yeast: a small amount of sugar helps yeast start fermenting in bread dough. (See our guide to raising agents for more.)
- Texture in frozen desserts: sugar lowers the freezing point, which keeps ice cream and sorbet scoopable.
Stages of sugar cooking
When sugar syrup is boiled, water evaporates and the temperature rises. Each stage gives a different texture once cooled. The temperatures below are standard approximate ranges; a sugar thermometer is the most reliable guide.
| Stage | Approximate temperature | Cold-water test | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thread | 106–112°C | Forms a thin thread | Syrups, glazes |
| Soft ball | 112–116°C | Soft ball that flattens | Fudge, fondant, Italian meringue |
| Firm ball | 118–120°C | Firm ball that holds shape | Caramels |
| Hard ball | 121–130°C | Hard but pliable ball | Nougat, marshmallows |
| Soft crack | 132–143°C | Firm threads that bend | Toffee, butterscotch |
| Hard crack | 146–154°C | Brittle threads that snap | Brittle, spun sugar, lollipops |
| Caramel | 160°C and above | Turns golden to amber | Caramel sauce, crème caramel, praline |
Hot sugar causes serious burns. Keep a bowl of cold water nearby, never touch the syrup, and keep children and untrained staff away from the stove while sugar is boiling.
Substituting one sugar for another
- You can make caster sugar by briefly blitzing granulated sugar in a dry grinder.
- Light brown sugar can be replaced by white sugar mixed with a little molasses.
- Swapping white sugar for brown makes bakes moister and chewier, and darker in colour.
- Liquid sweeteners such as honey add water, so the liquid elsewhere in the recipe may need reducing.
- Do not replace granulated sugar with icing sugar in baking without adjusting, because icing sugar measures differently by volume and contains starch.
Frequently asked questions
What are the different types of sugar?
The main types are granulated, caster, icing and cube sugar (white sugars); light brown, dark brown, demerara and muscovado (brown sugars); jaggery and other unrefined sugars; and liquid sugars such as golden syrup, glucose syrup and molasses.
Is brown sugar healthier than white sugar?
Not in any meaningful way. Brown sugar contains a little molasses, which brings small traces of minerals, but nutritionally it is very similar to white sugar and should be used in moderation.
What is the difference between caster sugar and icing sugar?
Caster sugar is still made of fine crystals, while icing sugar is ground into a powder and usually contains a little starch. Caster sugar is used in baking; icing sugar is used for icings and dusting.
Why do pastry chefs add glucose syrup to sugar work?
Glucose syrup interferes with the formation of sucrose crystals, so syrups, caramels and fondants stay smooth instead of turning grainy.
Is jaggery the same as brown sugar?
No. Jaggery is made by boiling cane juice or palm sap without separating the molasses, so it is less refined and has a stronger, earthier flavour than brown sugar.
Which sugar is best for meringue?
Caster sugar is the usual choice because its fine crystals dissolve completely in the egg whites, giving a smooth, glossy and stable meringue.