Pearl sugar substitutes
Pearl sugar substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Crushed sugar cubes
Same amount by volume as the pearl sugar
Pearl sugar's job is texture and appearance, not overall sweetness: it stays as visible crunchy nuggets or, in the coarse Belgian grade, melts into caramel pockets inside the dough. For sprinkling on top of chouquettes, brioche, muffins or scones, use coarse sanding sugar or crushed sugar cubes at 1:1. Crushed sugar cubes are the free option and look almost identical, so put a few cubes in a zip bag and hit them once or twice with a rolling pin to get 3 to 4mm chunks rather than powder. For Liege waffles, roughly crushed sugar cubes are the only common swap that works, because granulated sugar just dissolves and sweetens the whole batter.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- chouquettes
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of pearl sugar | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crushed sugar cubeschouquettes | Same amount by volumeWorks | Works |
| 2 | Coarse sanding sugar or decorating sugarmuffins | Same amount by volumeFor toppings onlyTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Turbinado or demerara sugarscones | Same amount by volumeToppings onlyYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 4 | Rock sugar or Scandinavian hail sugarchouquettes | Same amountWorks | Works |
| 5 | Homemade pearl sugarchouquettes | 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tbsp water makes about ¾ cupWorks | Works |
| 6 | Granulated sugartopping muffins | Same amountBut expect a different resultTweak it | Tweak it |
Crushed sugar cubes
similar taste and texture
Sugar cubes are compressed sugar, which is essentially what pearl sugar is. Crush coarsely in a bag with a rolling pin and sift out the powder.
- Best for
- chouquettes, brioche, Liege waffles, scones, muffins, sweet buns
The closest and cheapest substitute, and the only common one that works inside Liege waffle dough. Slightly softer and more irregular than commercial pearl sugar, so a few lumps will dissolve on a very wet dough. One or two firm taps only: two extra taps and you have expensive caster sugar.
Coarse sanding sugar or decorating sugar
similar taste, different texture
Large clear crystals sold for decorating, designed to survive the oven without melting.
- Best for
- muffins, scones, cookies, sweet buns, danishes
Holds up well on top of a bake, but it sparkles rather than sitting as opaque white lumps, and the crystals are much smaller, so you get sparkle and a fine crunch instead of distinct nuggets. Useless folded into waffle dough, where the pieces need to be large enough to caramelise into pockets.
Turbinado or demerara sugar
different taste and texture
Large golden raw-sugar crystals with some molasses still attached.
- Best for
- scones, muffins, crumble toppings, coffee cake, sweet breads
Holds up well in the oven and adds a faint caramel note, which is often an improvement. Visually quite different, amber and glassy rather than opaque white, and the crystals partly dissolve into the crust, giving a thin caramel glaze rather than crunchy white pearls. Excellent on scones.
Rock sugar or Scandinavian hail sugar
similar taste and texture
Homemade pearl sugar
similar taste and texture
Stir sugar with just enough water to make a thick barely-damp paste, press it flat on a lined tray, dry at 250F for 30 to 40 minutes, then break it up and sift.
- Best for
- chouquettes, brioche, Liege waffles, scones, muffins
Genuinely works and costs pennies. The lumps come out more irregular and slightly crumblier than commercial pearl sugar, so they crush more easily under your fingers, but they behave the same in the oven. Sift out the fine powder or it will just dissolve into the crust.
Granulated sugar
similar taste, different texture
The last resort, and worth understanding before you use it.
- Best for
- topping muffins, topping sweet buns
It dissolves, which is the one thing pearl sugar is designed not to do. On top of a chouquette it becomes a thin sticky glaze rather than crunchy nuggets. In a Liege waffle it sweetens the whole dough evenly and gives no caramel pockets at all, which is most of the point of the waffle. Crush sugar cubes instead if you possibly can.
Questions
6 questionsWhat can I use instead of pearl sugar?
Crushed sugar cubes are the closest and cheapest, and the only common swap that also works inside Liege waffle dough. Coarse sanding sugar is a good topping substitute, and turbinado works too if you do not mind an amber colour and a faint caramel flavour.
Can I just leave pearl sugar out?
On a brioche, bun or muffin, yes. You lose a crunchy sweet topping but the bake itself is unaffected, and a sprinkle of turbinado or a light glaze fills the gap. In a Liege waffle you cannot, because the caramelised sugar pockets are what makes it a Liege waffle rather than just a sweet waffle.
Is pearl sugar the same as sanding sugar?
No. Pearl sugar is opaque white compressed lumps that stay whole in the oven. Sanding sugar is large clear crystals that sparkle and are considerably smaller. Sanding sugar is a decent topping substitute and a poor one inside dough, where the pieces are too small to caramelise into pockets.
Can I make pearl sugar at home?
Yes, and it works well. Mix a cup of granulated sugar with about two tablespoons of water until it feels like damp sand, press it into a slab on a lined tray, dry it in a 250F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, then break it up and sift out the powder. The lumps are more irregular than shop-bought but behave the same.
Why did my pearl sugar disappear in the oven?
Either it was actually granulated or sanding sugar, which dissolves, or the dough was very wet or baked slowly enough for the sugar to melt into it. Press the pearls onto the surface just before baking, or use the coarser grade, which survives longer.
How much pearl sugar do I need for chouquettes?
About a third of a cup for a batch of 20 to 24, sprinkled generously and pressed onto the egg-washed tops. Some will fall off in the oven, so scatter more than looks necessary and expect to lose a little.
Tips for substituting pearl sugar
5 tips- Pearl sugar's job is texture, not sweetness. It is meant to stay in visible crunchy lumps, so anything that dissolves in the oven, including granulated, caster and powdered sugar, is not doing the same job no matter how much you use.
- There are two grades and they are not interchangeable. Fine Swedish or French pearl sugar, around 2 to 3mm, is for sprinkling on buns and chouquettes. Coarse Belgian pearl sugar, around 5 to 8mm, is for folding into Liege waffle dough where the big lumps melt into caramel.
- Crush sugar cubes with restraint. One or two firm taps in a zip-top bag, then tip the pieces into a sieve and shake the powder out. Powder dissolves and gets you nothing, so sifting is not optional.
- Press the sugar into the dough rather than just scattering it. Pearl sugar bounces off dry surfaces, so brush with egg wash or a little milk first and press the pearls on lightly with your fingertips so they are still there after baking.
- Any sugar that touches a hot waffle iron caramelises and sticks. Fold pearl sugar or crushed cubes into Liege dough and keep it away from the surface, and expect to clean the iron more carefully than usual.