Out of Sugar, one case
How to substitute erythritol for sugar
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Granulated erythritol
1 1/3 cups for every cup of sugar
Use 1 1/3 cups of plain granulated erythritol for each cup of sugar, because erythritol is about 70 percent as sweet. Blends sold to measure like sugar, such as Swerve or Lakanto Classic, replace it cup for cup, so check the bag. Erythritol does not caramelize, feed yeast or hold moisture, and it leaves a cooling aftertaste.
- Verdict —
- You'll taste it
- The tweak —
- Use 1 1/3 cups per cup of sugar, cream or whisk it a little longer because it dissolves slowly, and start checking the bake 5 minutes early.
- Best for —
- crisp cookies and shortbread
One casethe full sugar card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup sugar | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Granulated erythritolcrisp cookies and shortbread | 1 1/3 cupsYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 2 | Erythritol blend that measures like sugareveryday sugar-free baking | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 3 | Half erythritol, half sugarchewy cookies and brownies | ½ cup sugar + 2/3 cup erythritolTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Allulosecaramel sauce and soft cookies | 1 1/3 cupsTweak it | Tweak it |
| Not a swap | Erythritol in caramel, candy or yeast bread | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Granulated erythritol
clean and sweet, with a cooling sensation like mint without the flavor
A sugar alcohol sold as white crystals that look like sugar. It gives the bulk a recipe needs, with close to zero calories, at about 70 percent of the sweetness.
- Best for
- crisp cookies and shortbread, cakes, muffins and quick breads, hot drinks
- Prep
- Use 1 1/3 cups per cup of sugar, cream or whisk it a little longer because it dissolves slowly, and start checking the bake 5 minutes early.
- Suits
- vegan, keto
- Where it fails
- Caramel, toffee and candy, where it will not brown or reach a candy stage like sugar; yeast doughs, where it does not feed the yeast; and syrups, puddings and ice cream, where it recrystallizes as it cools and turns gritty or rock hard.
Large amounts can cause bloating or a laxative effect in some people.
Erythritol blend that measures like sugar
close to sugar; the cooling note is still there
Erythritol with a little monk fruit, stevia or oligosaccharide added to bring it up to the sweetness of sugar. Swerve and Lakanto Classic are sold this way.
- Best for
- everyday sugar-free baking, recipes where you do not want to redo the math
- Prep
- Confirm on the bag that it replaces sugar cup for cup, then measure it as you would sugar.
- Suits
- vegan, keto
- Where it fails
- The same places as plain erythritol: it will not caramelize, feed yeast or stay smooth once a syrup cools.
Half erythritol, half sugar
very close to the original
Keeping half the sugar keeps most of the browning, spread and moisture, and hides the cooling aftertaste.
- Best for
- chewy cookies and brownies, cakes that should stay moist for a few days
- Where it fails
- Not sugar-free, so it does not fit a keto or no-sugar recipe.
Allulose
close to sugar, with no cooling effect
The sugar-free sweetener to reach for where erythritol fails. It is also about 70 percent as sweet, but it browns, caramelizes and stays soft.
- Best for
- caramel sauce and soft cookies, ice cream and custards, syrups that must stay smooth
- Prep
- Lower the oven 25°F and check early, because it browns much faster than sugar.
- Suits
- vegan, keto
- Where it fails
- Crisp cookies and meringues: allulose holds moisture and keeps bakes soft.
Erythritol in caramel, candy or yeast bread
not applicable
These recipes depend on what sugar does chemically, not on its sweetness.
- Best for
- nothing here: keep the sugar or use allulose for caramel
- Where it fails
- Erythritol melts and then sets back into hard crystals without turning amber, so there is no caramel, fudge or brittle. Yeast cannot ferment it, so keep at least the 1 to 2 tsp of real sugar a bread recipe uses to feed the yeast.
Tips for substituting sugar
5 tips- Smaller measures of plain erythritol: 4 tsp per tablespoon of sugar, 1/3 cup per ¼ cup, and 2/3 cup per ½ cup.
- For frosting, whipped cream, cold drinks and anything uncooked, use powdered erythritol or grind the granules in a blender for 30 seconds. The crystals do not dissolve well in cold or fatty mixtures and stay crunchy.
- Cookies made with erythritol spread less. Flatten the dough to the thickness you want before it goes in the oven.
- Bakes do not brown much, so use a skewer or set edges to judge doneness, not color.
- Store erythritol bakes airtight and eat them within a day or two. They dry out and turn hard faster than sugar bakes.
Questions
5 questionsIs erythritol a 1:1 substitute for sugar?
Plain erythritol is not: it is about 70 percent as sweet, so use 1 1/3 cups per cup of sugar. Blends that add monk fruit or stevia are made to be 1:1. The bag says which you have. If it lists only erythritol, use the larger amount.
Can I use erythritol in place of sugar in baking?
Yes, in cookies, cakes, muffins and quick breads. Expect less browning, less spread, a drier crumb and a cooling aftertaste that is strongest in plain vanilla bakes. Replacing half the sugar instead of all of it removes most of those differences.
Why does erythritol taste cold?
Erythritol absorbs heat as it dissolves on the tongue, which reads as a cooling sensation. It is more obvious in frostings, shortbread and other recipes with a lot of sweetener and little else. Chocolate, spice and blends with monk fruit or allulose mask it.
Does erythritol dissolve like sugar?
It dissolves more slowly and less of it stays dissolved. Stir it into hot liquid, not cold. In a syrup, pudding or sauce it can come back out as crystals once chilled, which is why allulose is the better pick for those.
Does erythritol count as sugar or carbs?
It has no sugar and close to zero calories. Nutrition labels list it under total carbohydrate as a sugar alcohol, about 4 grams per teaspoon.