Sugar-free Baking Techniques for Tasty Treats: Sugar is Sweet but can Lead to the Defeat of Healthy Eating Choices

Sugar is integral to the baking process. It adds flavor, volume, sweetness moisture, and caramel color. Replacing refined sugar requires finding alternatives to achieve a tasty final product.

Sugar-free Baking Tips

These sugar-free baking techniques are already built into recipes specifically designed for sugar-free baking. Experiment with the strategies and modify the refined sugar levels in favorite recipes.

Boost Flavor in Sugar-free Baked Goods

  • Replace 1/3 of the flour with almond meal for nutty, warm flavor.
  • Use whole wheat pastry flour mixed with all-purpose flour for more depth in the baked goods.
  • Double the amount of vanilla extract in recipes.
  • Top baked goods with fruit or fruit spread.
  • Use a sweet spice, such as cinnamon, mixed with sugar substitute as a topping.

Create Volume in Sugar-free Baking

  • Over-leaven baked goods by adding more baking powder or baking soda.
  • If the recipe calls for eggs, use egg whites in place of whole eggs. Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg. For even more volume, whip whites into stiff peaks.

Add Sweetness Using Refined Sugar Substitutes

  • Grade B maple syrup is thick, dark, and has a strong flavor. Maple syrup is only 60% as sweet as sugar, but its deep flavor allows the baker to use less. Replace one cup sugar with ¾ cup syrup. Reduce the total amount of liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons.
  • Honeyis 25 to 50% sweeter than sugar. Substitute ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey for 1 cup of sugar. Reduce the total amount of liquid by 2 tablespoons. Neutralize the acidity by adding a pinch of baking soda unless the recipe already includes sour cream or buttermilk.
  • Replace half the sugar with a sugar substitute. Sucralose can withstand the heat of baking, unlike other sugar substitutes. Splenda® is the brand name for sucralose.
  • Use fruit juice or juice concentrates as sweeteners. Reduce the total amount of the liquid in the recipe.

Produce Color to Replace Caramelized Sugar

  • Use a combination of flours, mixing whole wheat pastry flour and almond meal with the all purpose flour for more color
  • Brush top with lightly beaten egg yolk before baking
  • Sprinkle tops with cinnamon or nutmeg

Adjust for Less Moisture

  • When baking with sugar substitutes, reduce baking time.
  • Sugar-free cookies need manual assistance to flatten or spread. Before baking, flatten the surface of each cookie with a cooking spray coated fork.

Use Portion Control

  • Make mini-muffins, rather than full sized muffins

Make smaller cookies

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