Craving for something sweet? If yes, then you might be cooking something delicious with Molasses. Molasses is sweet and thick in texture. It is responsible for many sweet dishes/recipes like cakes, pastries, cookies, etc. Have you run out of Molasses? If yes, You don’t need to think much about not having Molasses. There are lots of Molasses Substitutes available. Before using these substitutes, you have to know about Molasses first. Let’s find out:
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What is Molasses Exactly?
Molasses is a thick syrup that is used for making sweet dishes/recipes. It comes from crushed sugar cane and sugar beets. It has two types Dark Molasses and Light Molasses. It contains high disaccharide sucrose and fewer amounts of the monosaccharides fructose and glucose. It has some health benefits too. The nutrition profile of Molasses is good when you expect a healthier sweetener.
Nutrition Profile of Molasses:
- manganese: 13%
- magnesium: 12%
- copper: 11%
- vitamin B-6: 8%
- selenium: 6%
- potassium: 6%
- iron: 5%
- calcium: 3%
Health Benefits of Molasses:
It controls the blood sugar level.
It has antioxidants more than honey.
Molasses has a decent amount of potassium that helps to maintain heart health.
It also has iron, copper, and selenium that helps to maintain bone health.
What Can You Substitute for Molasses?
It would not be right to say, you can’t make desserts without Molasses. There are lots of options available, so you don’t need to worry about that. Here, we have listed all the best substitutes for Molasses. Let’s explore all of them before using them in your recipe/dish.
1. Maple Syrup:
Maple Syrup is sweet in nature. It has almost the same characteristics as Molasses. Maple syrup is thin as compared to Molasses. If a recipe/dish calls for Molasses, you can use Maple Syrup as an alternative for Molasses for urgent needs. 1 cup of Maple Syrup is enough for 1 cup of Molasses. Maple Syrup cost may be higher than the Molasses it depends on you what to choose for your recipe/dish.
2. Honey:
Honey has a sweet and floral taste. It is sweeter than Molasses. We can replace it with light Molasses. There are lots of varieties of honey available in the market. All have the same similarity of thickness. A deeper-colored and deeper-flavored variety can be the best match to replace it with Molasses. You can use the amount of honey in a recipe in the ratio of 1:1. This can be a great replacement for Molasses if you want a sugar-free Molasses substitute.
3. Brown Sugar:
Brown Sugar is just granulated sugar with added small amount of Molasses. It is healthier because it contains nutritional elements like calcium, potassium, and iron. If you are planning to bake something, you can use this substitute for molasses in baking. You just need 3/4 of brown sugar with 1/4 cup of water as an alternative to 1 cup of Molasses. For other purposes, it is good to replace 1 cup of Molasses with 1.5 cups of Brown Sugar.
4. Dark Corn Syrup:
Corn Syrup is prepared by the digestion of corn starch into glucose that makes fructose and gives a slightly more sweet taste than table sugar. Dark Corn Syrup is thick but has the same color as Molasses. It can be used for Molasses in BBQ sauces. It is good for health because it contains some minerals like calcium, selenium, and magnesium.
5. Granulated Sugar:
Granulated Sugar is an easy swap for Molasses. It would give a sweet flavor only. You just need to add 3/4 of Granulated Sugar with 1/4 cup of water in place of 1 cup of Molasses to give a texture to the recipe/dish. You’ll leave the deep brown color of Molasses. In the end. you would get a similar result to the Molasses. This can be an easy and always available replacement for Molasses.
6. Apple Sauce:
If you don’t want to use processed sugar, you can you Apple Sauce as a substitute for Molasses. It this thick in texture and has a sweet flavor. You can add some sugar and cinnamon for a healthier substitution. If you are making baked recipes/dishes, it would be the best substitute for molasses in baking.
7. Yogurt:
Similar to Honey and Apple Sauce, Yogurt is the healthiest option to use as a Molasses replacement. It is different in taste as compared to Molasses, you can increase its taste or make it similar to Molasses by adding some seasonings and spices. You don’t need measurement to use yogurt as a substitute, you can start 1:1 and alter the amount when it’s needed.
8. Inverted Sugar Syrup:
Inverted Sugar Syrup is made from glucose and fructose. It is mostly used for baked goods to give them a sweet flavor. Golden Syrup is one of the Inverted Sugar Syrup examples. Inverted Sugar Syrup is ideal for baked goods like cakes and pastries. Another feature of Inverted Sugar is it preserves moisture. It is considered to be another Molasses alternative.
9. Cocoa Powder:
Cocoa Powder is a very convenient option for those who want to replicate the bitterness and sweetness of dark Molasses. It is easily available in everyone’s kitchen cabinet. It may vary the amount of Cocoa Powder to use for BBQ sauces. It is ideal for recipes/dishes that call for dark Molasses. This can be a good substitute for Molasses if you want both bitter and sweet tastes.
10. Orange Marmalade:
Orange Marmalade is rich in vitamin C and has a tangier taste. As it contains vitamin C that means, it is healthy for us. It enhances the flavor of sweet dishes especially. To give a tangier taste to your recipe/dish, you can use Orange Marmalade as a substitute for Molasses.
11. Golden Syrup:
People get confused most of the time when they try to differentiate between Golden Syrup and Molasses. Both are nearly the same. It is prepared by evaporating sugarcane juice until it becomes thick like corn syrup, resulting in golden color and toasty flavor. You can replace one cup of Molasses with one cup of Golden Syrup.
12. Treacle:
Treacle is a good alternative for Molasses when making recipes/dishes like meats, beans, and sponge cakes. It has the same color and properties as Molasses. It is sweeter in taste and less concentrated. Treacle is made by combining Molasses and refined cane syrup to get a dark color and sweet taste. You should use the amount of Treacle in a ratio of 1:1.
13. Sorghum:
Sorghum is known as Sorghum Molasses sometimes. It is obtained from a cereal grain known as Sorghum. It is a little sour and sweet in taste. It is similar to honey in thickness but thinner than Molasses. Sorghum is a molasses substitute when you use it in the same ratio of 1:1.
14. Palm Sugar:
Palm Sugar is mostly used in some Asian recipes/dishes. It is available in both crystal and liquid form. If you are not looking for stickiness, this can be a good option to replace the main ingreadient. It is best for some savory dishes.
15. Muscovado Sugar:
Muscovado Sugar is a non-refined sugar and has natural Molasses. It is dark brown in color and has a moist texture and tastes like toffee. It is used for cookies, cakes, and candies a deeper and some savory dishes.
16. Brown Rice Syrup:
Brown Rice Syrup is prepared when rice is cooked for a long time by enzymes that break down starches and turn them into smaller sugars, then filter out the impurities. Brown Rice Syrup contains three sugars maltose, glucose, and maltotriose. It also contains a few amounts of minerals like calcium and potassium.
17. Barley Malt Syrup:
Barley Malt Syrup is prepared with barley grain. Barley grain is sprouted and then heated until it makes a syrup. The syrup is evaporated, resulting in a highly concentrated sweetener. You need to use 1 cup of barley malt syrup in place of 2/3 of Molasses.
FAQ:-
What can I use instead of Molasses in gingerbread?
You should use dark corn syrup instead of Molasses in gingerbread because it has a mild flavor of Molasses and has the same consistency.
Can I use golden syrup instead of Molasses?
Yes, golden Syrup can be used instead of Molasses in many recipes. This syrup is much lighter and can be used in the same ratio.
Now, you know the best Molasses Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you.
