This keto friendly brown sugar alternative takes 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes of your time. And it has all the rich flavor of the real thing, with almost zero net carbs!
Okay, my friends, I decided that I need to take matters into my own hands. I don’t shy away from my duties and obligations when it comes to keto baking. So I had to go ahead and create my own brown sugar replacement. And I am thrilled by the results!
If I have taught my readers anything, it is that every single ingredient matters. The sweeteners you use can make a huge difference to the outcome of a recipe. I outline how each of them work in my Guide to Keto Sweeteners.
This new homemade brown sugar substitute takes all of those variables into consideration. And it works perfectly in all recipes calling for Swerve Brown. Hooray!
Why you need to try this recipe
The new formula of Swerve contains allulose, and while it’s still a great sweetener for many purposes, it no longer produces a crisp texture. Which means that while it works just fine in recipes like Keto Oatmeal, it’s not ideal in things like Keto Graham Crackers.
With all of these changes, I’ve been searching for a good replacement. I thought I’d found one, but that brand now seems to be out of business. And the others I’ve tried simply don’t have the rich flavor I am looking for. They seem to just be regular granular sweetener with a touch of color.
There are other brown sweetener recipes out there, but mine has a special touch which goes the extra distance. Have you ever noticed how brown sugar and caramel have similar flavor profiles? A bit of caramel extract gives this keto sweetener a classic brown sugar flavor.
And it takes all of about 5 minutes to make and stores nicely in an airtight. I’ve tested it out in a few recipes, including some keto muffins. Hope you will give it a try!
Ingredients you need
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- Erythritol sweetener: You can use an erythritol that is already blended with monk fruit or stevia, such as So Nourished or Lakanto. Or you can use straight erythritol and add a bit of stevia or monk fruit extract yourself.
- Molasses: Don’t panic, I repeat do NOT panic about the molasses. It really just adds color and a bit of flavor. The entire recipe takes 2 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses, which adds only 0.5g of carbs per serving.
- Caramel extract: I really like this caramel extract from Dolce Foglia. This Butterscotch Extract works well too, since caramel and butterscotch are very similar flavors.
- Stevia or monk fruit extract: If you choose to use plain erythritol, you will want to add one of these highly concentrated sweeteners. See the Expert Tips and recipe notes for more information.
Step by Step Directions
1. Place the erythritol sweetener in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, if you are using a hand mixer).
2. Place the molasses in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave very gently to help liquify it a bit. Stir in the caramel extract.
3. Turn the mixer on to low and slowly drizzle the molasses into the bowl. Keep mixing until the sweetener is a uniform golden brown.
4. Transfer to an airtight container. Use as you would any recipe that calls for a brown sugar replacement.
Expert Tips
Once again, I urge you not to panic about the molasses. Blackstrap molasses is surprisingly low in carbs. And you add only 2 teaspoons for a recipe that makes 16 servings. Do choose blackstrap rather than regular molasses.
Molasses is very thick, so I recommend heating it very gently to help liquify it a bit. It will blend with the granular erythritol much more easily this way.
Plain erythritol is only 70% as sweet as sugar, so you will want to add a bit of a highly concentrated sweetener such as stevia or monk fruit extract. Most sweeteners on the market already do this for you, but purchasing straight erythritol can be more cost effective.
I recommend using ¼ teaspoon of these extracts to up the sweetness of your brown sugar substitute. Add it into the molasses after warming it in Step 2. You can always add more at the very end if you find you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, no. Only real sugar can be brown sugar, of course. But this brown sugar alternative is an excellent substitute for brown sugar in all of your low carb and sugar free recipes. It has only 0.5g of carbs per 1 tablespoon serving and can be used in all recipes calling for brown sugar or brown sugar substitutes.
This homemade brown sugar alternative is a low carb option for anyone watching their carbs, including diabetics. It has all the rich flavor you crave, with a tiny fraction of the carbs. Regular brown sugar has 13.5g of carbs per tablespoon, where as this alternative brown sweetener has only 0.5 net carbs.
This homemade brown sweetener should be stored in an airtight container on the counter. It will last for at least a month.
Recipes to try with brown sugar replacement
Easy Brown Sugar Substitute
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer (hand mixers work too!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup erythritol sweetener
- 2 teaspoon blackstrap molasses
- 1 teaspoon caramel extract
Instructions
- Place the erythritol sweetener in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, if you are using a hand mixer).
- Place the molasses in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave very gently to help liquify it a bit. Stir in the caramel extract.
- Turn the mixer on to low and slowly drizzle the molasses into the bowl. Keep mixing until the sweetener is a uniform golden brown.
- Transfer to an airtight container. Use as you would any recipe that calls for a brown sugar replacement.
Dee says
What can you use if erythritol is not an option.
Carolyn says
You can use allulose or xylitol. However, it will change the outcome of your recipes…
Anya G says
This recipe is phenomenal! No longer do I have to pay exorbitant prices for brown sweetener.
Cindy says
I am unclear regarding the adding of 1/4 tsp of sweetners extract. I have on hand, pure liquid & powder stevia, pure erythritol, pure allulose and multi powdered blends. When I think extract, I think liquid. So, do I use 1/4 tsp of liquid stevia, an additional 1/4 tsp of pure erythritol or a 1/4 tsp of any of my other blended powdered sweetners?
Carolyn says
Hi there. The post clearly states that if you are using pure erythritol, you will need stevia or monk fruit extract. Extracts can be powdered or liquid and they are highly concentrated sweeteners. Erythritol and allulose are granular sweeteners, not extracts. Blends are granular sweeteners, not extracts. Anything that comes in a form like regular sugar (granular or powdered) are not extracts.
Thus you would use your erythritol (plain, not blended) and add 1/4 tsp of a concentrated extract such as stevia or monk fruit.
Meredith says
God morning! I’m just learning keto diet and cooking your recipes…which are wonderful! I used the blackstrap molasses in your low carb choc chip cookie before realizing it contained sugar. Is the sugars counted in your carb count already? Am I correct carbs on keto include both sugars and starches? Should I have used the yacon syrup instead as its alternative sugar?
Can I use the yacon syrup in your brown sugar recipe?
Mimi A says
Making my second batch today. This is wonderful – thank you! I used what I had – English Toffee flavoring and it came out great!