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Turn to my keto brown sugar recipe whenever you need a low-carb sweetener. It’s dark, caramelized, and made with only 2 ingredients. 1 gram net carbs per serving!
Need more keto pantry staples? Try my powdered sugar substitute, keto maple syrup, and keto honey next.
Brown sugar is essential in baking. It gives cookies their soft centers, and it adds moisture to breakfast breads and cakes.
But what about low carb baking? You need brown sugar in that, too! That’s why I decided to make a brown sugar substitute. It has the same texture and flavor as traditional brown sugar–sans the spike in blood sugar levels.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Cheaper than store-bought. I like Swerve, but it’s not cheap, and I don’t always want to run to the store when I need it. That’s why I like making my own.
- 2 ingredients. All you need is your preferred sweetener and a touch of molasses.
- Make it as dark or as light as you want. However, keep in mind more molasses = more carbs!
- AND make as much as you need when you need it. I always make a big batch since it stores so well, but you can mix up a few tablespoons if that’s all you need.
Ingredients needed
- Sweetener. Combining allulose and monk fruit sweetener is best, as they balance each other out. I don’t recommend using strictly allulose, as the molasses will dissolve it, nor do I recommend stevia alone, as it has a metallic aftertaste.
- Molasses. I tested regular molasses and blackstrap molasses, and while both turned out good, blackstrap is slightly lower in carbs.
How to make sugar free brown sugar
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sweetener. Drizzle molasses over the top.
Step 2- Blend. Mix on low speed, gradually moving up to high speed. Continue mixing until no clumps remain.
Step 3- Store. Transfer the brown sugar replacement to a sealable container or glass jar.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Melt the molasses. This stuff is THICK, especially blackstrap molasses, so I often microwave it to loosen it up.
- If you use only monk fruit sweetener, I suggest adding a bit of stevia extract because monk fruit is slightly less sweet than sugar.
- Taste as you go, and add more extract as needed.
- Add caramel extract. I tested this recipe with and without one teaspoon of caramel extract and preferred it without. That said, if you want a more robust caramel flavor (without adding more molasses), try it.
Storage instructions
To store: Like traditional brown sugar, this keto version can be stored in a sealed container for at least six months.
To freeze: Freeze this brown sugar alternative in a shallow freezer-safe container for up to one year.
Frequently asked questions
Any sugar-free substitute can be used on keto as it is carb-free, including erythritol, monk fruit sweetener, stevia, and allulose.
Traditional molasses is not keto-friendly. However, since we are only adding a very minuscule amount, it won’t be enough to kick you out of ketosis.
Recipes using keto brown sugar
Keto Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup allulose
- 1/2 cup monk fruit sweetener
- 1 tablespoon molasses * See notes
Instructions
- In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add your allulose and erythritol. Drizzle the molasses over the top.
- Turn the mixer on low speed, before gradually moving up to high speed. Continue mixing until no clumps of molasses remain and the texture is fluffy.
- Transfer the sugar into a sealable container or glass jar.
Araman… HI! It has been a while since finding your recipes again… I do have one question regarding this recipe using Allulose… I CAN’T! it is still a sugar and would like to know if you used Monk fruit or Coconut Sugar even… Would love your thoughts on these… Thank you!
Cindy Robinson
Hi! Coconut sugar is great but isn’t keto friendly. I don’t like using monk fruit as it crystallizes.
Can I make this with sucralose?
The recipe sounds amazing. However, the website is not very cooperative. It keeps jumping and reloading. I can’t even read it. I had to screenshot it.
Hi Janet- I’m sorry that is happening to you. Let me troubleshoot- are you on desktop or mobile?
If you’d like, you can email me arman(at)thebigmansworld(dot)com with screenshots. 🙂
One other comment: Molasses comes in multiple versions: Light, Dark & Blackstrap. The lighter it is, the higher is the percentage of sugar. Hence, if using molasses for flavor & color, Blackstrap (the darkest molasses) can be used to further reduce sugar content, as it has 2/3 of the sugar in light molasses. Because its flavor is stronger, just use less than a recipe calls for (…further reducing sugar). Some people say blackstrap is not true molasses, but I find its flavor addicting. It can even be used with hot water & milk as a caffeine-free hot drink, reminiscent of Postum or Ovaltine…but “dirt cheap” compared to those branded beverage.
Why not use 100% Allulose? It acts much more like “real” sugar than “sugar alcohols” like erythritol. It even caramelizes and can be used to make candy, and so on. Also, while any non-digestible sugar substitute can cause bloating in some individuals, Allulose is less likely to do so than erythritol.
I finally was able to make this. I didn’t have allulose so I used Better than Sugar which is erythritol and stevia. This substitute sweetener taste just like sugar. But the only thing I had trouble is the molasses clumps up. I am very happy to have this recipe as Better than Sugar doesn’t have a brown sugar. Thank you for your recipe!
TIA for your response
have you tried to make this with Monk fruit vs erythritol? is the allulose for browning and texture?
thank you Kim
I like using allulose as it dissolves like sugar does.
My dear, you are seriously a genius!!!
Hello! Can I use black strap molasses and if so I’m assuming if need less. Do you know the conversion?
Thanks very much in advance
Erin
same amount!
Can you just use Allulose? I don’t like the cooling effect with other no sugar sweeteners.
Yes you can!
What if your not keto? Can I use 3/4 c of brown sugar?
Hi, thank you for the recipe that sounds marvelous ! Which ratio do use to replace regular sugar in other recipes ?
Many thanks! Love ur blog !
Bisous from Paris 😊❤️
Clementine
Ok, here goes with a dumb question: I’m new to keto and I am a bit confused on the sweeteners. Each time I want to try a new recipe, there’s a different sweetener in the ingredients list. So I have to switch tabs to the Amazon tab – which I keep open because I’m constantly having to get a new something – so I can buy this different sweetener. Allulose! Erythitol! Monk fruit! Allulose blend! So I’m confused and running out of money. Does it really make a big difference in the specific sweeteners? Do brands make a difference? I love to bake but my baked goods seem to be suffering because I’m not a chemist. I want to make this brown sugar but I don’t have Allulose. Is it I,portent to get that? If you say it is, I will go to my Amazon tab….again! Thank you.
I’ll try the molasses powder with allulose idea soon because I don’t like that “cooling effect” with erythritol. That’s a great suggestion!
I love either Monkfruit or my favorite is Better than Sugar by Sweetleaf. It has no after taste or the cooling effect.