13 Coconut Sugar Substitutes (+ Best Alternatives)

Some of the most popular coconut sugar substitutes include light brown sugar, agave syrup, and maple syrup. You can also try honey, maple sugar, and date sugar in a pinch.

All of these work well to achieve the same sweetness you get from coconut sugar.

But if you don’t have any on hand, there are some wonderful alternatives to coconut sugar. These options still provide a healthy and delicious sweetener to accent your recipes.

What Is Coconut Sugar?

Coconut sugar is a natural sweetener made from the sap of coconut palm trees. It’s a popular alternative to other sugars like cane, brown, and white sugar. 

It has a light caramel flavor with subtle hints of butterscotch, making it ideal for baking and cooking. It also has a lower glycemic index. It won’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels like other sweeteners. 

Coconut sugar is a great choice if you want to reduce your added sugar intake. It can be used in the same ways as other sugars and is easy to find in most grocery stores.

Best Substitutes for Coconut Sugar

Best Overall Substitute

1. Light Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is a great substitute for coconut sugar when baking or cooking. It has a similar taste and consistency. 

It’s slightly sweeter than coconut sugar. So use slightly less of it than the amount of coconut sugar the recipe calls for. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of coconut sugar, use ¾ cup of brown sugar instead. 

This substitution works well in cakes, cookies, muffins, and other baked goods where sweetness is the primary flavor.

Best Liquid Substitutes

2. Agave Syrup

Agave syrup is a great substitute for coconut sugar. It has a similar flavor profile, sweetness, and texture. It’s also much lower in calories than coconut sugar and has a milder flavor. 

Agave syrup is also easier to find in stores and online.

When substituting with agave syrup, use 1/2 cup of agave syrup for every cup of coconut sugar.

3. Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is an ideal substitute for coconut sugar. It has a similar sweetness and texture with less intense caramel undertones. 

To use maple syrup as a substitute for coconut sugar, use half the amount called for in the recipe. 

Maple syrup also has a lower glycemic index than coconut sugar. This is beneficial if you’re looking to lower your intake of added sugars.

4. Honey

Honey is a popular substitute for coconut sugar, as it has a similar caramel-like flavor. 

Honey is sweeter than coconut sugar, so it can be used in slightly lesser amounts. To replace 1 cup of coconut sugar with honey, use ¾ cup of honey. 

Since honey is a liquid, it will thin out the texture of your recipe compared to coconut sugar. 

5. Date Syrup

Date syrup is another excellent alternative to coconut sugar. It has a comparable sweetness. It’s also lower in calories, providing additional nutritional benefits. 

It has a molasses-like flavor and can be used to provide sweetness without the grittiness of coconut sugar. 

When replacing coconut sugar with date syrup, use ⅔ of the amount of date syrup as you would coconut sugar.

Best Granulated Substitutes:

6. Maple Sugar

Maple sugar is a great alternative to coconut sugar as a healthier sweetener. Plus, it offers the same sweetness as regular cane sugar. 

Maple sugar is also sweeter than coconut sugar and has a more complex flavor. 

But it’s important to note the consistency and sweetness can vary. 

It’s best to use slightly less than the amount of coconut sugar called for, as it has a more concentrated sweetness.

7. Date Sugar

Date sugar is a great substitute for coconut sugar. It has a low glycemic index, making it ideal for blood sugar levels. It’s also a great source of fiber and antioxidants. 

It should be used in the same quantity that you use regular coconut sugar. So for every cup of coconut sugar, use one cup of date sugar.

8. Sucanat

Sucanat works well, especially if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to coconut sugar.

It’s made from dried cane juice. It contains more of the natural minerals, vitamins, and nutrients found in whole cane sugar. These include iron, calcium, and potassium. 

It’s also typically less processed than coconut sugar. So it has a richer flavor and more natural sweetness.

Sucanat can be used as a 1:1 substitute for coconut sugar.

9. Palm Sugar

Palm sugar is an excellent substitute for coconut sugar. It has a lower glycemic index and strong molasses-like flavor. 

It contains the same nutrients as coconut sugar, such as iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium. 

It can be used in the same amounts as coconut sugar. However, keep in mind the flavor will be slightly different.

Palm sugar can be used in baking and cooking just like coconut sugar. Try it in cakes to curries and beyond!

10. Turbinado Sugar

Turbinado sugar is an excellent substitute for coconut sugar, especially in baking. It’s made from raw sugar cane and it has a rich flavor, similar to that of coconut sugar. 

The main benefit of using turbinado sugar is it does not contain any added chemicals or preservatives. 

It’s slightly less sweet than coconut sugar. It’s ideal for recipes requiring a bit of sweetness without being overly sugary. 

When substituting turbinado sugar for coconut sugar, use a ratio of 1:1.

11. White Table Sugar

White table sugar is a good substitute for coconut sugar because of its similarity in texture. The sweetness level is not exactly the same, but the flavor is close.

It’s important to keep in mind white sugar doesn’t contain the same trace minerals and beneficial compounds as coconut sugar. So, substituting it is a less healthy option.

To replace the coconut sugar with white table sugar, use 1/2 cup of white sugar for every 3/4 cup of coconut sugar. 

Best Low-Carb Substitutes:

12. Stevia

Stevia works well as a substitute for coconut sugar because it has fewer calories and carbohydrates. It’s also 100-200 times sweeter than table sugar. So a much smaller quantity is needed to achieve the same level of sweetness. 

When substituting stevia for coconut sugar, it’s important to note the conversion rate is not 1:1.

Use about one-third of the amount of stevia as a swap.

13. Monk Fruit

Monk fruit has zero calories and does not cause spikes in blood sugar levels.

The granulated forms of both sweeteners are interchangeable. So both work equally well in recipes.

When substituting monk fruit for coconut sugar, use a 1:1 ratio in recipes. So if a recipe calls for one cup of coconut sugar, use one cup of monk fruit.