Sugar – What’s the difference?

Sugar is such an integral part of our day to day baking.

Of course, there’s the obvious sweetness it provides to things like cookies and cakes. But when it comes to breads and rolls, it “feeds” the yeast in order to achieve a beautiful rise.

For most people, when you say sugar, the first thing that comes to mind is white, granulated sugar. It’s the type that Canadians use most often for baking or sweetening our coffee or tea.

The more often you bake, the likelihood of encountering different types of sugars will definitely increase.

In an effort to expand your baking knowledge horizons, let’s discuss the types of sugar that are available for all of our baking needs. So, let’s talk sugar!

Granulated sugar is known as white sugar, or “regular” sugar.

Granulated sugar has had all of the naturally present molasses completely refined out of it. It is the sugar that is most commonly used in baking.

The crystals in granulated sugar tend to stay independent from one another, which makes it perfect for measuring, sprinkling or dissolving in drinks.

Granulated sugar is one of the sugars I use in most of my recipes, including these Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Bakers that are new to the scene often get confused when they see the words “powdered sugar” and “confectioners’ sugar” used interchangeably. Well, this is because they’re the same thing!

Powdered or confectioners’ sugar is granulated sugar that has been finely ground and mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to prevent any caking*.

This is the sugar we would be using to make frostings and glazes. Not to mention, that powdery covering on a jelly filled donut that covers your face and hands after the first bite.

Graveyard Chocolate Cheesecake Dip is a recipe that perfectly uses confectioners’ sugar to form that deliciously smooth texture.

*Caking: A powder’s tendency to form lumps or masses.

Icing sugar – AKA: powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar.

While it’s a less common name, it’s the same none the less. Another great recipe that uses Icing, powdered or confectioners’ sugar is this tasty and rich Mocha Cream Cheese Mousse recipe.

As the name states, coarse sugar has a much larger crystal structure than regular granulated sugar.

The larger crystal size (roughly the same size as pretzel salt) makes the sugar more heat resistant. This type of sugar also helps to give baking some texture.

Coarse sugar is mainly used when decorating and comes in all the colors of the rainbow. It is also known as decorating sugar.

Sanding sugar is also a large crystal sugar. Not quite as large as coarse and not as small as granulated. It falls right in between in size.

Like coarse sugar, sanding sugar is another decorating sugar which also comes in different colors. It has a shimmer to it which gives off a sparkly shine. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love when their baking shimmers?

Brown sugar is granulated white sugar that has had molasses added to it.

Brown sugar has a tendency to harden if left open to allow the air in. So, it’s best when stored in a container that’s airtight. In the event your brown sugar has hardened, you can either throw it in the microwave for a few seconds, or put a piece of bread in the bag or container and leave it for a day.

When you go to the your local supermarket, you’ll usually see two types of brown sugar: Light and dark.

The titles – light or dark – refer to the amount of molasses present in the sugar.

Light brown sugar is used more often in baking, sauces and, glazes. I use light brown sugar in my favorite Best Ever Butter Tarts recipe.

Dark brown sugar, because of the rich molasses flavor, is used in richer foods, like gingerbread.

Superfine sugar also goes by the names ultrafine sugar, bar sugar or caster sugar.

Like the name implies, this sugar has the smallest crystal size of the white granulated sugar family.

Superfine sugar is typically used in delicate or smooth desserts such as mousse, meringues or puddings.

Also, if you’re looking for a sugar that dissolves extremely well in cold beverages, this is your go to – no heat required.

Turbinado sugar is what we categorize as raw sugar. It has only had the surface molasses washed off. It’s light in color, large crystal, and slightly lower in calories than white sugar due to the moisture content.

Turbinado sugar is rarely used in baking, but is popular for sweetening beverages.

Muscovado sugar, aka Barbados sugar, is a type of British brown sugar.

Muscovado sugar is very dark brown in color due to the amount of molasses it has. The crystal sizes are a slightly larger than regular brown sugar and the texture is much stickier.

Muscovado sugar can be used in sweets with rich flavors such as fudge and coffee cake.

Demerara sugar is another popular British type of sugar. In Canada, the most comparable sugar is turbinado sugar because they are both part of the raw sugar family.

Demerara sugar is a large-grained, crunchy sugar that hasn’t had all of the molasses refined out.

Demerara sugar is wonderful in tea and coffee. It is also sprinkled onto baked goods.