Consider a few of these last-minute back-up plans. It comes from the island of Mauritius, just off the coast of Africa, and is much darker than your usual brown sugar variety. As a result, it’s much richer in flavor. You’ll likely notice its delicious caramel flavor and slightly smoky aftertaste, which is why it can be found in everything from ginger cookies to barbecue sauce. One more perk? It’s known for being moister than other sugars, so it won’t clump together when used in baking recipes. Its caramel color looks fairly similar to brown sugar, but its similar taste to white sugar is what really makes it an ideal substitute when you’re looking for a replacement. And the best part is, it’s super easy. Start with 1 cup of white sugar and a tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar. Use 2 tablespoons of molasses for dark brown sugar. Combine the two by mixing them with a fork or a mixer until evenly combined. Voila: You have yourself some fluffy and delicious brown sugar in seconds. You can also look into trying other unrefined sugar options like palm sugar, which comes from sugar palm trees, or piloncilo, which comes from Mexican sugar cane and is typically sold in the form of a cone. While trickier to find in a grocery store, their interesting flavor profiles make them well worth hunting down and trying.
