What Is Turbinado sugar and How Can I Use It?
If turbinado sugar has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 22 recipes to try it in.
What is turbinado sugar?
Turbinado sugar (also known as "raw sugar") is a partially refined cane sugar that retains a portion of its natural molasses.
This gives it a light golden-brown color, large sparkling crystals, and a mild caramel or toffee-like flavor. Unlike white granulated sugar, which has all the molasses removed, turbinado sugar is spun in a centrifuge (turbine—hence the name "turbinado") to remove only some of the molasses, leaving it less processed.
Key Characteristics
- Color: Light tan to golden brown
- Texture: Large, coarse, crunchy crystals
- Flavor: Subtle molasses/caramel notes
- Moisture: Slightly moister than white sugar due to remaining molasses
Common Uses
- Sprinkled on top of muffins, cookies, scones, and crumbles for a crunchy, sparkly topping
- Sweetening coffee or tea (it dissolves more slowly)
- In baking recipes where a deeper flavor and texture are desired
- As a finishing sugar for desserts
How It Compares to Other Sugars
| Sugar Type | Refinement Level | Molasses Content | Crystal Size | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Sugar | Fully refined | None | Fine | Neutral |
| Turbinado | Partially refined | Some | Large | Mild caramel |
| Demerara | Lightly refined | Some | Very large | Stronger caramel |
| Light Brown | Refined + added molasses | Medium | Fine | Caramel |
| Dark Brown | Refined + added molasses | High | Fine | Robust molasses |
Is It Healthier?
Turbinado sugar is not significantly healthier than white sugar. While it retains trace minerals from the molasses (like iron and calcium), the amounts are nutritionally insignificant. It has the same number of calories and affects blood sugar similarly to regular sugar. It's best thought of as a flavorful alternative rather than a "healthy" one.
Where found
Turbinado sugar is usually found in the baking supplies section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
| In Chinese: | turbinado糖 | |
| British (UK) term: | ||
| en français: | sucre turbinado | |
| en español: | azúcar turbinado |
Recipes using turbinado sugar
There are 22 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Superb Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream
Love the deep-rich chocolate taste, and the roasted hazelnut just added in another kick. Absolutely to die for.
Jordan Marsh-Style Blueberry Muffins
The now defunct Jordan Marsh made the absolute best blueberry muffins. This recipe comes close. Hope you enjoy.
Oatmeal & Berry Pancakes
These delicious pancakes are full of yumminess and goodness. They are moist in the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside. Berries give you some juicy explosion in every bite. They are perfect for breakfast.
Fresh Peach Tart
Fresh peaches fill into an almond and flour crust, the sweetness, slightly sourness, and refreshing taste from the peaches go very well with the nutty crusty. It's a light, fruity and delicious dessert that fits a hot summer day wonderfully!
Peach & Almond Bread with Maple Glaze
Fresh stone fruits, nutty almond and pure maple syrup make this delicious and fruity bread. Unlike peach pie, this peach bread has a fluffy and crumbly texture, with the maple-glazed peaches on top, it is a great joy to have it.
Blueberry-Peach Galettes
No sophisticated baking skills required, surprisingly delicious and super easy to make. Feel free to use other berries or fruits, fresh or frozen both work.
Orange Marmalade Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding
Just like the name, this bread pudding is buttery, creamy and it looks beautiful as well. I adapted this recipe from Donna Hay magazine. If you love bread pudding, give it a try and you will love it.
Decadent Chocolate Babka
Found the original recipe in foodnetwork magazine "The Chocolate" issue. I changed a few things according to my own taste and this decadent chocolate babka only lasted about half day at our counter.
Fresh Peach & Plum Tart
Inspired by the fresh peach tart recipe I made a few days ago, yesterday came out this fresh peach and plum tart recipe. This time I used a lot both freshly seasonal peaches and plums, and also made a 11-inch tart to satisfy my fruit tart craving. It came out beautiful and delicious, definitely the kind of dessert that I love to have in summer!
Ginger Pine Nut Biscotti
These homemade biscotti will impress everyone, it is good for a breakfast or snack, with a cup of coffee or tea.
Ricotta Lemon Cupcakes with Almond
Moist, lemony and delicious. These cupcakes are perfect for dessert after your main dish or even a delicious and nutritious breakfast with cup of smoothie.
Baked Creamy Rice Pudding
Creamy, smooth and light. It's an easy yet delicious pudding that ends the meal with an abundance of joy.
Dried Fruit & Nut Granola Bar
It's easy to make your own delicious granola bar! This recipe is so flexible, you can use whatever nuts or dried fruits you have.
Olive Oil Whole Wheat Scones
Moist, fluffy and savory scones are a great accompaniment along with your main course or a handy and tasty snack.
Strawberry Shortcake I
Nobody dislike this recipe, very beautiful strawberry shortcakes. So delicious and they are low fat too.
Lime Ice-Cream Sandwiches
These creamy and limy ice-cream sandwiches are great treats at a hot summer day. The buttery and crispy cookies are delicious with the lime ice-cream. You will love these sandwiches on both the looking and the taste.
Classic Gingerbread with Spiced Creme Anglaise
Spiced creme anglaise adds the creaminess, moist and richness to the ginge bread, it is a brilliant way to serve ginger bread.
Cookie Dough
Egg-free and dairy-free cookie dough made with soy yogurt, applesauce, and oats. Customize with chocolate chips, dried fruit, or nuts for a vegan cookie that's all your own.
Amaretti
The pleasing almond flavor and nice crunch of these simple little cookies, from Paula Tuchscherer-Jones of Milwaukee, earned them a win in the ethnic cookie category.
Apple & Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
Do you like oatmeal, but are tired of the traditional boring bowl? Well here is a little twist on an old favorite! With the addition of apples, chia seeds and flaxseed meal, This breakfast is both very tasty and is high in omega 3 and fiber!
Biscotti 1
Classic almond biscotti are twice-baked Italian cookies made with whole-wheat and white flour, turbinado sugar, eggs, vanilla, and toasted almonds. Crisp, dunkable, and made for coffee.
Settin' 'Round Bread
Settin' 'round bread is a multi-grain bread machine loaf layered with oats, cornmeal, bran, cracked wheat, buckwheat, soy, and rye flours. A hearty, nutrient-packed bread for everyday toast.
