what can i use if i dont have light corn syrup

How do you substitute light corn syrup for dark corn syrup?

Sugar and Water For each cup of light corn syrup, substitute 1 cup granulated sugar dissolved in ¼ cup warm water. Need dark corn syrup? Substitute 1 cup packed brown sugar for the granulated sugar and dissolve it into ¼ cup water.

Can I use honey instead of corn syrup in a recipe?

Honey: You can also use honey as a substitute for light corn syrup. It'll be sweeter than the corn syrup, so you may need to make some adjustments to your recipe to account for the additional sweetness. Add one part of molasses to three parts of honey to make a dark corn syrup substitute. If you don't have...

Can I use liquid sugar instead of corn syrup for pie?

This liquid form is a great substitute for pies (like pecan) and coated fruits. However, unlike corn syrup, sugar crystallizes at high temps, so it's not a good choice for candy recipes that you have to take past the softball stage (235 F).

What are the benefits of light corn syrup?

Light corn syrup adds sweetness to recipes, without adding flavor or color; it keeps sugar from crystallizing in candy; it makes baked goods moist, and it extends the shelf life of foods. Consider which of these functions the light corn syrup plays in your recipe; then, choose the substitute that comes closest to filling it.

Corn syrup vs high fructose corn syrup

First, let's make this important distinction. Corn syrup is a sugar made by extracting and refining the glucose from the plant. Corn syrup is a sugar that has been extracted from corn and processed into a liquid form. What’s left is a thick and light syrup that’s 100 percent glucose.

1. Sugar and Water

For each cup of light corn syrup, substitute 1 cup granulated sugar dissolved in ¼ cup warm water. Need dark corn syrup? Substitute 1 cup packed brown sugar for the granulated sugar and dissolve it into ¼ cup water.

2. Honey

Corn syrup and honey are equal replacements (meaning you can substitute 1 cup honey for 1 cup corn syrup). But similar to sugar, honey won’t prevent crystallization, so it’s not the best choice for making caramel or candy, but it can work well in other recipes as long as you don’t mind its distinct flavor.

3. Agave Nectar

A one-to-one substitution, agave syrup (aka agave nectar) has a mild flavor that works great in most recipes that call for corn syrup. (But again, not candy.).

4. Brown Rice Syrup

If you’re looking for a corn syrup substitute that’ll work in candy recipes that need to go to the hard-ball stage, opt for brown rice syrup. This sticky mixture has the same chemical properties of corn syrup and will prevent crystallization.

5. Golden Syrup

A pantry staple in the U.K., this buttery syrup can be substituted one-to-one for corn syrup and can also be used in candy making.

6. Cane Syrup

This popular Southern ingredient tastes similar to molasses and can replace corn syrup in equal measurements. But again, this substitute won’t work in candy recipes since it won’t prevent crystallization.

The Best Substitute

Dark corn syrup is mostly made of the same ingredients as light corn syrup. The darker version simply has the addition of refiner's sugar, which is a type of molasses. It's the refiner's sugar that gives dark corn syrup its nearly black color and caramel-molasses flavor. By adding molasses to light corn syrup, you'll replicate that flavor.

No Light Corn Syrup Substitute

If you don't have light corn syrup, or are trying to avoid corn syrup altogether, use one of these in its place:

More Substitutes

When there's no molasses in the house, use these substitutions for dark corn syrup:

How will it affect flavor?

Light corn syrup is clear and colorless and has a moderately sweet taste. The addition of vanilla may also give foods a smooth, rich flavor. Light corn syrup often makes a cameo in recipes that need just a hint of sweetness, like those with fruit.

How does it impact a recipe?

Beyond the flavor and color of your food, you likely won’t notice a difference whether you use light or dark corn syrup in your recipe.

Going to the dark side: Changing light syrup to dark syrup

If you’ve whipped up a batch of light syrup (or that’s all you have in the pantry) but want to go dark, it’s a simple adjustment.

Making syrup from scratch

When browsing the internet, you can find various recipes that suggest making corn syrup in different ways. Some even involve using real corn kernels or cornstarch.

Honey

Honey is comparable to corn syrup on the nutrient side (it contains about 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar per tablespoon). But it could provide a few extra health benefits. Although research is mixed, a 2017 review concluded that it might have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.

Stevia or monk fruit

These plant-based sweeteners add few or no calories or carbs. The FDA has approved both, reporting that stevia is 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar and monk fruit is 100 to 250 times sweeter.

Artificial sweeteners

These artificial sweeteners won’t add any calories or carbs to your food, but it’s important to choose based on what you’re cooking. For example, sucralose (aka Splenda) goes well in baked goods since it can maintain its sweetness even when exposed to high heat, according to the FDA.