 Granulated sugar: Stripped of nutrients, it’s not the best sugar you can consume. Photo courtesy SXC.
November 2006
Last Updated May 2026
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Different Types Of Sugar: A Glossary Of Sugar & Syrup Terms
Page 3: Granulated Sugar & Other Terms
From D To G
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DARK BROWN SUGAR
Brown sugar with a higher percentage of molasses, up to 6.5%.
DATE SUGAR
A sweetener made from ground, dehydrated dates. It’s high in fiber and is a good source of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and phosphorus. Date sugar is used in baking and to sprinkle on foods, but it does not fully dissolve when added to liquids. Because it’s coarser than white sugar, it can give some baked goods a gritty texture. Instead of mixing it into the batter, sprinkle it atop muffins or quick breads before baking.
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Date sugar (photo © Terrasoul Superfoods | Amazon).
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DECORATING SUGAR &
DECORATIVE SUGARS
These two terms are often used interchangeably. However, decorating sugar refers to sparkling coarse sugar, and decorative sugar refers to sugars made in decorative shapes—hearts, snowflakes, shamrocks, etc.
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Decorative sugar snowflakes. Photo courtesy King Arthur Flour.
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DEMERARA SUGAR
A specialty raw sugar that takes its name from the Demerara colony in Guyana, which was the original source of this type of sugar (today it is grown elsewhere, including the sugar-rich island of Mauritius). It is normally medium brown in color, the natural color of cane sugar; different varieties can be more golden.
Demerara has a rich aroma and a crunchy texture, and a mild molasses flavor. In Europe, it is typically enjoyed instead of white sugar, with coffee, cereal, sprinkled on fruit, and yogurt. Its sparkle lends it to decor atop cookies, cakes, pies, and bread puddings.
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Demerara sugar (photo © India Tree).
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Sprinkle demerara atop bake goods for a sweet crunch (photo © Spice Enthusiast).
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DOUGHNUT SUGAR or NON-
MELTING SUGAR or SNOW SUGAR
A product similar to confectioners’ sugar that doesn’t melt as easily, so it can be used on doughnuts and other pastries.
EVAPORATED CANE JUICE
Evaporated cane juice is a more nutritious alternative to refined sugar. Both are made from sugar cane, but evaporated cane juice is not highly processed like refined sugar is, and retains more of the nutrients of the sugar cane.
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Doughnut sugar. Photo courtesy King Arthur Flour.
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EXTRA-FINE GRANULATED SUGAR
Standard table sugar or granulated sugar.
FRUCTOSE SUGAR or FRUIT SUGAR
A simple sugar found in honey and in fruit. It is much sweeter than sucrose (table sugar from sugar cane or sugar beets). A teaspoon of granulated fructose has about the same number of calories as a teaspoon of granulated sugar, but fructose is roughly twice as sweet. Many diabetics use it since it absorbs more slowly than granulated sugar.
FRUIT, FRUIT JUICE & FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE
Puréed fruit, such as applesauce, and fruit juices are used as healthier alternatives to refined sugars. The recipes rely on the natural fruit sugar (fructose). Fructose is broken down by the body slowly and has a very low Glycemic Index (GI 23) relative to cane sugar (table sugar, or sucrose).
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FRUIT SYRUP
Fresh fruit is slow-cooked with sugar, corn syrup, and water to create a fruit-flavored simple syrup. For commercial products, citric acid is generally added to preserve the color. The syrups are used in every way any syrup is used: as a condiment, general food and beverage flavor accent, and a food garnish. See our favorite Robert Lambert fruit syrup, a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.
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Robert Lambert fruit syrups. Photo by Melody Lan | THE NIBBLE.
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GLAZING SUGAR or SUGAR GLAZE
Glazing sugar is like confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), but without the added starch. You can use it anywhere you’d use a confectioner’s sugar glaze. A sugar glaze is a thin, glossy, and typically translucent coating made from powdered sugar and liquid (milk, water, or juice) used in baking to add moisture, sweetness, and a shiny finish to donuts, cakes, and pastries. Specially formulated to dry firm, fast, and glossy, it sets softly, rather than hardening, and is applied by drizzling, dipping, or brushing.
GLUCOSE SUGAR or GLUCOSE POWDER
A simple sugar, also known as grape sugar or corn sugar, that’s found in grapes and honey, among other sources. In cooking terms, in Europe, corn syrup is referred to as glucose, and pure liquid glucose is available in supermarkets in Europe, but is harder to find in the U.S. Light corn syrup can be substituted.
Glucose powder (photo Go Supps).
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GOLDEN ICING SUGAR
An unrefined specialty sugar with a natural honey color and a more rounded flavor, used for butter cream, cake fillings, dessert pastry, icings, and meringues.
GOLDEN SYRUP
An amber-colored, multipurpose syrup popular in the U.K. that is used for baking and as an ice cream and pancake topping. Made from evaporated sugar cane juice, it is a by-product of the process of obtaining refined crystallized sugar. It is thicker and more flavorful than light corn syrup.
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Lyle’s is the best-known brand of golden syrup. With his three sons, Abram Lyle bought two wharves in East London in 1881 and constructed a refinery for producing Golden Syrup. In 1921, the company merged with rival Henry Tate to become Tate & Lyle.
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GOLDEN BROWN SUGAR
Light brown sugar. See brown sugar.
GOLDEN CASTER SUGAR
A light, unrefined, superfine sugar and an alternative to refined caster sugar. It has a subtle buttery taste that can be used instead of refined white caster (superfine) sugar in shortbread, meringues, and sponges.
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Unrefined golden caster sugar. Photo courtesy Baking Mad.
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GRANULATED SUGAR
Granulated sugar is white refined sugar (pure white crystalline sucrose) ground to granules or grains. Most of the original flavor and color compounds are removed during processing. It is generally available to consumers in three sizes of grain (size of the crystal). Table sugar typically has a grain size of about .5mm; this type of sugar is also called fine granulated sugar, regular sugar, standard granulated sugar, and table sugar. Superfine sugar has a grain size of about .35mm (it is called caster sugar in the U.K.). On the other end of the spectrum, coarse-grained sugars, such as sanding sugar, are much larger, and the bigger surface area of the grains enables them to sparkle.
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Granulated sugar. Photo by Anne-Mette Pedersen | SXC.
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GRANULATED SUGAR CANE JUICE
See sucanat.
Continue To Page 4: Terms With H To M
Go To The Article Index Above
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