What is Muscovado Sugar & How to Use It?

You have never had "real brown sugar" until you have tried Muscovado sugar! Try brown sugar in it's more natural form.

I think we often don't think enough about the things we buy.

When was the last time you had a second thought about sugar.

It's something we just go to the store and buy, whether it be regular white granulated or brown sugar. We typically scan the shelves for the cheapest option and go with that.

But there is more out there than just the regular white and brown sugar. And some of the options may be better for you. I am not promising that, but I am promising they are tastier options.

Today, I want to take some time to talk about another type of sugar out there, they you might be missing out on - Muscovado sugar.

I first discovered this sugar during my time working for Zingerman's Bakehouse. They use it in some of their recipes which is one reason why their baked goods are renown here in southeast Michigan.

How is It Different from Brown Sugar?

When they make muscovado sugar, the molasses remains in the sugar crystals. This differs from traditional brown sugar, which is just white sugar with some molasses added back in. Muscovado is brown sugar in a more natural form.

Since it's not refined, there are some nutrients in the sugar, that you won't find in brown sugar. Still enjoy in moderation. I do fell a little bit better about enjoying Muscovado.

How to Use It

? Tip - Muscovado sugar can be used as a replacement for brown sugar in 1 to 1 ratio.

Muscovado adds character than brown sugar never could, so use it whenever you were going to use brown sugar. Gingerbread or ginger snap cookies would be wonderful choices. The strong flavor of the ginger is complimented with a strong flavored sugar.

Don't forget to think about using it in savory dishes. We use a brine that has brown sugar in it for our pork chops. You could substitute muscovado.

You can use it everyday for simple things like sprinkled on top of a bowl of Cheerios. If you are a coffee drinker you need to experience it in a cup of your morning joe.

What to Do If Your Sugar Gets Hard?

Just like brown sugar does, Muscovado can harden up on you (problem might be even worse). The easiest solution is to place a damp (not soaking wet) wash cloth over top the sugar overnight. This should soften it up for you.

Where is It Made?

This sugar is most often produced in places like Philippines and Barbados. The Muscovado sugar I purchased is from the island of Mauritius.

You can't really make it yourself like I have with brown sugar - I mix molasses into sugar.

Where to Buy

This sugar can be difficult to find. I don't seem to be able to find it in most large chain supermarkets. But if you head to Whole Foods Market or more specialty market, you should be able to find it there. Of course you can always purchase it from a vendor online.

It is more expensive than brown sugar, which is why I don't use it all the time instead of brown sugar, but I would if cost was no issue.

Recipes to Try

Here are some recipes that would benefit from some using Muscovado over brown sugar

• Individual Peach Upside Down Cakes
• Strawberry Rhubarb Sour Cream Muffins
• Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
• Apple Quinoa Cobbler

So I encourage you to give it Muscovado a try. It does come with a higher price tag, so you may not be able to completely switch to it, but it's a nice substitute to use whenever you can (I am definitely not settling for brown sugar on my Cheerios again)

✋ How have you used Muscovado sugar? Leave a comment below.