White Sugar vs. Raw, Cane & Turbinado Sugars

This article was written with help from AI and edited by Thrive Market’s talented team of human writers.

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Sugar is a common kitchen staple, but it goes way beyond classic white granules. From the slightly golden crystals of cane sugar to the caramel-colored grains of raw and turbinado sugars, each type brings its own unique flavor and texture to the table. Whether you’re whipping up cookies, sprinkling a sweet topping on your muffins, or crafting a rich caramel sauce, the type of sugar you choose can make all the difference. Let’s dive into the sweet world of sugar and explore what makes white, cane, raw, and turbinado sugars stand out in their own delicious ways.

What Is White Sugar?

White sugar—commonly known as table sugar or granulated sugar—is a refined carbohydrate predominantly composed of sucrose, a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is primarily derived from sugarcane or sugar beet plants, and the production process includes several steps.

1. Extraction: It starts by crushing sugarcane or slicing sugar beets to extract their juice.
2. Clarification: The extracted juice is treated, often with lime (calcium oxide), to neutralize acids and remove impurities.
3. Concentration and Crystallization: The purified juice is then concentrated through evaporation, leading to the formation of sugar crystals.
4. Separation: Centrifugation (the use of mechanical force) separates the sugar crystals from the remaining liquid, known as molasses.
5. Refining: Raw sugar crystals continue their purification process including washing and filtration, resulting in the characteristic white appearance of granulated sugar.

White Sugar Uses

From supporting fermentation to baking up classic cakes, white sugar has myriad ways to shine in the kitchen. 

• Beverages: Used to sweeten coffee, tea, lemonade, or cocktails.
• Foods: Adds sweetness to oatmeal, cereals, and yogurt.
• Cakes and Cookies: Provides structure, moisture retention, and sweetness.
• Pastries and Breads: Helps in browning (via the Maillard reaction) and fermentation in yeast-based recipes.
• Meringues and Soufflés: Granulated sugar helps create stable foams.
• Jams and Jellies: Acts as a preservative by reducing water activity, inhibiting microbial growth.
• Candied Fruits: Sugar syrup preserves fruits while adding sweetness.
• Sauces: Used to make caramel for desserts like crème brûlée, flan, or caramel sauce.
• Toppings: Creates crisp, golden layers on desserts when melted and browned.
• Dusting: Powdered (confectioners’) sugar is used for decorating cakes, donuts, and cookies.
• Coarse Sugar: Adds sparkle to baked goods and candies.
• Ice Cream and Sorbets: Prevents large ice crystals from forming, maintaining a smooth texture.
• Custards and Puddings: Contributes to silky consistency and prevents curdling.
• Savory Dishes: Balances acidity or bitterness in sauces, marinades, and dressings (e.g., barbecue sauce, tomato-based dishes).
• Pickles: Enhances flavor balance in brine solutions.
• Alcohol Production: Provides food for yeast during the fermentation process in beer, wine, and spirits.
• Bread Making: Speeds up yeast activation for quicker dough rising.
• Scrubbing Agent: A gentle exfoliant for skin in homemade sugar scrubs.
• Flower Freshness: Extends the life of cut flowers when added to vase water (with acid and bleach).

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What Is Cane Sugar?

Cane sugar is a type of white sugar made exclusively from sugarcane, a tropical grass grown in many parts of the world. To make it, sugarcane juice is extracted, purified, and crystallized, resulting in sugar crystals that have a light golden color and a subtle caramel-like flavor. It differs from white sugar in that cane sugar comes only from sugar cane (white sugar can be made with either sugarcane or sugar beets) and is slightly less processed than white sugar, which is why it holds onto a tiny bit of molasses.

In the kitchen, you can use cane sugar and white sugar interchangeably in most recipes. Just keep in mind that cane sugar’s hint of molasses might subtly affect the flavor or color of delicate dishes, like meringues or angel food cakes.

Cane Sugar Uses

Just like white sugar (see our detailed list above), cane sugar can be used for all sorts of kitchen tasks, from making pickles to sweetening jams. 

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What Is Raw Sugar?

Raw sugar is a minimally processed sweetener derived from sugarcane or sugar beet plants. It goes through a similar process as white sugar, and is produced by extracting juice from the plant, clarifying it to remove impurities, and then concentrating the juice through evaporation to form crystals. These crystals are spun in a centrifuge to separate them from the remaining liquid, resulting in sugar crystals that retain a thin layer of molasses, which imparts a light to medium brown color and a subtle caramel flavor.

Common varieties of raw sugar include turbinado and demerara, both known for their large, golden crystals and mild molasses taste. It’s worth noting that the term “raw sugar” can be misleading. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), true raw sugar isn’t suitable for direct consumption because it contains impurities, and the raw sugar available to consumers has gone through a partial refining process to make it safe to eat.  

Raw Sugar Uses

Since molasses content imparts a richer flavor and a golden hue, raw sugar is a favorite for recipes where added texture and complex flavor are desired, and has many non-culinary uses as well. . 

• Sweetener for Beverages: Adds a robust flavor to coffee, tea, and other hot beverages.
• Baking: Used in muffins, cookies, and cakes for a deeper sweetness and slight molasses undertone.
• Toppings: Sprinkled over baked goods like scones, pies, or oatmeal for a crunchy texture and decorative finish.
• Cooking Sauces and Glazes: Enhances flavor in marinades, BBQ sauces, or glazes for meats and vegetables.
• Caramelizing: Perfect for making caramel or brûlée due to its larger crystals and molasses flavor.
• Fermentation: Used in brewing and winemaking as a food source for yeast.
• Cocktail Garnishes: Lends a rustic touch to rim glasses for cocktails or as a sprinkle over fruits.
• Edible Decorations: Ideal for adding crunch and sparkle to cakes, cookies, and desserts.
• Exfoliating Scrubs: Used in DIY beauty products as a natural exfoliant due to its coarse texture.
• Flower Preservatives: Mixed with water to extend the freshness of cut flowers.
• Crafts and DIY Projects: Occasionally used for its crystalline structure in decorative projects or science experiments.

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What Is Turbinado Sugar?

Turbinado sugar is a type of raw sugar that’s made from sugarcane and partially refined. It’s created by extracting sugarcane juice, boiling it, and then spinning it in a turbine (which gives it its name) to remove excess moisture and some of the natural molasses. This process leaves it with large, light golden-brown crystals and a subtle molasses flavor.

It has a mild caramel-like flavor and a crunchy texture, making it ideal for sprinkling on oatmeal, muffins, or desserts, as well as sweetening beverages like tea and coffee. Because it retains a small amount of molasses, it has a richer taste than regular refined sugar but is not as strong as brown sugar.

Turbinado Sugar Uses

As a form of raw sugar, turbinado sugar can be used in similar ways to the list we shared above, but its unique texture makes it extra well suited for cocktails, baking, and even grilling.

• Topping for Baked Goods: Turbinado sugar’s larger, uniform crystals create an appealing crunch and visual shine on muffins, cookies, pies, and pastries, making it ideal as a decorative topping.
• Sweetening Beverages: Its mild molasses flavor dissolves better than raw sugar in hot drinks like coffee or tea, and it’s often used in gourmet or artisanal drinks for its subtle flavor enhancement.
• Cocktail Rim Garnish: The coarse and glistening texture of turbinado sugar makes it perfect for decorating the rims of cocktail glasses, especially for drinks like mojitos or margaritas.
• Roasting Vegetables: Turbinado sugar caramelizes beautifully when sprinkled on roasted vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes, enhancing their natural sweetness.
• Grilling and Smoking Meats: Because it holds up well under heat, turbinado sugar is a favorite in dry rubs for grilling or smoking meats, adding a caramelized crust without burning quickly like finer sugars.
• DIY Body Scrubs: Turbinado sugar’s coarse texture is more uniform and slightly gentler than raw sugar, making it an excellent choice for homemade exfoliating scrubs. You can also try a raw sugar lip balm.
• Garnishing Fruits: Its light molasses flavor pairs well with fresh fruits, adding a subtle sweetness and crunch when sprinkled over dishes like fruit salads or baked apples.
• Making Candied Nuts: The large crystals of turbinado sugar provide a distinctive crunch and caramelization when making candied almonds, pecans, or walnuts.

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Essential Sugar Products from Thrive Market

Sweeten your next recipe by stocking your baking cabinet with a variety of sugar options. 

Thrive Market Organic Cane Sugar

This unrefined and unbleached sugar has a blonde hue and is ethically sourced from fair trade farms. Thrive Market member Maggie from Pennsylvania says it “has great flavor,” and shares a favorite way to use it: “The granules are the perfect thickness to add some crunch and shine to the top of a cupcake.”

Thrive Market Organic Turbinado Sugar

Made with ethically sourced sugarcane, this sugar has larger crystals and an irresistible texture that adds crunch to the tops of muffins and cookies. Sarah from Maryland says “we’re a fan of raw sugar in our family, and this one is reasonably priced.”

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Best Recipes with Sugar from Thrive Market

Start your ovens and bake up one of these delicious (and perfectly sweet) recipes.

Brown Butter and Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

A combination of white and brown sugars creates the ideal texture in these gluten-free cookies that are extra flavorful thanks to nutty brown butter.

Spiced Persimmon Loaf

This cake uses two types of sugar: cane sugar in the batter, and turbinado on top for an added crunch. The loaf is spiced with fragrant autumn spices like ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and features in-season persimmons. 

Matcha Macadamia Cookies

White sugar is the sweetener of choice in this batch of cookies studded with buttery macadamia nuts and a vibrant matcha for a green hue and earthy flavor. 

Sesame-Miso Yellowfin Tuna Marinade 

Heading in a savory direction for your summer grilling, this balanced marinade combines creamy mayonnaise, funky miso, nutty sesame, and cane sugar.

Chai-Spiced Banana Crumb Muffins

These muffins fuse the flavors of three classic sweets: banana bread, crumb cakes, and chai lattes. Turbinado sugar pairs well with classic Indian spices like ginger, cardamom, and black pepper, and they bake up tender and moist.