Light vs Dark Brown Sugar in Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Dark brown sugar gives sticky toffee pudding a deeper, more molasses-forward toffee flavor and a darker color, while light brown sugar makes it milder and sweeter; most traditional recipes lean on dark brown sugar or muscovado for that classic rich taste.
By Kelsy Maruyama, Founder & Toffee Maker, Kelsy's Kandy
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward
Last updated Jul 20, 2026
Published by Kelsy's Kandy · Licensed under Citation License 1.0
What it means
- Brown sugar is white sugar plus molasses, and dark brown sugar simply contains more molasses than light brown sugar.
- More molasses means a stronger toffee, caramel, and faint-bitter depth, plus a darker crumb and sauce.
- Light brown sugar produces a lighter, sweeter, more delicate pudding.
- You can use either, or blend them; dark brown sugar or muscovado is the traditional choice for maximum flavor.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-20