Ready to use

Uniform white granules in a ceramic bowl, ready to measure for baking or drinks.

Shows the defining visual form — bright white, uniformly granulated crystals — that readers need to recognize and use white sugar.

Sweeteners

White Sugar

Clean, granulated sweetness for baking, drinks, and beyond

The all-purpose sweetener — it dissolves into batters, syrups, and coffee without a trace of color or flavor of its own. Keep it airtight and it lasts forever.

White (granulated) sugar is pure sucrose, refined from sugarcane or sugar beet into clean, free-flowing crystals — the default sweetener and a structural workhorse of baking. It does far more than sweeten: it tenderizes by competing for water, browns and caramelizes for color and flavor, whips air into eggs and butter for lift, and preserves jams. Neutral and reliable, it's the baseline every other sweetener is measured against. Like all added sugars, it's best used with a light hand — for flavor and structure rather than by the spoonful.

Measured in: g
Storage: Airtight

Find it in

Baking Aisle

Types & varieties

Granulated sugar

The standard all-purpose crystal.

Caster (superfine) sugar

Finer crystals that dissolve fast; best for meringue and delicate cakes.

Sanding / coarse sugar

Large crystals for crunchy, sparkly toppings.

Cane sugar

From sugarcane specifically; some bakers prefer its flavor.

Caster Sugar (Superfine)

Ultra-fine white sugar that dissolves almost instantly, giving lighter meringues, smoother creamed batters, and grit-free custards.

Invert Sugar

Sucrose split into glucose and fructose into a syrup that holds moisture and blocks crystals, keeping ganache, sorbet, and soft cookies tender and smooth.

How to use

In baking, sugar is structural, not just sweet. Creaming it with butter beats in air for tender cakes; it browns crusts and cookies; and heated alone it caramelizes. Use caster sugar where fast dissolving matters.

Creaming with butter for cakes and cookies
Whipping meringues and whipped cream
Caramel and candy
Sweetening drinks, sauces, and preserves

How to store

Keep it airtight and dry — sugar is hygroscopic and will clump in humidity, though clumps break up easily. It keeps essentially forever.

Common uses

Cakes, cookies, and quick breadsMeringues and whipped creamCaramel and candy-makingSweetening coffee, tea, and drinksJams and preservesSimple syrupBalancing acidity in sauces

Tips & pitfalls

Make your own caster sugar by briefly blitzing granulated in a blender.
Caramelize sugar slowly and watch closely — it goes from amber to burnt fast.
Cutting sugar in a recipe also reduces browning and moisture, not just sweetness.
A pinch in savory tomato sauces tames acidity.