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I don't think brown sugar is vegan . . .

right?

If not, what is a good vegan substitute?

Thanks in advance.

Veganessentials also sells an unrefined sugar, brown sugar not-from-concentrate

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Turbinado sugar can be a decent substitute in recipes where the characteristic texture isn't the point of brown sugar being included (i.e. might be chancy in cookies, but will do fine in pralines or caramel).  It has much of the same flavor.

In Peru I was lucky enough to find "blonde" sugar marketed-- it is fine-grained turbinado sugar.  I sure wish I could find it in the States, as it was absolutely the bomb.  But it isn't exported, as it is considered a lower-class "no-other-country-would-want-this-stuff" product.  Le sigh.

Don't forget you can do what your grandma did when she ran out of brown sugar: add a little molasses to (vegan) white sugar.  It works great, even though I can't remember the proportion; it's sure to show up if you google "recipe substitutions."

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If it's real brown sugar and not white sugar they add molasses to--why wouldn't it be vegan?

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If it's real brown sugar and not white sugar they add molasses to--why wouldn't it be vegan?

Real brown sugar is vegan, it's just really hard to find. Though they usually don't specify on the label, common brown sugar has been refined to white, then, the molasses is mixed back in. Can't see why they do it though.

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Can't see why they do it though.

Same reason they mix cacao liquor and cocoa powder to make chocolate: lots of customers like the reformulation.

What are you talking about when you say "real brown sugar?"  Is it what I'm referring to as "turbinado sugar"--which retains a light brown color and herbal/caramel flavor because the molasses is never filtered out, but is not marketed (in the US anyway) as "brown sugar" at all?  The only thing marketed as "brown sugar," so far as I know, is always white sugar with molasses mixed in.

EDIT: I just realized I came across as a meanie-- I'm not trying to be short, just was puzzled and wanted to know where we differ in terms.  Sorry if my tone seems brusque-- I just got up!

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That's what I'd like to know as well.  If turbinado sugar is brown sugar, I'll just use that, although the "mix molasses into vegan white" idea is actually simpler--fewer products to buy.

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I reread the description of how they make it on the back of the package of Hain organic brown sugar in my cupboard, and it sounds animal-free to me. 

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Like MDvegan said, succinat tends to need more moisture, though I have just used a little less of it in baked things.  It is also not as sweet as the brown sugar I remember.  It is a subtle, dark sweetness.

ANyone know anything about "yellow-D" sugar aka "dirty yellow sugar"?

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When I said 'real brown sugar' I just meant what I said in my first post way up there, an unrefined 'not-from-concentrate' sugar. Naturally brown, the way it comes. If it's the same as turbinado, I don't know, I've never seen the stuff, but sounds the same.

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When I said 'real brown sugar' I just meant what I said in my first post way up there, an unrefined 'not-from-concentrate' sugar. Naturally brown, the way it comes. If it's the same as turbinado, I don't know, I've never seen the stuff, but sounds the same.

I was purchasing brown sugar last night, and I bought 365 organic.  How is it not vegan if it's just unbleached organic sugar mixed back with organic molasses?

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White sugar from sugar cane is often filtered thru bone char. Beet sugar never is - so white beet sugar is vegan - just check the bag at the regular grocery and buy beet sugar (tho it's not organic).

To make white sugar into brown sugar at home, Use 1 cup white sugar stirred together with 1 Tablespoon molasses. For best results, allow to stand for a while, covered, before using to allow moisture to distribute evenly.

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