What this tool does

Swapping sugar for a healthier or lower-calorie alternative sounds simple, but every substitute behaves differently once it hits heat, butter or egg whites. This tool tells you which sugar-free option suits the specific thing you are making, and gives you the exact amount to use in place of the sugar in your recipe.

You get a recommendation that matches the job, whether that is keeping a sponge light, helping biscuits spread, or getting buttercream to pipe properly.

When to use it

It is for anyone cooking or baking at home who wants to cut out sugar but does not want to ruin a favourite recipe in the process. That might be because you are diabetic, watching your calories, feeding someone who cannot have sugar, or simply trying to eat a bit less of it.

It is also handy if you have a cupboard full of erythritol, xylitol, stevia or allulose and you are not sure which one to reach for. Rather than guessing and wasting ingredients, you can check before you start and adjust the rest of the recipe if needed.

How it works

Type in what you are making, for example a Victoria sponge, shortbread or lemon drizzle, then choose the sugar the original recipe uses, such as caster, granulated, light brown, dark brown or icing sugar. You will get a short written answer suggesting the best substitutes, the conversion ratio for each, and any notes on texture, browning, liquid or oven temperature that you should know about. Nothing you enter is saved, and the tool is free to use as often as you like.