Stuck between treacle, molasses and golden syrup? Here's how to tell the difference between these three sweeteners, when to use each one, and when you can make a swap.
Unless you live in a home with unlimited pantry space, it can feel like overkill to have golden syrup, molasses and treacle all taking up space on your shelves.
We’re all for a savvy substitution, but without knowing exactly how these sweeteners behave in a recipe, swapping one for the other can be risky business. And while two can be used interchangeably, one has the power to totally ruin your recipe if you make the substitution.
So, here’s how to tell the difference between treacle, molasses and golden syrup, when to use each one, and which is best for Anzac biscuits.
Related story: 30 golden syrup desserts that are pure gold
What is golden syrup?
Golden syrup is a thick, amber-coloured sugar syrup made by refining sugar cane or sugar beet juice. It’s high in sugar (around 75-80%) and has a buttery, caramel-like flavour with a smooth, pourable consistency. It’s also known as ‘light treacle’ in the UK.
Because of its relatively mild flavour, golden syrup is commonly used as both a sweetener and a binding ingredient in baking. It also adds moisture, making it a staple in Anzac biscuits, slices, puddings, cakes and desserts.
What is molasses?
Molasses is a thick, dark syrup produced as a byproduct of sugar production. It’s the liquid left behind after sugar crystals are extracted from sugar cane, and is easily recognised by its rich brown colour and robust, slightly bitter flavour.
Compared with golden syrup, molasses contains less sugar by weight (around 45-70%) and contains more vitamins and minerals than any other kind of sweetener. It can also be added to refined white sugar to produce brown sugar.
There are three main types of molasses:
- Light molasses is produced after the first boiling and is the sweetest, making it the most commonly used variety in baking.
- Dark molasses is boiled a second time, giving it a deeper colour and a richer, less sweet flavour.
- Blackstrap molasses is boiled three times, resulting in a thick, intensely flavoured syrup with a distinctly bitter taste.
What is treacle?
Treacle is the uncrystallised syrup produced during the sugar refining process. In the UK, the term treacle refers to both light treacle (golden syrup) and black treacle, though in Australia, recipes that call simply for ‘treacle’ will mean black treacle.
Black treacle is thick, dark and slightly bitter, making it very similar to molasses. The two are often used interchangeably in baking, although black treacle is generally a little sweeter and less bitter than molasses.
Can you substitute golden syrup, treacle and molasses for each other?
Generally, molasses and treacle can be used interchangeably in baking. While molasses is usually more bitter, they have a similar appearance, taste and consistency, so can be swapped out in a 1:1 ratio.
Golden syrup is much lighter and sweeter than the other two, so substituting molasses or treacle in its place can have a dramatically different outcome for the recipe. Cakes and biscuits may become darker, less sweet and noticeably more bitter.
If the recipe calls for golden syrup, it’s always best to seek it out than to swap in a different sweetener.
Is golden syrup, treacle or molasses best for Anzac biscuits?
Golden syrup is the traditional ingredient used in Anzac biscuits, and will deliver the best outcome.
Its mild caramel flavour helps create the distinctive taste we associate with Anzac biscuits, and its sticky texture binds the oats, flour and coconut together.
Using treacle or molasses instead will make for a darker biscuit with a stronger, slightly bitter flavour that differs significantly from the traditional version of our national bickie.
So be sure to stick with golden syrup for authentic Anzac biscuits.
Related story: Does anyone actually know what cream of tartar is?
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