Can Reducing the Sugar Make Cookies Dry?

Finished sugar cookies

Reducing the sugar in a recipe can make cookies drier. Baking is a science, and all the ingredients should be in proper ratio to each other. Reducing one ingredient without reducing the others can adversely affect the taste of your cookies.

Role of Sugar

Sugar helps form the structure of the cookie.

In cookies and other baked goods, sugar's main role is to add sweetness. It also acts as a tenderizer by bonding with flour proteins to give the cookies structure.

Other Tenderizers

Butter is an excellent source of moistness.

In most cookies, the ingredient making the cookies soft is the butter. Oil can also be used, but tends to make cookies overly greasy.

Keep Ingredients in Ratio

If you want to reduce the sugar in a recipe without getting a dry cookie as a result, reduce all other ingredients to keep proper proportions. If the recipe calls for a cup of sugar and you reduce it to half, make sure you halve other ingredients as well. You won't get as many cookies through this method but you'll have a nice, moist cookie to show for it.

References

• Culinate: The Science of Baking