How to Bake With Xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar substitute that looks and tastes similar to sugar but has fewer calories and is safe for diabetics. You can bake with xylitol if you know how to replace it for sugar in your recipes.

Things You'll Need

• Xylitol

Instructions

1. Evaluate your recipe for any sugar required. Look at all of the steps, since sometimes sugar will be added several times during the mixing. Keep in mind that xylitol does not crystallize nor does it provide the needed food for yeast, so you cannot use it in bread baking or candy making recipes.

2. Measure xylitol in the same amount the recipe requires for sugar. For example, if your cookie recipe calls for 1 cup of white sugar, use 1 cup of xylitol. Xylitol replaces sugar in the same amount.

3. Add the xylitol to the recipe at the time the sugar should be added, and bake as directed.

4. Look for recipes that require xylitol instead of sugar, if you need inspiration (see Resources).

Tips & Warnings

• Watch how xylitol affects your body. In some people, large amounts can cause diarrhea. If you suspect that you might have a susceptibility to xylitol's effects, then start by only replacing 1/2 of the sugar with xylitol until your body can grow to tolerate it.

References

• Xylitol definition
• Questions about xylitol

Resources

• Xylitol recipes