Stevia Conversion Chart
Approximate conversions for every sweetener we sell. Sweetness varies with what you are making and with your own taste, so treat these as a starting point and adjust from there.
The short answer — to replace 1 cup of sugar
- Xylitol — 1 cup
- Monk Fruit Blend — 1 cup
- Erythritol — 1⅓ cups
- Stevia Blend — ⅕ cup (about 3 tablespoons). Our Stevia Blend is 5 times sweeter than sugar.
- Stevia RebA97 Extract — ⅛ teaspoon
- Monk Fruit Extract — ⅓ teaspoon
- SweetLeaf Liquid — 1 teaspoon
The one people get wrong. Our Stevia Blend is not a spoon-for-spoon sugar replacement. It is five times sweeter than sugar, so you use one fifth as much. Our Monk Fruit Blend is a 1:1 replacement. If a recipe has come out unpleasantly sweet, this is almost always why.
Bulk sweeteners — the ones that measure like sugar
These provide bulk as well as sweetness, so they work as a direct swap in most recipes.
| Sugar | Xylitol | Monk Fruit Blend | Erythritol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 1 tsp | 1 tsp | 1½ tsp |
| 2 tsp | 2 tsp | 2 tsp | 1 tbsp |
| 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 1½ tbsp |
| ¼ cup | ¼ cup | ¼ cup | ⅓ cup |
| ½ cup | ½ cup | ½ cup | ⅔ cup |
| 1 cup | 1 cup | 1 cup | 1⅓ cups |
Xylitol is approximately as sweet as cane sugar. Erythritol is approximately 70% as sweet, which is why it needs the extra volume. Our Monk Fruit Blend is formulated as a 1:1 sugar replacement.
Concentrated sweeteners — a little goes a long way
These are far sweeter than sugar and provide little or no bulk. If a recipe relies on sugar for structure — meringue, most cakes — you will need to make up the volume from somewhere else, usually erythritol.
| Sugar | Stevia Blend 5× sugar |
Monk Fruit Extract ~150× sugar |
Stevia RebA97 Extract ~450× sugar |
SweetLeaf Liquid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | Scant ¼ tsp | Tip of a skewer | Tip of a skewer | 2–3 drops |
| 2 tsp | Scant ½ tsp | 2 skewer tips | Tip of a skewer | 4–6 drops |
| 1 tbsp | Generous ½ tsp | Small pinch | 2 skewer tips | 6–9 drops |
| ¼ cup | 2½ tsp | Large pinch | Small pinch | ¼ tsp |
| ½ cup | 1 tbsp + 2 tsp | Scant ¼ tsp | 1/16 tsp | ½ tsp |
| 1 cup | ⅕ cup (about 3 tbsp) | ⅓ tsp | ⅛ tsp | 1 tsp |
How to measure a pure extract
Pure stevia and monk fruit extracts are so concentrated that ordinary measuring spoons are useless at household quantities. To sweeten a single cup of tea with RebA97 extract you need roughly ten milligrams — a quantity no kitchen spoon can measure.
The skewer method. Dip the tip of a bamboo skewer or a toothpick into the powder and use whatever clings to it. That is close enough for one cup of tea or coffee. Two dips for a mug you like sweet. This sounds imprecise because it is, but at this scale it is more accurate than trying to eyeball a fraction of a teaspoon.
The better method for regular use: make your own liquid. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of extract powder in 100ml of water and keep it in a small dropper bottle in the fridge. It will last about a month. With RebA97 that gives you roughly 2 to 3 drops per teaspoon of sugar — the same as our ready-made SweetLeaf liquid drops, and far easier to control than powder. Shake before use.
For baking, dilute into the dry ingredients. Never tip extract powder straight into a batter — it will not distribute and you will get bitter pockets. Whisk it thoroughly through the flour, or dissolve it into the wet ingredients first.
Which one should you use?
| What you are making | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tea and coffee | Liquid drops, or Stevia Blend | Dissolve fully in hot liquid; no bulk needed |
| Cakes, muffins, biscuits | Monk Fruit Blend or xylitol | 1:1 with sugar, and they provide the bulk and mouthfeel |
| Icing, frosting, cheesecake | Monk Fruit Blend, powdered first | Granulated will not dissolve into fat or cold liquid |
| Meringue and pavlova | Powdered erythritol | Whips in cleanly — see our pavlova method |
| Jams, syrups, cold sauces | Xylitol | Erythritol recrystallises when chilled and turns gritty |
| Sweetening a sauce or drink at the end | Stevia Blend or liquid drops | Adds sweetness without thinning or bulking the mixture |
| Bread and yeast doughs | None of them | Yeast cannot ferment these — the recipe needs reworking |
Five things worth knowing before you substitute
1. Check whether your sweetener is 1:1 before you start. Xylitol and our Monk Fruit Blend measure like sugar. Erythritol needs about a third more. Our Stevia Blend needs one fifth as much. The extracts need almost nothing at all.
2. Powder it first for anything uncooked. Granulated erythritol and erythritol-based blends will not dissolve into fat or cold liquid. Blitz to a powder in a spice grinder or blender. This single step fixes most complaints about gritty texture.
3. Nothing here browns like sugar. Caramelisation is a sugar reaction. If colour matters, a little xylitol will help more than erythritol will, or brush the top with egg wash.
4. Erythritol does not hold moisture. Sugar is hygroscopic and erythritol is not, so bakes can come out dry. Compensate with an extra egg, a spoonful of yoghurt or sour cream, or a little more fat — not with more sweetener.
5. Give your taste buds time. Palates take up to about three weeks to adjust to a new sweetener. Try it in tea or coffee first, then move on to baking.
Xylitol and dogs. Xylitol is severely toxic to dogs even in small amounts. Keep it stored out of reach and do not leave baked goods on the bench. Erythritol and stevia do not carry this risk.
Common questions
How much Stevia Blend replaces 1 cup of sugar?
About ⅕ cup, or 3 tablespoons. Our Stevia Blend is five times sweeter than sugar, so it is not a spoon-for-spoon replacement. If you want a 1:1 swap, use our Monk Fruit Blend or xylitol instead.
How much erythritol replaces 1 cup of sugar?
About 1⅓ cups. Erythritol is approximately 70% as sweet as cane sugar, so a straight 1:1 swap tastes under-sweet.
Is xylitol a 1:1 replacement for sugar?
Yes. Xylitol is approximately as sweet as cane sugar and behaves much like it in baking. Many people find they prefer slightly less than the recipe calls for.
How do I measure pure stevia or monk fruit extract?
For a single cup of tea, use the tip of a bamboo skewer dipped into the powder. For regular use, dissolve 1 teaspoon of extract in 100ml of water and keep it in a dropper bottle in the fridge, then measure in drops. See the method above.
Why does my sugar-free baking taste gritty?
Almost always undissolved granulated sweetener, or erythritol that recrystallised as the dish cooled. Powder it before use, and for anything served cold and wet use xylitol instead.
Can I mix sweeteners?
Yes, and it often gives the best result. A common approach is erythritol for the bulk with a little stevia or monk fruit extract to lift the sweetness, which is exactly how our blends are made.
Shop by sweetener
- Xylitol — 1:1 with sugar, the closest match for baking
- Monk Fruit Blend — 1:1 with sugar, no bitterness
- Erythritol — lowest energy, needs a little extra volume
- Stevia Blend — 5 times sweeter than sugar, the most economical option
- Organic Stevia Extract — RebA97 and RebA40, for concentrated use
- Liquid Stevia Drops — easiest for drinks
More detail: which sweetener to choose · full product comparison · glycemic index of sweeteners · sweeteners and diabetes
