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Palm sugar is a delicious sweetener made from the nectar of the coconut or toddy palm flowers. It's an integral ingredient in Thai cooking, especially desserts. It is what I like to call the "original sugar" in traditional Thai cuisine before white granulated sugar became a thing. Unlike refined white sugar, palm sugar adds more than just sweetness In its pure form, it has a beautiful floral aroma, a butterscotchy flavour, and a smooth, fudgy texture. I can literally eat it like candy...and probably do so more than I should!
However, not all palm sugars are created equal and some are better than others. Check out the video above to find out how they are different!
In this video I talk about:
- What exactly is palm sugar?
- The two types of palm sugar.
- Is coconut sugar the same as palm sugar?
- Is jaggery the same as palm sugar?
- How is palm sugar made?
- Are there different grades/qualities? (Spoiler: yes!)
- How can you tell the difference between higher vs lower quality palm sugar?
- Be careful: there's a coconut sugar that NOT suitable for Thai cooking!
- How to use palm sugar.
- How to store palm sugar.
- The best substitutes for palm sugar.
For more videos on other Thai ingredients
Check out my Thai Ingredient Playlist where I have informational videos about the most important ingredients in Thai cuisine.
Recipes with Palm Sugar
Want to start cooking with palm sugar? Here are a couple of recipes that really showcase the flavour of palm sugar:
- Classic Pad Thai
- Thai Coconut Bananas Foster
- Durian and Sticky Rice
- For ALL recipes I have that use palm sugar (there are a lot of them!) use the search bar up top (the little magnifying glass) and look up "palm sugar".
Susan Hyon
I got a palm sugar where the ingredients says: Coconut Syrup, Sugar. Contains: Coconut.
It is liquid-y so hard to measure (for pad thai sauce). Is this usable?
Thanks!
Pailin Chongchitnant
Hi Susan, I'm not 100% sure and I would have to look at the product before I can say one way or another. It probably would be fine to use, but getting the right amount might be tricky. If you want to send me a pic of it you can email it at the email in the contact page!
lowandslow
What about Mexican panela sugar?
Pailin Chongchitnant
That's cane sugar and is not the same, but can be used as a substitute.
Aisah
Hi I love your videos! I’m in Thailand now and I wonder if you’d know is gula melaka available here. If not, what would be a great substitute for gula melaka? I do prefer it in powder form 🤗
Pailin Chongchitnant
In powdered form your best sub is using brown sugar. I've never seen gula melaka there.
Ken
Can I use Gula Jawa in place of palm sugar, or would that alter the taste too much?
Pailin Chongchitnant
From what I've seen gula jawa tends to have a much more intense flavour than Thai palm sugar and is much darker, and so yes it will alter the taste of food significantly if used in a large enough amount.
Susan
Hi Palim
I was given a pack of Ban Phaeo palm sugar I'm in Singapore so just wondering can this be left out at room temperature or it needs to be kept in the fridge for a longer life span?
Thank you
Susan
Pailin Chongchitnant
You can keep it at room temp, but make sure it's welk sealed!
Lana
I live in San Diego and I can’t find palm sugar anywhere!!!!! Can someone please help
jose
99 ranch market has palm sugar
Adam from HTK
Thanks Jose!
Lana
Thanks I’ll give them a call before I go, I’ve made this recipe before when I was in Australia but I just moved to the US, finding it so hard to adjust and find everything I normally use.
Adam from HTK
Hi Lana! If you can't find anything re Jose's comment on 99 Ranch Market check out https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/locate-a-thai-grocer/ Cheers!
Kim
I also got addicted to Palm sugar!
Mark
None of the links go to the actual video. Kind of annoying!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A32va3sLi5M
Adam from HTK
Hi Mark, Adam here and sorry for the trouble! I've tried all the links in this post and in the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A32va3sLi5M howeverr, and everything seems to be working for me. Can you give me an example of a link that isn't working? Also do you have an "ad-blocker" running? That tends to break a lot of the content. Cheers!
Josh
Hiii.. Can I substitute the palm sugar with normal sugar?
Thank youuuuu
Pailin Chongchitnant
Light brown sugar is a better sub.
Jim
Any comment on the Red Boat "pure" palm sugar from Cambodia? Wonder if it is the real deal like their fish sauce.
Stacy
I tried soaking my palm sugar in water (after learning the trick from another video) to keep it in a softened state so I could scoop it out in its soft taffy texture. However, it just turned my entire jarful into a brownish red liquid. Do you know what went wrong?
Thank you for the very informative video!
Pailin Chongchitnant
Sounds like it just dissolved your sugar due to too much water. Still usable though!
Beau
This was so helpful! I've been baffled by the several types and packages and ingredient claims. Now I'm properly educated.
Frank
can you tell me the difference between Thai Palm Sugar and "Gula Melaka"
I know they are both from Coconut sugar
Adam The HTK Minion
Same raw material, but gula melaka is caramelized much darker. Cheers!