Sugar will dissolve almost completely in vegetable oils such as olive, corn, or canola oil. Sugar will not dissolve entirely in oils like lard, butterfat, or any other fatty fish oils. Using a fine sugar, mixing it well and increasing the temperature of the oil can all help the sugar to dissolve into the mix.
This article will explore my top 4 tips when mixing sugar into oil at home and how to help it to dissolve faster.
How to Dissolve Sugar Into Oil
There are things you can do to increase the odds of the sugar dissolving the right way when it’s placed in any type of oil. Using non-fatty and vegetable-based oils is highly recommended, and so are the following suggestions:
1. Increase the Temperature of the Oil
Increasing the temperature of the oil will help the sugar to dissolve. You can sit the oil in a jar in a warm water bath or gently heat it on the stove. Slowly increase the temperature and then mix in the sugar, Avoid heating the oil to the point that it is smoking however as it may develop a burnt taste.
2. Mix the Sugar with Water First
If you mix your sugar with a little bit of water first, it will make it easier to dissolve the sugar when it’s put into the oil. If you use warm water and mix the sugar and water slowly, it works even better. You can also heat the oil before mixing it with either straight sugar or the sugar-and-water mixture to increase the odds that it will dissolve properly.
3. Use fine sugar
The smaller the sugar crystals are, the easier they will dissolve the sugar once it’s placed in the oil. Powdered sugar, superfine sugar or caster sugar will all dissolve faster into oil.
If all you have is granular sugar, put it through the blender to make it finer before you use it. If you do this, add a dash of cornstarch to the mixture so it doesn’t clump when you start to add it to your recipe.
4. Stir or Mix the Ingredients Thoroughly
When you’re trying to mix sugar with oil, take your time, use the right implement, and make sure you stir the ingredients more than just a few seconds so you can get good results. A whisk often works great, but you can use a plain fork (a larger one works best) can also be used if you stir long enough and with enough force.
Mixing sugar with oil will often produce a sludge-like concoction. The consistency of that concoction varies depending on the type of oil you use and the type of sugar you use. If you mix together a vegetable-based oil and a thinner type of sugar, you’ll get the best results.
If you mix together thick sugar and an animal-based oil, the results won’t be as good. The concoction that is thick is often called a type of “foam,” and it’s difficult to take this foam and mix it with other ingredients.
Tips When Mixing Sugar and Oil
Be aware that many recipes may call for oil and sugar, but they may not always call for the sugar to dissolve in the oil as one of the steps. You don’t always have to worry about dissolving the sugar in the oil when you’re cooking or baking something because these two ingredients are often used in two different steps in the instructions.
This means that it doesn’t matter what type of sugar or oil you’re using because you won’t need for the sugar to dissolve in the oil to complete the recipe.
Summary
Sugar usually does not dissolve in all fat and oils, but it can dissolve almost completely if you use the right oil and the right type of sugar. Vegetable oils and very finely ground sugar work much better than saturated fatty oils and coarse sugar.
Happy cooking.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.