Granular Fructose

Granular fructose, also called crystalline fructose, is a simple sugar refined and dried into a granulated form, commercially produced from corn, sugar cane, and sugar beets. It became widely available in the 20th century as an alternative sweetener to sucrose (table sugar).

It tastes sweeter and more intensely fruity than sucrose, which is why it turns up in baking (cookies, cakes) as well as marinades, sauces, and glazes, where a little goes further to balance saltiness or acidity.

Granular fructose pairs well with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, citrus fruits, nuts, and chocolate in sweet applications, and with soy sauce, vinegar, and other savory seasonings in glazes and marinades. It is distinct from high-fructose corn syrup, a liquid blend of fructose and glucose rather than a dry, crystalline sugar.