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5 from 4 votes

How to Make Brown Sugar

Learn how to turn granulated white sugar into brown sugar using 2 simple ingredients.
Prep Time3 minutes
Total Time3 minutes
Course: Pantry Staples
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 101kcal
Author: Eden Westbrook

Equipment

Ingredients

Light Brown Sugar

  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon unsulfured molasses

Dark Brown Sugar

  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon unsulfured molasses
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix the granulated sugar and molasses together on medium speed.
  • Let mix thoroughly until the molasses is fully combined with the sugar, this shouldn't take more than about 3 minutes.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Molasses Substitutes

If you're looking for a molasses alternative a few great ideas are...
  • Real Maple Syrup. Not the pancake stuff.
  • Agave Nectar.
  • Golden Syrup.
  • Dark Corn Syrup.
All of these alternatives will give that moisture that brown sugar needs but will give you a different flavor than the brown sugar you're used to from the store since they aren't made with sugarcane.

How to Store Brown Sugar

Store brown sugar in an airtight container. I really love Pop Containers for this since they suction the lids into the container, making it less likely for your brown sugar to harden.
For long-term storage you can vacuum seal the sugar into freezer-safe bags and store them into the freezer for 18 months.
You can also buy a brown sugar saver to keep in your container to keep your brown sugar soft.

How to Soften Hard Brown Sugar

  1. Put your hard brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Wet a paper towel big enough to cover the brown sugar, and wring it out so it's just damp without a lot of excess water.
  3. Microwave the brown sugar in 15 second increments on high power. Stir it with a fork the best you can and repeat a second time. By the second time, it should be soft enough to use.
You can also use this method to soften all of your hard brown sugar, not just the immediately needed amount. Make sure to put the softened brown sugar back into an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Sodium: 1mg | Sugar: 26g