Learn how to make brown sugar at home, and you’ll never run out in the middle of a recipe again! Grab white sugar and molasses for this easy recipe substitute.
I love to bake and often find myself running out of critical ingredients in the middle of a recipe. One item I always seem to be out of is brown sugar.
Luckily, there’s a quick solution that will get your recipe back on track… learn to make brown sugar at home.
Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to refine sugar beets! You just need two simple ingredients: white sugar and molasses.
What is Brown Sugar?
Traditional brown sugar was partially refined cane sugar that still contained some of its naturally occurring molasses. Today, light brown sugar and dark brown sugar are made by mixing together refined white sugar with a small amount of molasses.
How is Brown Sugar Made?
Sugar comes from either sugar cane or sugar beets. The sugary juice is extracted then boiled, refined, and separated. This refining process takes several steps and results in sucrose crystals (sugar) and molasses.
Different types of sugar are produced through different levels of refining:
- Muscovado sugar is unrefined cane sugar with naturally occurring molasses. It is similar in moistness and color to brown sugar.
- Turbinado sugar is partially refined cane sugar that still contains some of its natural molasses. It is dryer and harder than brown sugar.
- Brown sugar is refined white sugar mixed with molasses. Light and dark brown sugar have different percentages of molasses, about 4% and 6% on average.
- Granulated white sugar is refined sucrose crystals with all of the molasses removed. It is 99-100% sucrose.
What Kind of Brown Sugar is Sold in Stores?
As I mentioned about, brown sugar was originally produced as part of the sugar refining process. Today, the brown sugar purchased at the store is refined white sugar mixed with molasses.
Knowing this simple fact means you can now easily make brown sugar at home!
How to Make Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- White Sugar
- Molasses
Directions
- Pour molasses on top of white sugar in a bowl.
- To make light brown sugar, mix ½ cup white sugar with 1 tsp. molasses. This results in a 4% concentration of molasses (approximately).
- To make dark brown sugar, mix ½ cup white sugar with 1.5-2 teaspoons of molasses. This results in a 6% concentration of molasses (approximately).
- To make light brown sugar, mix ½ cup white sugar with 1 tsp. molasses. This results in a 4% concentration of molasses (approximately).
- Stir the molasses and sugar together until well combined with no lumps. Use a fork to break up clumps.
- Store homemade brown sugar in an air-tight container to keep it from drying out.
How to Make Brown Sugar
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 4
- Total Time: 6 minutes
- Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: cooking tips
Description
Brown sugar was originally produced as part of the sugar refining process. Today, the brown sugar purchased at the store is refined white sugar mixed with molasses. Learn to make your own substitution when you run out.
Ingredients
1/2 cup white sugar
1–2 tsp molasses
Instructions
1. Pour molasses on top of white sugar in a bowl.
- To make light brown sugar, mix ½ cup white sugar with 1 tsp. molasses. This results in a 4% concentration of molasses (approximately).
- To make dark brown sugar, mix ½ cup white sugar with 1.5-2 teaspoons of molasses. This results in a 6% concentration of molasses (approximately).
2. Stir the molasses and sugar together until well combined with no lumps. Use a fork to break up clumps.
3. Store homemade brown sugar in an air-tight container to keep it from drying out.
Notes
Softening Tip: Soften a rock-hard piece of brown sugar (store-bought or homemade brown sugar) by placing a slice of bread in the container overnight. Quickly soften hard brown sugar by microwaving it in 20-second increments and stirring until it is soft.
Brown Sugar Softening Tip: Soften a rock-hard piece of brown sugar (store-bought or homemade brown sugar) by placing a slice of bread in the container overnight. Quickly soften hard brown sugar by microwaving it in 20-second increments and stirring until it is soft.
More Recipe Substitutes
I love making my own ingredient substitutions! Learn how to make copycat Jiffy Cornbread Mix.
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(Learn more about sugar refining at How Stuff Works.)
Brittany
Great, easy tip! Too bad I’m even less likely to have molasses! 🙂
Bren
Good point Brittany! After learning this trick I keep a jar of molasses on hand. I make molasses cookies a few times a year, but the jar seems to last forever and is good back up.