How To Make Brown Sugar

Did you know that brown sugar is simply just the combination of regular granulated sugar and molasses? Yep, mix the two together and viola! you have brown sugar. So the next time you’re in the middle of baking and go to reach for the brown sugar and realize you’re out, you can fall back on this homemade method!

This is also a great recipe to keep on hand if you bake a lot or perhaps if you don’t bake often and just need a small amount of brown sugar for one recipe. And brown sugar isn’t just for desserts – I use it all the time in stir fry sauce, rib rub, corn bread, and oatmeal.

What Do You Need To Make Brown Sugar?

To make brown sugar, you only need 2 ingredients:

• Granulated sugar – Yup, basic white granulated sugar is the base of brown sugar too.
• Unsulphured molasses – I like to use the Grandma’s brand but any will work. Just make sure it’s unsulphured.

Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar

Many baking recipes call for light brown sugar but some call for dark brown sugar. What’s the difference?

Really the only difference between light brown sugar and dark brown sugar is the amount of molasses added to the white granulated sugar. Dark brown sugar has a richer, more molasses-y flavor because of it. You can make either with this homemade brown sugar recipe, just add more molasses for dark brown sugar. (See the recipe card below for the amounts.)

What If I Don’t Have Molasses?

If you don’t use molasses, it’s not technically brown sugar. Molasses is the only surefire way to make real brown sugar. I’ve heard of people substituting maple syrup in a pinch (REAL maple syrup, not pancake syrup) and it seems to turn out okay. The flavor is obviously different so I wouldn’t use that substitution in any recipe that truly relies on the flavor of brown sugar. Molasses is inexpensive and one jar will make a lot of brown sugar, and lasts for almost a year (once opened) in your pantry!

How To Store Homemade Brown Sugar

• Pantry or cupboard. Air will dry out the brown sugar and make it hard, so for best results store it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag with as much air as possible pressed out. Brown sugar will keep for months (if not longer) in the pantry, away from heat or moisture.
• What if it hardens? If you go to use your brown sugar and find it has hardened, place a slice of bread with the sugar for several hours in the container, the sugar will soften. (This works a lot like when you add a piece of bread to a bowl of cookies to keep them soft and moist…the sugar absorbs the moisture from the bread.)