Learn how to make brown sugar with this simple recipe. It uses two ingredients and will save you a trip to the store when you run out. Check out my recipe below and learn how to make light or brown sugar.
Have you ever had a spontaneous idea about making someone a cake or a batch of cookies only to realize you don’t have brown sugar? It’s frustrating, but I am here to share the best kept secret in the kitchen: Homemade Brown Sugar. Once you learn how to make this simple two ingredient recipe, you will never have to run to the store for a forgotten item. It is a great recipe to have in your back pocket, and the light fluffy fresh brown sugar is worth every second.
On Veterans Day, we set out to make my father one of his favorite cakes. Spice cake. The only ingredient that we didn’t have was brown sugar. Thankfully, making it ourselves saved the day. It’s one of the easiest recipes you will ever follow and perfect for anyone looking to make their kitchen a little more self-sufficient.
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Light Brown Sugar Vs. Dark Brown Sugar: What is The Difference
The difference between light brown sugar and dark brown sugar comes down to one ingredient: Molasses
Dark brown sugar contains more molasses. This gives it a richer, stronger flavor that is often described as deep and caramel-like. The higher molasses content also adds more moisture and a bit more acidity, making it perfect for moist, chewy cookies and gingerbread.
Light brown sugar has a more delicate and mild molasses flavor. It’s the most common type used in baking, and its subtle flavor allows it to blend seamlessly into a wide variety of recipes.
Knowing the difference means you can now make exactly what your recipe calls for!
How to Make Brown Sugar at Home
No professional baking skills are needed for this. It’s a quick, two-step process that can be done with a simple bowl and a fork.
- Sugar: White sugar is the base of this recipe
- Molasses: Unsulphured Molasses is what gives brown sugar its brown color and its flavor.
How to Make Brown Sugar
The ratio is the most important part of this recipe. The amount of molasses you add to the sugar is what makes the difference between light and dark brown sugar.
- For Light Brown Sugar: Use a 1-to-1 ratio. That’s 1 tablespoon of molasses per 1 cup of sugar.
- For Dark Brown Sugar: For a richer, deeper flavor, use a 2-to-1 ratio. That’s 2 tablespoons of molasses per 1 cup of sugar.
The Instructions:
- Add the sugar and molasses to a medium-sized bowl or the bowl of a food processor. For this recipe, we’ll be using unsulphured molasses. While you can use blackstrap molasses, be aware that its flavor is much more bitter and strong, and we don’t recommend it for baking cookies.
- Use a fork or a spatula to begin combining the molasses and sugar. Mash the small bits of molasses on the side of your bowl and mix until everything is well combined and has a uniform brown color. The mixture should feel like a moist, fine sand.
The end result is a fresh brown sugar that is ready to use for baking immediately.
Q & A
How should this be stored?
You should store this in an air tight container like these. Or you can also store this in a zipper bag. Make sure you remove as much air from the bag as you can before sealing.
What do I do to re-constitute hardened brown sugar?
No problem! Have you ever had a batch of crunchy Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies that should have been soft? This simple trick works for both cookies and brown sugar. Simply take a fresh slice of bread and put it into your container for a few hours. The moisture from the bread will go back into the sugar or cookies, making it nice and soft again.
Can I use backstrap molasses?
Yes and no. You can use blackstrap molasses. But before you do be aware that the flavor of blackstrap molasses is much stronger and potent than regular molasses. Blackstrap molasses comes from boiling molasses in a third boil concentrating it. It leads to a bitter flavor. It will not taste very good in your cookies. For making this recipe, stick to regular molasses.
How to make Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tbs. Unsulphured molasses 2 Tbs. molasses for dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Add the sugar and molasses to a mixing bowl or food processor
- Using a fork or spatula combine the molasses and sugar until it is well combined
- Mash the small bits of molasses on the side of your bowl. Having a few will not affect the quality of your recipe, just get out as much as you can.
- Store in a zip bag with all the air compressed out of it.
Check out other recipes!
Our family’s recipe for Thanksgiving Shepherd’s Pie
What better way to try the brown sugar than the Chocolate Marshmallow cookies
Not in the mood for cookies? Try How to Make Arctic S’mores a fun twist on the classic campfire treat!
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Food Processor: This one is 100% amazing! It does so much. Or this works well for basic things, and it is much smaller and easier to store if you don’t have the space.
