Homemade brown sugar is a simple combination of granulated sugar and molasses. Here's how to make both light and brown sugars at home.
Makes1 cupPrep5 minutes
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Brown sugar is the sticky, fragrant sweetener that adds moisture and flavor to so many of our favorite baked goods, from chocolate chip cookies to banana bread. But if you find yourself staring into an empty box, don’t fret — you’ve likely got everything you need to make brown sugar from scratch.
So whether you need a cup or a pound, or light or dark, you’re just two ingredients away from it. Here’s how to make brown sugar at home.
Quick Overview
The Best Way to Make Brown Sugar
Wondering how to make brown sugar at home? It’s as easy as adding molasses to sugar. Here are a few ways to combine the sugar and molasses together:
Large bowl and fork. This is low-tech and easy — simply mix together molasses and granulated sugar in a bowl.
Zip-top bag. You can mix the molasses and sugar in a zip-top bag. Just make sure the bag is tightly sealed, then massage the mixture until combined.
Food processor. Giving the molasses and sugar a few quick pulses in the food processor is the fastest and easiest way to mix up brown sugar at home.
Although we often think of them as two totally different entities, brown sugar is simply sugar that contains molasses. The difference between white granulated sugar and brown sugar is how the sugar is processed. In granulated sugar, all of the molasses is extracted from it. In brown sugar, molasses is retained, creating a darker color with a rich, caramel flavor.
What’s the Difference Between Light Brown Sugar and Dark Brown Sugar?
The only difference between light and dark brown sugar is the ratio of molasses to sugar. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, so you’ll need more of it to make dark brown sugar at home. The following ratios (and the recipe below) yield 1 cup brown sugar, but the recipe can easily be scaled up. For example, you could use 1/4 cup molasses for every 1 pound of granulated sugar.
Light brown sugar: Use 1 tablespoon molasses for every 1 cup sugar. Dark brown sugar: Use 2 tablespoons molasses for every 1 cup sugar.
How to Store Homemade Brown Sugar
Your homemade brown sugar can be stored in an airtight container, where it will keep well for up to one month. You can keep brown sugar soft with a terra cotta brown sugar saver or store it in a zip-top bag, making sure to squeeze out all the air.
Homemade brown sugar is a simple combination of granulated sugar and molasses. Here's how to make both light and brown sugars at home.
Prep time 5 minutes
Makes 1 cup
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
1 cup
granulated sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons
molasses (not blackstrap)
Instructions
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Measure 1 cup granulated sugar. Measure 1 tablespoon molasses for light brown sugar or 2 tablespoons for dark brown sugar. Place the sugar and molasses in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
Pulse until the molasses is completely incorporated into the sugar, about 1 minute. Alternatively, place the sugar and molasses in a medium bowl and use a fork to slowly work the molasses into the sugar.
If not using immediately, store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.
Homemade brown sugar is simple and easy and tastes exactly like store-bought! You'll never run out of brown sugar if you keep two simple ingredients on hand: white granulated sugar and molasses. The recipe ingredients are for light brown sugar. For dark brown sugar, double the amount of molasses.
Combining white sugar with molasses may be a better brown sugar substitute, but if you don't have molasses, other liquid sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar will work as well. You should mix a tablespoon or two of the liquid sweetener into a scant 1 cup of white sugar to replace a cup of brown sugar.
Light or dark molasses work well for most baking projects, but seek out unsulphured molasses for the purest flavor. If you don't have molasses on hand, you can substitute an equal amount of pure maple syrup, agave nectar, date syrup, or a dark honey (like buckwheat) in the homemade brown sugar recipe above.
Contrary to common belief, they are nutritionally similar. Brown sugar contains slightly more minerals than white sugar but will not provide any health benefits. In fact, your intake of all types of sugar should be limited for optimal health.
By the way, if you only have light brown sugar and need dark brown sugar for your recipe, just add 1 tablespoon of molasses to 1 cup of light brown sugar. Stir with a fork and keep in an airtight container.
You can still create a suitable substitute for brown sugar if you have a liquid sweetener like maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, brown rice syrup, or date syrup. Of these, date syrup is your best bet thanks to its caramel-like, almost nutty flavor that's reminiscent of molasses.
Sweeteners like fruit juice, honey, molasses and maple syrup contain natural sugar and have some nutritional benefits. Fruit has fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Even raw honey and maple syrup can contain antioxidants and minerals like iron, zinc, calcium and potassium.
So is there a definitive answer to which is healthier, honey or sugar? Both should be consumed in limited amounts. Honey may have a slight edge, but excess consumption of either is more dangerous to your health than the advantage of choosing one over the other.
The quality of brown sugar is best when consumed within six months of purchase and opening. Don't store brown sugar in the refrigerator. However, if you are in a very dry area or are going to keep it for a long time, you may want to freeze it. Thaw frozen sugar and use a fork to separate clumps before using.
Brown sugar essentially does not go bad (unless contaminants have gotten mixed in), making it ideal for buying in bulk if you do a lot of baking. Hardened sugar isn't bad. It's just in need of moisture. However, brown sugar will perform best if used within two years of purchase.
While sugar is anti-microbial, brown sugar's added moisture makes it more susceptible to mold growth, but this container didn't smell moldy. Some food blogging sites suggest that the molasses in brown sugar can settle over time especially if it wasn't incorporated thoroughly during manufacturing.
Higher costs and a strike at one of the country's few sugar processing facilities are leading to reports of supply issues of brown sugar and some packaged white sugars at grocery stores, bakeries and other shops. Labour actions at Vancouver facility Rogers Sugar Refinery began on Sept.
If you see even a tiny spot, throw out the entire jar. Molasses can also expire in less obvious ways. If it seems to have separated or has an unpleasant odor, it's also time to purchase a new bottle. At times molasses can crystallize, which also indicates that it turned.
Molasses is safe for most people if they consume it in moderation. While molasses can be a good alternative to refined sugar, consuming too much of any added sugar can have adverse effects. The effects may be particularly harmful to people with diabetes.
If you pay retail price for your sugar and molasses at the grocery store, you can make brown sugar for about 15¢ less than it costs to buy a bag. If you buy your ingredients in bulk you can save even more.)
Most commercially produced brown sugar is made by mixing white sugar with molasses, giving it a distinct flavor. White and brown sugar come from the same source -- sugar beets or sugar cane.
Since brown sugar is just granulated sugar with added molasses, you can easily make a DIY version by mixing molasses with white sugar until combined. For light brown sugar: Use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses. For dark brown sugar: Use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of molasses.
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