Oct. 29, 2024, 7:07 a.m. ET
Brown sugar is a staple in many kitchens and a part of numerous sweet and savory recipes. It can be used in a coffee rub for a steak, in a homemade apple cinnamon pop tart, sprinkled on pumpkin seeds and in many other delicious dishes. But sometimes it dries out, gets unsalvagably clumpy or you’ve not quite got enough for your recipe, requiring a mad dash to the grocery store to get more. But before you go, check for these two ingredients in your kitchen: white granulated sugar and molasses. If you have them, you can make your own brown sugar in a couple of minutes. Watch this video to see how easy it is to make brown sugar with just two ingredients.
How to make your own brown sugar
You may have heard of light brown sugar and dark brown sugar. Well, they’re basically the same thing, except one has more molasses than the other. To make light brown sugar, you need:
- 1 cup granulated white sugar.
- 1 teaspoon molasses.
Combine the two ingredients in a food processor or blender. If dark brown sugar is what you need, add more molasses and blend until combined.
It’s that simple!
How to make brown sugar not hard
Brown sugar can clump and get hard as the molasses naturally evaporates. It has a long shelf life and should last for a while as long as it’s stored in an airtight container. Nutrition consultant and registered dietitian Jen Messer says you can also add a “slice of bread or a marshmallow” to the container to absorb the moisture and prevent clumping. Hard brown sugar can be redeemed, though. You can quickly soften it in the microwave using a moist paper towel and a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it in 20-second increments and break up the clumps with a fork. Repeat as needed, but be careful not to melt the sugar.
