Say “goodbye” to last-minute trips to the grocery store once you learn how to make brown sugar at home. Not only will you save time by making it, but you may also find that the flavor is superior to storebought, too! With deep caramel notes, a rich golden-brown color, and a warming toffee flavor, this moist and perfectly crumbly sugar adds moisture and warm sweetness to baked goods, coffee, glazes, marinades, and more.
Best of all, learning how to make your own brown sugar is super simple, and it’s ready in a snap! All you will need is white sugar, molasses, a mixing bowl, a fork, and a minute or two of mixing time; certainly much faster and less hassle than running out to the store! For more brown sugar recipes, try my brown sugar cookies, homemade butterscotch recipe, and oatmeal cookies!
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Molasses – a key ingredient in my homemade brown sugar recipe, unsulphured or blackstrap molasses can both be used for this recipe. Unsulphured (Light molasses) and blackstrap (dark molasses) are the most common varieties and can be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Blackstrap molasses has a strong and bitter flavor. I find it too bold for my taste, but if you prefer it, you can use it.
Sugar – use regular granulated white sugar or natural cane sugar. Other types of sugar like superfine sugar – also known as caster sugar – can work, but it’s not recommended for use in recipes that call for regular light or dark brown sugar. Raw sugar will make a muscovado sugar substitute, but it, along with coconut sugar, is best to avoid as a baking substitute for regular brown sugar.
How to Make Brown Sugar
1. Add a cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses to a small mixing bowl.
2. Using a fork or spoon, stir the mixture until evenly combined, an even color, and no lumps of molasses remain.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Store after making. If you will not be using the sugar immediately, store it in an airtight container until ready to use. If the brown sugar is left out in the air for too long, you will risk drying it out, and it can form hard clumps.
- Optional mixing variation #1: The food processor. For quick and fuss-free prep, pulse the mixture together until the molasses and sugar are evenly distributed and the color of the sugar is even.
- Optional mixing variation #2: By hand. You can also mix with your hands! After initially combining the sugar and molasses, roll up your sleeves and work the mixture together with your fingers until combined.
- Optional: Make dark brown sugar. To add extra deep caramel notes, simply increase the molasses to 2-3 tablespoons and follow the recipe as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store homemade brown sugar in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-6 months or longer. You can add a brown sugar saver (a small terracotta piece) or one or two large marshmallows to the container to help maintain the moisture content of the sugar and keep the sugar soft.
Though the flavor won’t be entirely the same, you can substitute other liquid sweeteners such as dark corn syrup, maple syrup, dark agave syrup, or agave nectar for the molasses if desired. For runnier syrups like maple syrup, add half of the amount to start and stir in more if needed.
The standard ratio of molasses to white granulated sugar for homemade brown sugar is 1-2 tablespoons of molasses for every 1 cup of sugar. Start with 1 tablespoon of molasses to make light brown sugar. If you’d like more flavor or a darker color, stir in additional molasses by the teaspoon until you’ve achieved your desired result.
Brown sugar will dry out and get hard when it is exposed to air, causing the sugar crystals to form large, hard clumps. Prevent this by storing it in an airtight container or zip-top bag. If storing in a bag, squeeze out all of the air before sealing it. If in a plastic or glass container, cover the top of the sugar with plastic wrap to lock in the moisture before closing the lid. If your sugar has already hardened, you can soften it a few different ways: add two marshmallows, a slice of bread, or a terracotta sugar keeper to the container until it softens, or see my post on How to Soften Brown Sugar.
When baking or cooking with brown sugar, always measure it by lightly packing it into a dry measuring cup with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Pack it until the sugar is even and level with the sides of the cup. You will know that it is properly measured when the sugar holds the shape of the cup when turned out.
Use this DIY brown sugar recipe anywhere you would use storebought; sprinkle it on oatmeal or grapefruit halves, cream it with butter and sugar to make chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies, mix it with spices for honey baked ham, or use it anywhere else brown sugar is called for, such as sticky buns or candied pecans.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
How to Make Brown Sugar
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 – 3 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and molasses in a bowl. Use a fork or spoon to mix them together until the sugar is evenly coated in molasses.
- If not using immediately, store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
- Store after making. If you will not be using the sugar immediately, store it in an airtight container until ready to use. If the brown sugar is left out in the air for too long, you will risk drying it out, and it can form hard clumps.
- Optional mixing variation #1: The food processor. For quick and fuss-free prep, pulse the mixture together until the molasses and sugar are evenly distributed and the color of the sugar is even.
- Optional mixing variation #2: By hand. You can also mix with your hands! After initially combining the sugar and molasses, roll up your sleeves and work the mixture together with your fingers until combined.
- Optional: Make dark brown sugar. To add extra deep caramel notes, simply increase the molasses to 2-3 tablespoons and follow the recipe as directed.
Heather says
I made this today as I ran out of brown sugar. It worked perfectly! You couldn’t tell the difference between my homemade one from store-bought. I might make it like this from now on so it doesn’t harden in my cupboard.
Karen says
I have not really thought about making brown sugar but am anxious to try this. It seems like it would be easier to make it as you need it rather than try to soften the commercial brown sugar that has hardened in the pantry. Thanks again John for another great tip.