Did you know that you can make your own brown sugar? Yep, with just 2 ingredients & about 10 minutes, you can have Homemade Brown Sugar! No more last-minute runs to the store.
Homemade brown sugar is fresh, customizable, and a great addition to your pantry or even a DIY gift idea.
Gina’s Recipe Rundown:
Texture: Homemade brown sugar has a soft, moist, and slightly crumbly texture, depending on how tightly itโs packed.
Taste: Homemade brown sugar has a deep, rich flavor with a warm, molasses-like sweetness.
Ease: Making homemade brown sugar is incredibly easy! With just 2 simple ingredients and a few minutes, you can make your own.
Why I love it: I love it because itโs super easy to make, and it adds a deeper, richer flavor to your baking. The fresh molasses flavor gives baked goods a warm, caramel-like sweetness thatโs hard to beat. Plus, making it at home allows you to customize it to your tasteโwhether you prefer light or dark brown sugar. Itโs a simple way to elevate your recipes, and itโs a fun kitchen project, too!
Itโs a bit more granular than white sugar, with a rich, sticky feel due to the molasses thatโs either naturally present (in light brown sugar) or added (in dark brown sugar). When freshly made, it has a slightly damp texture, which makes it perfect for baking, adding moisture to cookies, cakes, and other treats.
Sometimes homemade is best & can be much easier than you think. Did you know you can make your own brown sugar? My youngest daughter Anya helped me make some the other day when we ran out. She’s here today to tell you how.
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Hi, I’m Anya! We keep a long list of recipes of kitchen staples that people typically buy at the store that can easily be made at home.
These are things we make regularly to save a little money & we are slowly working through the list to share them here with you.
Making homemade brown sugar is both easy & convenient. Since we always have bulk sugar & molasses on hand & brown sugar seems to only come in those tiny & expensive bags, it just makes more sense for us to make our own.
Brown sugar is something we go through quickly with all the baking we do around here, so those bags don’t ever seem to last very long. Fortunately, it only takes about 10 minutes to whip up a fresh batch whenever we need more.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Brown Sugar
What is homemade brown sugar made of?
Homemade brown sugar is made by mixing white granulated sugar with molasses. The amount of molasses you add determines whether itโs light or dark brown sugar.
Can I make homemade brown sugar without molasses?
Unfortunately, molasses is key to creating the color and flavor of brown sugar. If you don’t have molasses, you can try substituting it with maple syrup or honey, but the texture and flavor wonโt be the same.
Can I use homemade brown sugar in baking?
Yes! Homemade brown sugar works just like store-bought in any recipe, adding sweetness, moisture, and that rich molasses flavor to your treats.
Can I make brown sugar with white sugar substitutes?
If youโre using a white sugar substitute, the result may not be exactly the same as regular brown sugar, but you can still try mixing the substitute with molasses for a similar flavor and texture.
Keep in mind that the main reason for doing this would be to cut out the sugar and use something that is carb and calorie-free. But unfortunately, molasses is actually a form of sugar – so by using it with a sugar-substitute, you would be defeating the purpose of doing so.
What is Molasses?
Molasses is a thick, dark syrup thatโs a byproduct of refining sugar from sugarcane or sugar beets. It’s produced during the process of extracting sugar crystals, and the more times the sugar is refined, the darker and thicker the molasses becomes.
There are different types of molasses, with “light” molasses being the first extraction (mild in flavor) and “dark” or “blackstrap” molasses being the result of further extractions (with a more robust, slightly bitter flavor).
Is homemade brown sugar healthier than store-bought?
The nutritional content of homemade brown sugar is almost the same as store-bought, but making it yourself gives you full control over the molasses content, which can slightly influence the flavor.
How do I make homemade brown sugar?
To make light brown sugar, mix granulated sugar with molasses. For dark brown sugar, increase the molasses. Stir until evenly combined.
How should I store homemade brown sugar?
Store it in an airtight container to keep it moist. If it starts to harden, place a slice of bread or a damp paper towel in the container to restore moisture.
How long does homemade brown sugar last?
It can last for several months if stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container. Just keep an eye on the moisture level to ensure it stays soft.
Why does homemade brown sugar harden?
Brown sugar hardens over time because the molasses content can dry out. Keeping it sealed tightly and adding a moisture source (like a slice of bread) can help prevent this.
Looking for more homemade kitchen staples you didn’t know you could make?
Other Homemade Kitchen Staple Ingredients
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Homemade Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp molasses
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a large bowl
- Using a wooden spoon or firm spatula, start working the molasses into the sugar until fully combined & there are no more lumps of molasses in the sugar.
- Place in an airtight container or zip-top bag & store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
I had heard this trick, so cool!!
Oh, I’ll definitely be using the stand mixer for this one. Thanks for the recipe and thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
OH MY. GOD!! I will NEVER buy brown sugar again. I’m going to play around with the molasses a little because I have several recipes that really need it.. ALSO..it saves you a ton of money. I have been making homemade powdered sugar forever..Thank you so much. Now I don’t need to mix my light & dark together anymore.