How to Make Brown Sugar

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You NEED this for your fall/holiday baking this year. Making brown sugar is so easy and only requires 2 ingredients and 5 minutes of your time. In this article, I show you how to make light brown sugar, but you can add more molasses to make a dark brown sugar as well.

A couple of months back I was making oatmeal for breakfast and ran out of brown sugar. I looked in my pantry and saw that I had a surplus of granulated cane sugar as well as a jar of molasses leftover from last year’s Christmas baking. So I thought I would try my hand at making my own brown sugar just to have with the oatmeal for breakfast.

I was very skeptical that it would taste like molasses (which I’m not a huge fan of by itself) or have a weird texture (and honestly was fully prepared to get a bag of “normal” brown sugar next time I went to the store). But OH MY GOODNESS. I will NEVER buy a bag of brown sugar from the store ever again. There’s just no reason to!

Why You Should Make Your Own Brown Sugar:

Homemade brown sugar…

• tastes better than storebought… like in my dairy-free banana bread or as a topping for cozy baked oatmeal
• has way better texture than storebought
• does not dry out as quickly as storebought
• is so simple to whip up and gives you the freedom to keep this pantry essential stocked up whenever you run out!

What is Brown Sugar Anyway?

Did you know that molasses is actually a byproduct of the sugar refining process? Unrefined cane sugar naturally contains molasses. But when the sugar is processed, the molasses is removed. This results in sugar that is lighter in color and flavor…but it also means that the sugar loses its minerals (the minerals are in the molasses!)

When you make brown sugar, you are essentially adding the molasses and sugar back together to create a moister, richer flavored sugar.

Ingredients

• 3 c. granulated cane sugar
  • use a good quality cane sugar rather than cheap white sugar for best flavor and texture. I typically buy organic cane sugar in bulk at Costco, but I also recommend this brand of cane sugar
• 1/2 c. unsulphured molasses
  • this ratio of sugar to molasses will make a light brown sugar. Add more molasses for a dark brown sugar. I’ve made both and I think the dark brown is my favorite. So flavorful!

Tips

• You can either incorporate the molasses and granulated cane sugar with a spoon or with an electric mixer. The electric mixer will make it easier, but honestly I just always do it by hand and it turns out great.
• The ratio of ingredients in this recipe results in a light brown sugar. You can add more or less molasses to achieve the flavor and color of brown sugar that you want
  • less molasses = lighter color, lighter flavor
  • more molasses = darker color, richer flavor
• Store your homemade brown sugar in an airtight container in a cool dark place (pantry is perfect).
  • if at any point the brown sugar begins to harden, leave a slice of bread in the brown sugar container. It will keep the brown sugar soft and easy to use.

How to Make Brown Sugar

Place 3 cups of granulated cane sugar into a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 c. molasses to the sugar and stir with a spoon (or with an electric mixer) until the sugar and molasses are evenly incorporated.

Store your brown sugar in an airtight container in your pantry.

Use in baking recipes (like in my dairy-free banana bread), oatmeal, drinks, marinades, and more!

Now Get Baking! Try these Recipes with Brown Sugar!

• Dairy-Free Banana Bread
• Simply Delicious Apple Crisp
• Baked Sprouted Oats with Apple and Cranberries
• Roasted Butternut Squash

Hey! I’m so glad you’re here. Give this recipe 5 stars if you try it and love it!

Wherever you find yourself today…take time to nourish yourself!

Warmly, Caroline