This Homemade Brown Sugar recipe is a wonderful hack for whenever you find you are out of brown sugar but are already mid-bake and don't want to go to the store. All it requires is two ingredients for the most perfect brown sugar with that signature sweet molasses flavor.
At different times of year, such as when completing a multitude of Christmas recipes, you might find you are out of brown sugar. I find that I am more likely to have several bags of white sugar on hand and only occasionally buy brown sugar, so sometimes this brown sugar substitute has been necessary in my own kitchen.
An amazing thing about this homemade brown sugar recipe is that you can adjust the quantity of molasses in the sugar mixture depending on if you would like to have light brown sugar or a dark brown sugar. For lighter brown sugar, you will only need to use 1 tablespoon molasses, whereas you can use 2 tablespoon molasses for darker brown sugar.
Whether you need brown sugar for your classic chocolate chip cookie recipe or are even making a sticky toffee pudding caramel, this homemade brown sugar will be a perfect ingredient to use.
Ingredients
- white granulated sugar - or cane sugar
- molasses
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Place the sugar and molasses in a bowl or food processor.
Blend the sugar and molasses together using a fork or whisk, or by pulsing in a food processor.
Use immediately or store in an airtight container until you are ready to use it.
Hint: Feel free to adjust the amount of molasses in the recipe depending on how light or dark you like your brown sugar or the type of brown sugar you need for baking.
Substitutions
While this brown sugar recipe makes for an ideal replacement for store-bought brown sugar, what happens if you don't have molasses on hand, either? If you don't have molasses in your pantry, rest assured that you can still make homemade brown sugar, although it will be a little different and have a slightly different flavour. Here's how:
- Use Maple Syrup - Try adding maple syrup, which has a similar depth of colour to molasses and a rich taste.
- Replace with Buckwheat Honey - Buckwheat honey is a super dark and thick honey that has a little less sweetness than traditional floral honey and an incredibly bold and earthy flavour.
- Date Syrup - this is another dark syrupy liquid with deep flavor (made from dates), that can also be used in a pinch to make brown sugar
Equipment
This homemade brown sugar recipe is incredibly easy to make and doesn't require any special equipment. However, I recommend that you use a food processor if you have one. By using a food processor, you can easily ensure that the molasses is evenly blended with the sugar. You can also scale up the sugar and molasses if you would like to make a larger batch to store and have ready for all of your future baking needs.
If you don't have a food processor, you can still make this recipe, though. Blending the ingredients with a whisk, fork , or hand mixer will work just fine.
Storage
Once you have made your brown sugar mixture, you can store it in an airtight container or sealable bag until you are ready to use it. The mixture should be able to keep indefinitely although you might find that it firms up over time. If that happens, simply place it in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and microwave it for short 15 to 20 second intervals (stirring in between) until the sugar is the right consistency for baking.
Top tip
Mix the sugar with the molasses thoroughly so that you don't see any of the white colour of the sugar. It may take a few minutes to accomplish this, particularly if you are mixing the ingredients by hand.
FAQ
Making brown sugar at home - from scratch - is easy. Simply combine white sugar with molasses until the mixture is combined and the white sugar resembles brown sugar.
If your stored homemade brown sugar or store-bought brown sugar has hardened, you can microwave it for short 15 to 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until it is soft enough to use again. It is a good idea to cover the sugar with a damp paper towel to prevent it from scorching and provide steam.
Use a food processor to blend the sugar and molasses together for a fine texture.
You can use it in any recipe where you would typically use brown sugar such as baked goods like cookies, cakes, and caramel sauce, or even savoury foods like marinades or bbq sauces.
The main difference between brown sugar and white sugar is that brown sugar contains molasses and white sugar does not. Brown sugar is beneficial when you want a deeper, caramel flavor in baked goods as well as more moisture.
Yes, mix white sugar with molasses to make brown sugar. For light brown sugar, use 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup of sugar; for dark brown sugar, use 2 tablespoons.
You can substitute molasses with maple syrup, buckwheat honey, or date syrup.
If you don't have molasses, you can substitute it with something else that is dark and sticky like maple syrup or buckwheat honey. The flavour will be slightly different but the sugar will still be delicious.
Yes, you can substitute honey for molasses, although it will alter the flavor slightly.
Yes, homemade brown sugar can be more cost-effective, especially if you already have the simple ingredients needed on hand.
Related
Looking for other recipes similar to this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to use this homemade brown sugar recipe in:
Recipe
Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar or cane sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons molasses
Instructions
- Add the sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses to a bowl or food processor. Use 2 tablespoons for dark brown sugar.
- Combine the sugar and molasses with a fork, whisk, or by pulsing in the food processor until completely and evenly combined.
- Use in your favorite recipes or store in an airtight container for later.
Nutrition
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