Brown Sugar is so Simple to Make – Try It and See!

Skip the running to the store and make your own homemade brown sugar in minutes! We are cookie lovers! And a pantry filled with all the basic ingredients to throw together a batch when the cravings kick in is key to any happy house!

All you need are two basic ingredients to have soft, rich, and flavorful brown sugar in less than five minutes. It is perfect for baking, cooking, and sprinkling over oatmeal.

This DIY method saves money, reduces waste, uses less plastic, and lets you have control over the depth of flavor in your recipes.

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Easy to Make Homemade Brown Sugar: Step-by-Step

Equipment needed

First thing to do is gather your supplies. This recipe is simple and doesn’t need much. It is as easy as it comes. Grab a bowl big enough to mix 1 to 4 cups of sugar, a measuring cup that measures in 1 cup increments, and a teaspoon. If you need to break your sugar up a bit, then a whisk will come in handy.

Brown Sugar Ingredients

• molasses – adds rich, deep flavor and moisture – essential for that classic brown sugar taste.
• sugar – the base ingredient that blends with the molasses to make the delicious brown sugar we all have come to know and love.

The ratio for light brown sugar is one teaspoon of molasses to one cup of sugar. If you want dark brown sugar, it is two teaspoons of molasses to one cup of sugar. Easy huh!?

Add your sugar to a bowl. You want the bowl large enough to have room to really work the sugar around without having to worry about it coming out over the sides. I usually mix what I need and a little extra to store in the pantry for the next batch.

If your sugar has any clumps, simply stir the sugar with a whisk to break them up.

Now it is time for the fun part. Pour in your molasses into the center of the bowl and work it into the sugar, mixing it all together with your hands. Don’t worry, it is not as messy as you might think. The sugar and molasses stick together and not on your fingers. By the end, your hands are surprisingly clean.

Be sure to work through all the molasses chunks, pinching and mixing them with the sugar until it turns into a beautiful, light golden brown mix.

How to Store Homemade Brown Sugar So It Stays Soft

Once you have mixed it and there are no clumps left of the molasses, you are done, and it is ready to go straight into your recipe. Or you can store it in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place. You can add a few marshmallows to the jar or a terra cotta sugar saver to keep it soft. They will help maintain the moisture and prevent hard clumps. If you don’t have containers, check out the Weck Jars I love and use! You can also use mason jars as simple storage.

Is Homemade Brown Sugar Cheaper Than Store-Bought?

One last thing I would like to add. Making food like this not only tastes amazing, but it actually costs less. I don’t know about you, but I love saving money! A lot of food costs go towards the extra processing, packaging, and branding. When we make it at home, we cut out the middleman AND make it healthier. It is a win-win!

You can also just make what you need. This helps prevent dried-out, clumped-up brown sugar that just gets tossed in the trash later.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making and Storing Brown Sugar