Tessa Arias, Chef and Cookbook Author
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I love brown sugar.
Is that a weird thing to state? The more complex butterscotch sweetness it gives baked goods like cookies is just dreamy. Not to mention it’s actually more hygroscopic than granulated sugar, which is just a fancy scientific way of saying it attracts and retains more moisture. That means baked goods made with the stuff aren’t just more flavorful, but they’re more moist and tender!
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I created a quick yet informative video below that shows you how to DIY brown sugar right in your own kitchen!
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
How to Keep Brown Sugar from Getting Hard
Firstly, make sure you’re storing it in an airtight container in a cool dark place. I like to use these OXO POP containers because they create an airtight seal.
I have two of these terra cotta brown sugar savers, one for light and one for dark brown sugar. You simply soak one for 15 minutes in water then add it to your container of brown sugar. It’ll keep the sugar perfectly soft for up to 3 months. You can also add the soaked stone to a container of already hardened brown sugar and it should soften it up in about 24 hours! Re-soak the stone every 3 months.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses for light brown sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons for dark brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the sugar and molasses until completely incorporated. Use or store in an airtight container. Use a brown sugar saver to keep it from hardening.
- If it does become hard, you can still add the soaked brown sugar saver to soften it. You can also add a slice of bread for a few hours, which will soften it again.
Can I turn light brown sugar into dark?
Thank you so very much for your ways to revive hardened brown sugar. I have tried almost everything to no avail. These easy tricks helped. I am unable to track down any of the stones you soak in water and add in storage of brown and white sugars you mention. Do you know where I might buy some online?
Thank you so much for posting this! It worked perfectly. I live in Prague and they don’t sell brown sugar here (consistently) so I was so happy to find your recipe!! Without brown sugar, I can’t imagine making american christmas cookies and bakes.
So glad you found this post helpful, Diana!
I am so happy to have found your site. Your are great at explaining things I had wondered about. Thank you. I will refer you to my children and my friends. To include where to find the products is so helpful. So much I want to say. THANK YOU!!!!!
Hi I love the tips. One that works very well in SA is the freezer. I store my excess brown sugar in vacum sealed plkts in the freezer as well as rice,legumes, oats, desicated coconut and dried fruit in the freezer and i keep my baking powder in the fridge.
What a great idea. I’ve always used shop bought brown sugar which is so much more expensive so I will certainly be giving this a try!
Excellent, Lorna!
Thanks for the tip. Never thought to make my own brown sugar.
Glad you liked it 🙂
To measure molasses by the tablespoon, just add a tiny bit of oil to make it nonstick. I make the mix of white sugar and molasses for recipe. Don’t really store brown sugar as so easy to make up what is needed.
Why go to the trouble of making it? Just add molasses to your brown sugar recipe Using the white sugar.
That’s always an option! For me personally, I’d rather make a batch and store it so it’s easily accessible whenever I need it. Also, I prefer not to work with molasses when possible since it’s so sticky and messy 😉