Homemade Brown Sugar (2 Ingredients, 5 Minutes)

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This Homemade Brown Sugar recipe takes just two simple ingredients, a food processor, and about five minutes! It’s perfect for holiday baking season, when the bag of brown sugar runs out halfway through a recipe, or anytime you’d rather skip a trip to the grocery store. It’s budget-friendly, made from pantry staples, and you can make it light or dark.

Homemade Brown Sugar

Did you know you can make your own brown sugar at home faster than buckling the kids in for a store run?

Brown sugar is really just white sugar with molasses mixed in. Molasses is the key ingredient that gives traditional brown sugar its darker color, soft texture, and rich, caramel-like flavor.

Running out of something mid-recipe is just part of life in a busy house but this little trick saves the day a busy baker. And the best part? Fresh homemade brown sugar is so soft and moist, you’ll love it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s ready in 5 minutes. You’ll have fresh brown sugar before your oven finishes preheating.
• You only need two pantry staples. Chances are, you already have both in your kitchen.
• You decide how light or dark you want it. You control the amount of molasses, so it all comes down to personal preference.

Ingredients

​You only need two simple ingredients to make this kitchen staple.

• White Granulated Sugar – plain cane sugar or any regular sugar works.
• Unsulphured Molasses – the standard dark molasses at Walmart or most grocery stores. Grandma’s Molasses (the Original) is easy to find.

You’ll also need a large food processor (6 cups or larger) and a mixing bowl.

Find the full recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar

1. Blend the sugar and molasses in the food processor on high for 1 minute.
2. Scoop about half of the sugar into a mixing bowl and set it aside.
3. Blend the sugar left in the processor for about another minute, until no big molasses lumps remain, then move it to its own bowl.
4. Blend the reserved sugar for about a minute, until the big lumps are gone.
5. Stir both batches together and enjoy your own homemade brown sugar!

No food processor? A hand mixer or stand mixer works too… just beat everything in a mixing bowl until the color is even.

Light or Dark Brown Sugar

This recipe makes a nice medium brown sugar. For light brown sugar, use about 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup of sugar (3 tablespoons total). For dark brown sugar, add additional molasses, about 2 tablespoons per cup (6 tablespoons total), for a deeper, more robust flavor.

Pro Tips

• Skip blackstrap molasses. It has a strong, bitter flavor that can overpower your sweet treats.
• Light molasses works too, but the flavor will be milder.
• Tiny molasses specks won’t hurt a thing. Keep blending when you’d rather not see them.
• For fun variations, try other types of sugar like caster sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar, or swap part of the molasses for maple syrup.

Storage Instructions

I keep mine in an airtight container (a glass container works great) on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 months. A moisture absorber in your brown sugar container helps prevent clumping. I don’t recommend freezing it.

Has your brown sugar gotten hard? Add a slice of bread, close the lid, and leave it overnight. The sugar soaks up a touch of moisture and softens right back up.

FAQ

Can I use this as a brown sugar substitute? Absolutely! Use it cup for cup anywhere a recipe calls for regular brown sugar.

What happens when I use too much molasses? Your sugar will be darker, stickier, and stronger in flavor. Start with the recipe amount and add more a tablespoon at a time.

Can I make a big batch to last 3-6 months? I’d make smaller batches more often. It only takes five minutes!

What can I make with it? Brown sugar cookies, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, pecan pie, barbecue sauce, and savory dishes like baked beans and glazed ham.

Make Your Own Homemade Brown Sugar

Next time you run out mid-recipe, skip the store run (good luck finding one open late at night in a small town anyway)! Grab your sugar and molasses and you’ll have fresh brown sugar in five minutes flat.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating… it helps me grow my blog, and I’d be so grateful!

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