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Learn how to make brown sugar at home with just two ingredients—granulated sugar and molasses. It’s quick, easy, and a perfect fix when you run out mid-recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast and Easy: Just two ingredients and a few minutes.
- Fresh Every Time: Make only what you need—no clumps or dryness.
- Cost-Effective: Use pantry staples and skip the extra trip to the store.
- Versatile: Works in everything from cookies to marinades.
- Customizable: Control the molasses for light or dark brown sugar.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run out of brown sugar right in the middle of baking—but this simple recipe has saved me every time. With just granulated sugar and molasses, you can make fresh brown sugar in minutes. It’s quick, easy, and so convenient—you’ll never need to buy it again.
Brown sugar adds moisture and a deep caramel flavor to so many desserts. It’s a key ingredient in some of my favorites, like our Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie, Bananas Foster, Butter Pecan Granola, and Mini Spice Cake.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this homemade brown sugar recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar as the base. It provides the sweetness and texture for homemade brown sugar.
- Molasses: Adds the deep color and classic brown sugar flavor. It’s also used in recipes like Molasses Cookies, Gingerbread, and Baked Beans.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few simple ways to adjust the flavor of your homemade brown sugar:
- Light Brown Sugar: Use less molasses for a milder flavor.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Add more molasses for a richer taste.
- Spiced Brown Sugar: Stir in a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Vanilla Brown Sugar: Add a small splash of vanilla extract.
How To Make Brown Sugar
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar. Use 2 tablespoons or molasses for dark brown sugar.
- Mix Until Smooth: Use a fork, spatula, or your fingers to blend until fully mixed. Press any clumps against the side of the bowl to break them up.
Expert Tips
- Substitutes: If you don’t have molasses, use pure maple syrup, golden syrup, or agave nectar. The flavor will be slightly different, but the texture and moisture will be similar.
- Storage: Store brown sugar in an airtight container to keep it soft. It will stay fresh for several months.
- Batch Size: Make only what you need. Brown sugar is easy to mix up fresh and avoids clumping over time.
Ways to Use Homemade Brown Sugar
Homemade brown sugar works just like store-bought and can be used in many recipes:
- Baking: Use in cookies, cakes, and muffins.
- Oatmeal: Sprinkle over oatmeal for added sweetness.
- Marinades: Add to marinades for balanced flavor.
- Sauces and Spreads: Great in barbecue sauce, apple butter, and sweet spreads.
- Beverages: Stir into coffee or tea for a richer taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Add a slice of bread or a damp paper towel to the container and seal it for a few hours or overnight to soften it.
Absolutely! It can be used just like store-bought brown sugar in any recipe.
Yes, a food processor works well, especially if you’re making a larger batch. It blends the molasses and sugar quickly and evenly.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch brown sugar recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
How To Make Brown Sugar
Equipment
- Fork, spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar. Use 2 tablespoons or molasses for dark brown sugar.
- Mix Until Smooth: Use a fork, spatula, or your fingers to blend until fully mixed. Press any clumps against the side of the bowl to break them up.
- Storage: Store brown sugar in an airtight container to keep it soft. It will stay fresh for several months.
Notes
- Substitutes: If you don’t have molasses, use pure maple syrup, golden syrup, or agave nectar. The flavor will be slightly different, but the texture and moisture will be similar.
- Batch Size: Make only what you need. Brown sugar is easy to mix up fresh and avoids clumping over time.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Love this reminder of how easy it is to make pantry staples with the pantry staples I already have 😃 Also, that was great idea from Ed about making the dark corn syrup in a similar fashion.
It could be my imagination, but this brown sugar seems more fragrant and flavorful than the stuff I get in the grocery store. Maybe it’s because I used blackstrap molasses. Whatever it is, I’m looking forward to using it in an ODK chocolate cake and the pancake syrup this weekend 🤤
This works very well. If you have light brown sugar but need dark brown, just add the 1 tbsp per cup to the light brown. You can use the same approach if you need dark corn syrup and only have light: 1 part molasses to 3 parts light corn syrup. This cuts down on pantry staples too. I make your pecan pie with 1 tbsp molasses and 3 tbsp light corn syrup.
Love this site (and the cookbook which does have recipes not on here).
Thank you, Ed. I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes. Thank you for your feedback.