Making your own brown sugar not only saves you money, but only takes 2 ingredients and is super simple! You can make this in small or large batches. It's simply mixing white sugar and molasses. It really adds a richness to your baking that some people feel is better than the store bought. Make it and try for yourself!
I know, some of you are thinking, wait.. isn't white sugar a product of molasses being removed from sugar cane? Yep. As far as I know, Sugar cane or beets are used to make molasses, brown sugar and finally the bleached white sugar we use by the tons everyday in the U.S. Some of you would rather by the brown sugar from the store and that's fine, I buy it too on occasion! But, this recipe is great to keep taped to the inside of your cupboard because:
A) I don't know about you, but too many times to count, I've misjudged how much brown sugar I had on hand and ran short during a recipe or...
B) I already have White Sugar and Molasses on hand at home. So why not save some money on my next shopping trip and just make it with what I have on hand?
I usually make it in small batches, fresh for each recipe that I need, but you can make it in a large batch too
For Small Batch:
Equals 1 cup brown sugar:
Blend the following ingredients in a blender or food processor till well mixed.
Use immediately in a recipe or store in air tight container.
Light Brown Sugar:
1 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon Molasses
Dark Brown Sugar:
1 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons Molasses
For Large Batch:
(May have to mix in two batches)
In large mixing bowl mix together with mixer till well blended:
5 lb. bag of sugar
1/2 -1 (12 oz.) bottle Molasses (1/2 bottle for light brown sugar 1 whole bottle for a darker brown sugar)
Store in airtight container
Store in airtight container.
This is great! I love being resourceful. Do you know how long it will store in a container if you make it? or will it act as the store bought?
ReplyDeleteI currently keep my brown sugar in a Rubbermaid container in the pantry.
From what I understand, it should last the same amount of time as store bought as long as it's kept in an airtight container. Thanks Stephanie!
DeleteJan
I will show this to my wife, great to know!
ReplyDeleteThanks Clint!
DeleteGreat tip to know!! Thanks for this...I just ran out of brown sugar. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, hope you like it!
DeleteBrilliant! I plan to try this...as soon as I remember to buy molasses LOL
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Micki! That's the hardest part of the whole recipe! Thanks for your kind words!
DeleteJan
Thanks for the great tip! I pinned this and plan on giving it a try very soon. I always have leftover molasses from Christmas and this would be a great use for it :)
ReplyDeleteI always have left over molasses too. Thanks for pinning it!
DeleteThis is great! I knew that brown sugar is just regular sugar and molasses, but never even thought I could make it at home! Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteLove feedback! Thanks for your taking the time to leave me your comments!
DeleteThis is too cool! Thanks for sharing! I'm sure my readers would love this tip! I would like to invite you to my Sweet & Simple Sunday link party!!
ReplyDeletehttp://cupsbykim.blogspot.com/2012/03/sweet-simple-sunday-3.html
Hope to see you there!
I'd love to link up! Thanks for the invite!
DeleteI have made this before! It's so great! Especially when you run out of brown sugar. It's so easy too! Stopping by from Tempt me Tuesdays. I'd love it if you stopped by my blog too! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteawesome tip!!
ReplyDeleteWould this work with Splenda ryes of sugar substitute? I read one time about mixing the Splenda and sugar free syrup to make sugar free brown 'sugar' I tried it and it was fine but it was liquid instead of moist sugar.
ReplyDeleteColleen
Fitz2whit@yahoo.com
Colleen, my husband is diabetic and I'm still trying to figure this one out myself. making it and then seeing if it affects baking quality, etc. As soon as I have a successful recipe I promise to post it!
DeleteLove this! Thank you so much for sharing this with us on Natural Mothers Network's Seasonal Celebration ! Rebecca x
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice informative site-looked around and love a lot of your ideas.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am so glad you found some things you liked!
DeleteYou are featured this week on Busy Monday at A Pinch of Joy! Please stop by and grab a Featured Button. Can’t wait to see what other project you’ve been working on — hope you will link again soon!
ReplyDeleteI am soo excited! Thanks for featuring me! Will grag a button!
DeleteSmiles
Jan
I have been doing the brown sugar for years. I usually use 5lbs of white to a bottle of molasses. We like it dark!
ReplyDeleteI then put it in two baggies. Then I put them into another baggie. The reason I use two baggies is so I won't let air get to the brown sugar.
I roll the baggies up-taking as much air out as possible.
It will last as long as A year. I've never keep it must longer than that. lol
Just thought I'd tell you my experiences with the sugar.
glassy~
I love this! Great information! People will love to hear that a big batch holds up just fine over time.
DeleteShare anytime!
Jan
I've tried this before, my only problem is that it tastes very bad. I'm not sure what molasses is supposed to taste or smell like, but my homemade brown sugar tastes nothing like the store bought. It's got a very strong taste, even if I just add a teaspoon of molasses to the sugar. It's so bad that I can barely eat my cookies that I made with it! Did I get a bad batch of molasses? What would you recommend?
ReplyDeleteI am going to assume that your molasses wasn't too old. white sugar is made by taking molasses out of the cane/beet sugar, so brown sugar is the natural sugar with the molasses still in it. By making your own, you are adding concentrated amounts of molasses back into white sugar. Adding it back in is not necessarily going to give you the exact same taste as before they took the molasses out. It's going to be pretty close though, and for some people or some recipes will be just fine. Check how fresh your molasses is, and then cut down the amount you mix in tasting as you go. Although most people find it to be just fine, you may find even with playing around with the recipe that you just don't prefer it. Let me know how it goes for you, I'd love to hear back! Best of luck!
DeleteJan
Forgot to say I'm sorry it didn't turn out for you! Sad to have a batch of cookie not turn out!
Delete