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Danilo Alfaro
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Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
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Updated on 02/20/24
Tested by
Renae Wilson
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Tested byRenae Wilson
Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer.Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.
Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 1 cup
266 ratings
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Find yourself out of brown sugar? Don't fret — you can make your own in no time! Making homemade brown sugar is simply a matter of adding the molasses back into the white sugar—sort of a reverse refining process.
Another added benefit of making your own is that you can make just what you need as you need it. This way, it won't get dried out in your pantry and turn to hard clumps.
What is Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is a less-refined version of ordinary granulated white sugar in which molasses is present for color and flavor. In general, brown sugar will impart more moisture to baked goods, as well as adding a richer flavor, a darker color, and a softer texture to the final product.
Everything You Need to Know About Brown Sugar
The Difference Between Light and Dark Brown Sugar
The difference between these two types of sugar comes down to the amount of molasses. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, and therefore has a stronger flavor and a darker color.
Light and dark brown sugar can be used interchangeably in baking recipes. The primary difference will be in the final flavor of your baked good.
How Much Molasses to Add?
One tablespoon of molasses per cup of granulated sugar will make something close to "light brown sugar." Add additional molasses a half-tablespoon at a time for a richer flavor and darker color closer to dark brown sugar.
By the way, if you only have light brown sugar and need dark brown sugar for your recipe, just add 1 tablespoon of molasses to 1 cup of light brown sugar. Stir with a fork and keep in an airtight container.
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What You'll Need to Make This Brown Sugar Recipe
"I love any type of DIY in the kitchen. This is a great recipe to have on hand for when I run out of brown sugar, especially since I usually always have molasses in my pantry." —Renae Wilson
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A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon molasses, plus more to taste
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Combine white sugar and molasses in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon or mixer until thoroughly blended.
Store brown sugar in an airtight container to prevent from drying out. Enjoy in your favorite recipes.
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-make-your-own-brown-sugar-995823-step-02-8b0eb4664f52491790840a7ce4285035.jpg "How to Make an Easy Brown Sugar Substitute at Home (9)")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-make-your-own-brown-sugar-995823-step-03-05fbbe0183ed41be8b1da6cfe1250aa7.jpg "How to Make an Easy Brown Sugar Substitute at Home (10)")
No Molasses? No Problem.
Don't have molasses or just want to try something different? Try these other methods of making "brown sugar":
- Add a tablespoon ofmaple syruptoa cup of granulated sugar. Real maple syrup works best, but maple-flavored syrup could be used in a pinch.
- Add a tablespoon of agave nectarto a cup of granulated sugar. The flavor will be milder and the color lighter.
- Add a tablespoon of buckwheat honey to a cup of white granulated sugar. This honey is darker than orange blossom or wildflower honey and has a strong flavor much like molasses that will come through in the resulting sugar.
An Essential Illustrated Baking Substitutions Guide
- Cooking FAQs
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| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 52 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 13g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 16 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 52 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 1mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 13g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 13g | |
| Protein 0g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 3mg | 0% |
| Iron 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 20mg | 0% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- brown sugar
- homemade brown sugar
- dessert
- american
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