Homemade Brown Sugar

With only 2 ingredients, this DIY brown sugar recipe is so simple and quick to mix up from home and store on hand. You can customize to make both homemade light brown sugar and homemade dark brown sugar. 

Brown sugar is a staple ingredient in so many recipes, especially desserts. That’s why it’s so important to always have on hand. If you’re in the middle of making your favorite dish and realize you’ve run out of brown sugar, don’t panic. This easy recipe will show you how to make brown sugar at home with just 2 ingredients, saving you a last minute trip to the store.

What makes brown sugar different from white sugar?

Brown sugar is simply white sugar that has molasses remaining in it or added back in after processing. Because brown sugar is simply white sugar and molasses, it is extremely easy to make your own from home. For a dark brown sugar, simply use more molasses than you would for a light brown sugar.

I started making my own brown sugar a few years ago when I switched from using pure granulated sugar to organic cane sugar. My goal was to find a less processed and refined sugar that contained more nutrients. However, paying for organic brown sugar wasn’t something I wanted to do. Once I realized how easily I could make my own, I was hooked. 

Little did I know how mixing up my own brown sugar would take my baked goods to a whole new level. The texture, color, and taste of homemade brown sugar is so much more vibrant than the store-bought alternative. My husband even commented how one of his favorite desserts tasted so much better because I was using homemade brown sugar along with other higher quality ingredients.

Brown sugar is so versatile. I love to use it in cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins or air fryer granola. Try it for yourself to see how homemade brown sugar can benefit your baking!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Back up option: No more last minute trips to the store when you run out of brown sugar in the middle of a baking project.

Healthier: You get to customize which sugar and molasses you like best. I like using whole cane sugar for more nutrients.

Easy to make: All you need for this simple recipe is 2 ingredients and a bowl or mixer. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Elevates your baking: This homemade brown sugar is richer and has a better texture than the store bought brown sugar.

Ingredients

Sugar-I prefer to use organic whole cane sugar, but you can use granulated white sugar too.

Molasses-I simply use regular, unsulphured molasses. The amount you use will vary based on if you want to make light or dark brown sugar.

How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar

Step 1: Add sugar and molasses to mixing bowl.

Step 2: Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Step 3: Store brown sugar for later or use immediately.

Tips:

• Use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to make the job of mixing so much easier. However, you can mix the brown sugar by hand with a fork or whisk too.

• You may have to scrape the sides and bottom of the stand mixer bowl with a rubber spatula or spoon to make sure all of the molasses gets incorporated evenly and doesn’t stick to the bowl.

• You can halve, double, triple or even make this recipe in bulk to make as much as fits your needs.

Recipe FAQs

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