Brown Sugar: How to Make Your Own

We’ve heard time and time again that brown sugar is healthier than white granulated sugar. And it’s probably true. That’s why you might want to learn to make it by yourself, at home. 

The thing about brown sugar that not many people know is that it’s made by combining white sugar and molasses. So the healthy part mostly comes from the idea that there is less white granulated sugar in brown sugar. But molasses is also a type of sugar, so brown sugar is only marginally healthier.

In and of itself, molasses is a viscous product that is obtained in the process of refining sugarcane or beets into sugar. And it’s used for sweetening things. So you can buy it for other purposes, not just for making brown sugar at home. Plus, the molasses adds a bit of texture and moisture to your baked goods.

Making brown sugar

To make your own brown sugar at home you need those two ingredients: white granulated sugar and molasses. And then you’ll need a stand mixer to beat one cup of sugar and one tablespoon of molasses. Use the whisk attachment to beat them together and get the two ingredients evenly mixed. The yield is one cup of brown sugar.

If you don’t have a stand mixer (and honestly, who has all of the kitchen appliances and tools they might need?), then you can do the mixing by hand. Using the same ratio, of course.

Some useful facts about this type of sugar

When you want to use it in baked goods, make sure you measure it by packing it tightly into the cup. Remember, molasses brings some moisture to the sugar. And this type of sugar can contain more air than the white granulated one.

Also, this type of sugar tends to alter the color of whatever it is that you’re making, giving it a darker shade, so use it mindfully.

And finally, this molasses and white sugar mix tends to activate baking soda whenever they come into contact, so don’t forget that.

If you want to learn more about sugar in general, not just how bad it is for you, but also what types of sugar you can find out there, we’ve got you covered. But also, if you want to quit sugar, we fully support you!