Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe

Out of brown sugar? With a jar of molasses on the shelf, you can always whip up a quick, DIY batch in a pinch.

By
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Editor Emeritus
Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one of America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.
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Updated July 12, 2023

Why It Works

  • Measuring by weight eliminates variables for a precisely calculated blend.
  • True molasses, not blackstrap, gives brown sugar its characteristic flavor and color.
  • Patient mixing ensures a homogeneous blend that behaves just as it should.

With a jar of molasses on the shelf, you can always whip up a batch of DIY brown sugar in a pinch. It's not necessarily tastier or more convenient than the real deal, but without question, it's better than having to give up on a batch of your favorite cookies.

Closeup of homemade brown sugar.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

February 2017

Recipe Details

Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 14 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 12 1/2 ounces white or toasted sugar (about 1 3/4 cups; 355g)

  • 1 1/2 ounces unsulfured molasses, not blackstrap (about 2 tablespoons; 40g)

Directions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar and molasses. Mix on low speed until roughly incorporated, then increase to medium speed and mix until light, fluffy, and perfectly homogeneous, with an appearance just like that of real brown sugar. Use in your favorite recipes, or store in an airtight container up to 1 month at room temperature.

Notes

In winter months, pantry staples like sugar and molasses may be too cold to blend. If it's chilly in your kitchen, prepare a water bath and warm the bowl of sugar and molasses to about 70°F (21°C) prior to mixing.

Special Equipment

Stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
107Calories
0gFat
28gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 14
Amount per serving
Calories107
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 1mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 28g10%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 6mg0%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 45mg1%
*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.)

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