The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
Homemade Brown Sugar is easy to make and tastes like store-bought brown sugar. Plus, it’s cost-effective, too!
It costs approximately $0.66 to make this recipe. The recipe makes 40 servings for less than $0.02 per serving.
For more pantry staples, try making my Cake Flour Substitute Recipe and my Buttermilk Substitute.
With the baking season in full swing, I go through a lot of brown sugar. The worst is when I am in the middle of making a delicious treat and realize I am all out of brown sugar. It is a total pain to run to the store while baking.
Avoid the hassle and make your own Brown Sugar instead! Plus, it tastes better than store-bought anyway. After making this Homemade Brown Sugar, you may stop buying it at the store. It is a pantry staple that adds a deep and bold caramel flavor to any recipe.
Following my easy tutorial and using just two ingredients, you will have a great resource during the baking season and throughout the year when you run out of brown sugar or do not want to buy it at the store.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost
Per Serving Cost: $0.02
Recipe Cost: $0.66
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar – $0.42
- 2 Tablespoons molasses – $0.24
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.
How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar
- First, add the sugar and molasses to a stand mixer or mixing bowl.
- Then, mix until the sugar is fully coated and no longer sticky.
- Finally, enjoy in your favorite baked recipes or in oatmeal.
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
- This recipe is for light brown sugar or sometimes called golden sugar. To make dark brown sugar, double to amount of molasses in the recipe, so use ¼ cup instead.
- This recipe doubles, triples, and quadruples nicely. Just make sure you use a big enough bowl!
Storage Tips
SERVE: Use in your favorite baked goods or in your oatmeal.
STORE: Store in cool area in an airtight container. I like to keep a piece of bread in my brown sugar to keep it from clumping.
FREEZE: Place the sugar in a freezer-safe container. Freezer for 9-12 months.
DEFROST: Defrost at room temperature for 3-4 hours.
Recipe FAQs
Once you learn how easy it is to make brown sugar yourself, you will never want to buy it at the store again! Using just two ingredients and mixing them for a few minutes, you are left with delicious brown sugar that is way better than anything you buy at the store. See my step-by-step directions in the recipe card for more detailed information on the process and what amounts of granulated sugar and molasses to use.
Molasses is my preference when making brown sugar. However, you can substitute maple syrup for the molasses, but the overall taste and texture will be slightly different.
Yes, it is more cost-effective to make your brown sugar. For example, a 32-ounce bag of brown sugar from Wal-Mart costs around $2.88.
More Pantry Staple Recipes
- Homemade Almond Paste
- How to Make Turkey Stock
- How to Brown Butter
- Cake Flour Substitute
- Copycat Pizzeria Pizza Sauce
- How to Toast Coconut
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
- How to Make Buttermilk Substitute
- Cream of Mushroom Soup Base
- All About Homemade Croutons
Homemade Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to a large mixing bowl or to a bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix the ingredients together by hand or using a stand mixer until the sugar is fully coated and no longer sticky to the touch.
- Enjoy in your favorite baked recipes or in oatmeal.
Mirlene says
Well this was easy to make! I usually run out of brown sugar. Now I can make them on my own with just two ingredients!
Beth says
I never knew you could make brown sugar at home. I’ll be saving this recipe!
Jacqueline says
I would never thought if this as brown sugar is unrefined unlike white but I can see it would give you that caramel flavour so a great idea if you run out of brown sugar. Great idea.
Liza says
What a fantastic recipe! I had no idea you could make your own brown sugar. This will have a permanent place in my recipe box!