Do you know how easy and cheap it is to make your own brown sugar? It takes only 2 ingredients (sugar and molasses) and takes only about 5-10 minutes worth of mixing, and VOILA! Homemade brown sugar. What I love most about this is the fact that there are no preservatives and no chemicals in my brown sugar. It’s not heavily processed therefore it won’t upset my very sensitive stomach.
I store my brown sugar in a large airtight container. The shelf life is 3 to 6 months, but because brown sugar is a staple in my home that is used frequently, it only lasts for a month or two before the container is empty. In the fall and winter, I make brown sugar every other week. We bake a lot in the cooler months.
Now that you know how easy it is to make brown sugar at home and why I choose to, let’s talk about the cost. At the grocery store, 8oz of name brand brown sugar costs, on average, $3.12. 8oz for $3, that feels like a rip off to me. I bulk order White Granulated Sugar. 25lbs costs on average $14. For us, 25lbs will last about a month. The price of molasses vary depending on the brand and type, you can expect to spend $3 for a 12oz bottle and up to $40 for a gallon.
So, what is Molasses? Molasses is a thick, dark syrup that is made from boiled sugarcane or sugar beet juice. Molasses made from sugarcane are typically darker and more flavorful than molasses made from sugar beets. The more times the juice is boiled, the darker and more concentrated the molasses will be.
The addition of sulfur dioxide: Some molasses is treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative. This will give the molasses a slightly bitter taste. My eldest son is highly allergic to sulfur, so I need to ensure that there is no sulfur in the molasses we purchase and use.
There are three main types of molasses: light, dark, and blackstrap.
Light molasses: Light molasses is the mildest and sweetest type of molasses. It is made from the first boiling of the sugarcane or sugar beet juice. Light molasses is often used in baking and candy making.
Dark molasses: Dark molasses is darker and thicker than light molasses. It is made from the second boiling of the sugarcane or sugar beet juice. Dark molasses has a stronger flavor and is often used in gingerbread, barbecue sauce, and baked beans.
Blackstrap molasses: Blackstrap molasses is the darkest and most concentrated type of molasses. It is made from the third and final boiling of the sugarcane or sugar beet juice. Blackstrap molasses is very high in nutrients, including iron, calcium, and potassium. It is often used as a natural sweetener and as a supplement.
That pretty much covers it. I never measure out my sugar or molasses when mixing. I add my sugar to my mixer, then add ⅓ cup or so of molasses and mix well, this usually makes a light brown sugar. If I want a darker brown sugar, I add about ¼ cup additional molasses at a time until I get my desired color.
In my opinion, making brown sugar is more cost effective, and better for you than purchasing bagged, processed brown sugar. I hope this information was useful to you. Now go on and make yourself some brown sugar. You’ll never buy it from the store again, once you see how easy and flavorful yours is!