Learn how to soften brown sugar that's rock hard in the microwave or oven and even using bread, marshmallows or terracotta ceramic discs. Also, learn how to store it properly.
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My sister and I always joke that any time we decide to bake cookies like these Butter Pecan Cookies or Chocolate Chip Cookies, we are either out of brown sugar or it's rock solid. Well, I have solutions for both problems! Just make your own Homemade Brown Sugar with two ingredients: granulated sugar and molasses and for the other problem, just keep reading.
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Why does brown sugar harden like rock? Can I still use it?
In general, brown sugar has a lot of moisture. When that moisture evaporates, the sugar starts to dry out, becomes hard, and forms clumps. The easiest way to keep brown sugar soft is simply to store it in an airtight container to minimize evaporation. Yes, it's perfectly safe to use.
Bread method
Place your hardened brown sugar in an air-tight sealed bag or container along with a slice of bread overnight. The next day, you will notice that the bread has become stale and all its moisture has been transferred to the sugar, making it soft again. In my opinion, this is the best way to soften brown sugar that has hardened.
Heat in microwave
Place hardened sugar in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a moist paper towel. Heat for 20-30 seconds, making sure to check every few seconds to make sure the sugar does not melt completely. Eventually, the moisture from the paper towel will transfer to the sugar, making it soft again. This is also the quickest immediate fix.
Use marshmallows
Place your hardened brown sugar in an air-tight sealed bag or container along with 7 or 8 big marshmallows overnight. The next day, you will notice that the marshmallows have become stale and hard and their moisture has been transferred to the sugar, making it soft once again.
Note: I feel this method is tricky because the results can vary, based on the brand of marshmallows you use. Some marshmallows are definitely softer and have more moisture than others. I feel like Jet Puffed marshmallows work the best.
Consider using terracotta brown sugar savers
These are special little ceramic discs or bears that you have to buy at stores or online. Basically, you soak the ceramic piece in water for 15 minutes, pat it dry and place it on top of the hardened brown sugar. When this is kept in a sealed container, it will keep brown sugar soft for up to 3 months. When sugar begins to harden, you can re-soak and use again.
Oven method
Place the hard brown sugar on a cookie tray and heat it for a few minutes at 250 degrees F. Watch very closely because it will soften very quickly. I am not too fond of this method because the oven gets very hot very fast and the brown sugar can quickly melt into a gooey mess.
How to store properly?
- When you buy a new bag of brown sugar, transfer all the sugar in an airtight sealed container immediately, which prevents any moisture from evaporating. If your container is not airtight, make sure to keep a terra cotta brown sugar piece in your container to prevent sugar from becoming hard.
- After buying a bag of brown sugar from the market, store it in the freezer in small tightly sealed ziploc bags. When you need it for a recipe, remove a small bag from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. This way, you will have soft brown sugar every single time. This is my absolute favorite method!
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