Did you know that there are numerous easy ways to soften hard brown sugar? If you didn’t, we are here to save you some sugar. And the article is about 9 easy ways to answer your query “how to soften brown sugar.”
I’ve been there too, Some times when I am in a really good mood to start my cooking day, I have to face this setback when I find out that the brown sugar you had is rock-hard.
This really spoils the mood. But now I don’t have to worry, because I have done some good internet research on ways to soften brown sugar and now I easily find my way out 🙂
Stay connected with us throughout this post to get complete step-by-step information on how to soften brown sugar.
What I have covered?
- Some awesome brown sugar varieties
- Methods to soften brown sugar
- Benefits of eating brown sugar
- Is brown sugar good for diabetic (very common query)
- Is brown sugar is vegan or not
Well, Why are we so crazy after brown sugar in the first place? What is Brown Sugar?
Brown sugar is made up of a crystalline form of sucrose and amalgamates with a little amount of molasses (dark brown, thick juice which is obtained from raw sugar). Molasses are responsible to give colour and molasses are rich in flavour to brown sugar. Brown sugar mostly used for baking, cookies, candy, sauces, marinades, and for hot cereals.
I like to use brown sugar mainly because it prevents obesity and help me keep maintaining my body. Secondly, Brown sugar also supports digestion and decreases asthma risk. Just a few quick benefits of brown sugar, if you didn’t knew.
Brown sugar also available in the form of sugar syrup and it is used as a body scrub. Unlike other sugar, brown sugar is hardened and forms rock-hard chunks which are difficult to break. Brown sugar tastes like molasses or toffees. Mostly the taste of dark brown sugar resembles caramel instead of light brown sugar is milder and softer.
Varieties of Brown Sugar You can Buy
When we add a little amount of molasses into white sugar, varieties of brown sugar are produced. Its mean amount of molasses depends on what type of brown sugar you want.
Light brown sugar:
Light brown sugar is commonly used for baking purposes. Light brown sugar contains approximately 3.5% of molasses.
Dark brown sugar:
Dark brown sugar is additionally rich in flavor and color because dark brown sugar contains 6.5% of molasses.
REMEMBER:
Dark brown or light brown sugar exchangeable used in recipes. Its mean amount of molasses depends on what variety of sugar is (light or dark) but an extra amount of molasses means dark brown sugar and this sugar is a higher level of acidity and gives more taste rather than light sugar. The difference between these two sugars is minor and should not keep you from backing projects.
Liquid brown sugar:
Liquid brown sugar known as domino sugar. This sugar is firstly manufactured in the US. Even though light brown sugar is no longer available. But to make the replacement of liquid brown sugar, we combine three parts of light brown sugar with a little amount of water. This mixture heated for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar.
How is brown sugar made?
By using two methods brown sugar is made,
Refined brown sugar:
Refined brown sugar is made by refining white sugar. This sugar is commercial brown sugar and it is soft and moist.
Partially refined or unrefined sugar:
This sugar contains molasses but from the original sugar refining process. This sugar is not softened or moist.
9 Ways on How to soften brown sugar?

Rocked and dried hard brown sugar is best for us. To soften the brown sugar we have a few ways or methods to soften it. They are divided into two categories on the basis of time consumption.
- TIME–PERMITTING SOFTEN METHOD
- An apple keeps brown sugar soften
An apple or slice of apple might be used to bring harder brown sugar into softened brown sugar. Firstly we need an airtight container or slices of apple. Just add a few slices of apples in an airtight container and leave it for one day (24-hours) to soften or loosen the brown sugar. The benefit of using apple over bread is whenever apples give brown sugar with dampness and moisture; they also provide flavor and give a fruity taste.
1. Using Slice of bread
First on our list of “how to soften brown sugar methods” is a simple slice of bread. It is one of the best ways to revive brown sugar and it takes 24 hours. This method requires an airtight container and a slice of bread. Now restore your bumpy brown sugar and place it in an airtight container then lay the piece of slice side up and on top of the sugar, close the cork or stopper tightly and leave it for 24 hours. Moisture and wetness of bread, soften the sugar easily but also remember when slices give moisture, they also absorb a little amount of molasses. Because of this absorption upper layer of sugar looks lighter to see but don’t worry, you just remove the upper layer and the taste of this sugar gives the same as the fruity flavor you want.
2. Terra-Cotta Sugar saver
Terra-cotta sugar is a small circular-shaped device that is made up of Terra-cotta clay. This device easily softens brown sugar.
You need to soak this sugar saver in water for 15minutes then dry the disk. Now keep the sugar saver with your brown sugar in an airtight container or any plastic bag. If you add this sugar saver directly into a bag of brown, it also does the same work but it may take at least 8-hours to soften the sugar.
3. Marshmallows
If you don’t have a terra-cotta sugar saver then Marshmallows work the same as sugar saver devices. You put a little number of Marshmallows into your sugar bag or container and it softens your sugar.
4. By adding water
Brown sugar is firm, harder because of the insufficiency of moisturizer. Adding water is the easiest and simplest way to soften the moisture. Add a few drops of water on harder brown sugar then close the lid of the container or seal the bag of sugar, then let it be for a few days to soften it.
5. By using moist clothes
By using cloth, tissue, wipes, or any paper towel you also soften your brown sugar. Firstly dipped a piece of cloth in water, squeeze it then cover the container with this wet cloth and leave it at least for over a night. This method softens the sugar easily.
6. By using tinfoil
To soften the sugar you may use tinfoil. For this process, you pour the hardened sugar in an airtight container then place tinfoil on top of this hard brown sugar and also take some moist paper or piece of towel, place it over the tinfoil. Close the lid of the container and leave it until the paper towel becomes dried. This method takes a few days to soften the sugar.
QUICK SOFTEN METHOD:
If you need brown sugar immediately or right now. You don’t want to wait overnight or days, you decide to make cookies or bake anything else you must need brown sugar within a minute then you have some method to soften brown sugar immediately.
7. Using microwaves to soften hardened brown sugar
To soften brown sugar immediately you have to use your microwaves for this purpose. You take any plastic bag and put hardened brown sugar into a plastic bag or any seal pack container.
Then take a piece of paper towel over a hardened sugar and seal the bag tightly. But be careful about moisturizer, when you get your paper towel, squeeze it well, not dripping water from the towel.
Set the time for 5-minutes then check it after 5-minutes. If your sugar is not softened, keep your microwave at 20-minutes until it softens the hardened sugar.
8. Using oven to quickly soften hard brown sugar
If you don’t have a microwave you can use an oven to soften the sugar. You may take a baking pan and pour hardened sugar into the pan. Heat your oven at 250-degree and bake it for a few minutes until it becomes soft.
9. Using food processor to soften brown sugar
It is the best or immediate way to soften the sugar. You may pour your brown sugar into the food processor or blender then break the hardened sugar until it looks grainy than chop the sugar, to soften.
Is brown sugar give nutritious?
Sugar is an ingredient that has been used and made compulsory for the human diet. Brown sugar contains somewhat minerals rather than refined white sugar. Talking about just per 100 grams of sugar either white or brown:
- White sugar contains approximately 387 calories, no magnesium, 2 milligrams of potassium, 1miligram calcium. Meanwhile,
- Brown sugar contains 38calories, p milligrams of magnesium, 133 milligrams of potassium, 83 milligrams of calcium.
According to nutritional structure, due to the addition of molasses brown sugar is enriching the final product in its natural state without any industrial additives. Because industrial processes mostly disturb or might destroy the smell and color of natural sugar.

7 Benefits of Eating Brown Sugar
Brown sugar and white sugar are mostly similar in calories wise but a few health benefits of eating brown sugar is,
Chemical-free
Brown sugar is chemical-free sugar because this sugar does not pass away any industrial process or it contains little amounts of molasses that have minerals, iron, magnesium which provide minerals to our body.
Antiseptic property
Brown sugar has antiseptic properties that help to heal bruises and minor cuts. This sugar also prevents infections because brown sugar has anti-inflammatory properties.
Prevents obesity
Brown sugar contains fewer calories as compared to white sugar and it helps from obesity.
Menstrual pain or cramps
As you know brown sugar has an amount of molasses (Molasses have potassium and minerals) which helps to reduce muscle pain and relax the uttering contraction during menstruation.
Prevention of Asthma
For people who have any respiratory disease or asthma, doctors recommend brown sugar instead of white sugar because brown sugar has anti-infection and antimicrobial properties, which helps to prevent asthma and fight against allergic reactions in your body.
Skin protection
Brown sugar hydrates and moist your skin and keeps it healthier. It also has the ability to reduce swelling because brown sugar is a vitamin-rich ingredient that protects your skin.
Digestive Support
Intake of brown sugar is beneficial for improving your digestion. Drinking boiled water with a little amount of brown sugar and ginger to improve your digestion.
Is Brown Sugar good for diabetes?
Generally, people are confused between these two sugars. Although brown sugar is natural, healthier to white sugar both sugar are manufactured from the same sources. They are composed of sucrose. It is important to understand the health effects of sugar if you are diabetic.
Always remember, any kind of sugar (white or brown) is limited in your diet. Intake of excess amounts of sugar increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, or sometimes heart diseases because excess amounts of sugar damage insulin sensitivity.
If insulin impairs once they create disturbance in your blood sugar level because insulin regulates the hormone and also disturbs the transport of sugar from your bloodstream to cells. Before taking any variety of sugar you should consult with your doctor.
Is Brown Sugar vegan?
Sugar is the vast majority of accessible, processed food and beverages and is easily obtainable in stores and restaurants. It appears downright inevitable. When you are vegan (vegetarian) this apparently always presents ingredients and it is difficult to try to avoid.
Many types of sugar are not vegan inasmuch as they are made with bone char (granular material made from bones of cattle). Bone char is used in sugar because it is a decolorized strainer filter that gives sugar its white color.
For several years sugar refiners used bone char which was obtained from cattle to whiten the products. Bone char is used in confectioners (bakers shopkeeper of sweet) sugar either they are white or brown.
Beet sugar is only sugar obtained naturally from being vegan because it is not filtered with bone char.
Is bone char used in brown sugar?
Bone char is used in brown sugar. As you know brown sugar is made from refined sugar and this refined sugar comes from refineries that use bone char to process sugar and for filtering. But most brands of brown sugar are not vegan.
Bottom Line
All sugar is made from extracting sugar juices (sugarcane or sugar beet)by crystallization and altered level of molasses we get different varieties of sugar. The color and flavor of sugar depending on the amount of molasses.
Most brown sugar available at groceries is refined sugar. To soften the sugar and get the best result let it be overnight. For getting the best result leave your sugar at least three to six months in an airtight container. Brown sugar is more beneficial rather than white sugar.