How to Soften Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is an indispensable additive in many baked foods. Have you ever encountered this situation? When you open the storage tank, you will find that the brown sugar has become a hard lumpy. Do not panic. Here are 4 simple ways to soften it. In addition, this article also introduces why brown sugar hardens and the tip for storing brown sugar.

Why Does Brown Sugar Get Hard?

Unlike other types of sugar, brown sugar refers to the finished sugar of cane with honey. When brown sugar is exposed to the air, the water in the molasses evaporates, causing the sugar crystals to stick together.

Therefore, if it is stored in an unsealed bag or unsealed container, a pack of soft, fluffy brown sugar particles will harden into a dense brown mass. However, it is still safe to eat.

How to Soften Brown Sugar?

This part details 4 practical ways to soften brown sugar. Choose one according to your actual situation.

Method 1. Soften Brown Sugar Using the Microwave

The fastest way to soften brown sugar is to use a microwave.

1. Put the proper amount of brown sugar in a bowl.
2. Then put a wet paper towel on the bowl.
3. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds.
4. Take out the bowl and loosen the sugar with a fork.

Method 2. Soften Brown Sugar Using an Oven

An oven can also help soften brown sugar, but it isn’t as quick as using a microwave.

1. Heat the oven to 250° F.
2. Place the brown sugar in an oven-safe bowl.
3. Put the bowl in the oven and check the brown sugar for softness every 5 minutes.
4. When the sugar is soft, take it out and crumble with a fork.

Method 3. Soften Brown Sugar Using Bread Slices

This method is a bit strange, but it works.

1. Place the brown sugar in a sealable plastic bag or airtight container.
2. Put a slice of fresh soft bread into the container.
3. Cover the container tightly and leave it overnight.
4. Check whether the brown sugar is soft the next morning.

Method 4. Soften Brown Sugar Using a Dampened Towel

The last method is similar to the above one.

1. Put the brown sugar in a bowl.
2. Wet a towel and remove excess water.
3. Cover the bowl completely with a wet towel.
4. Set it aside until the brown sugar is soft.

To complete your baking project, in addition to softening the brown sugar, you may also need a scale to measure the amount of brown sugar required. Here we recommend Adoric Digital Kitchen Scale. This digital kitchen scale is easy to operate, clean, and store.

Its user-friendly tare function allows you to subtract the weight of the container to measure the net weight of brown sugar.

Here is how to use it:

1. Open the battery cover at the bottom of the scale and install the batteries according to the “+” or “-” symbol.
2. Press the start button and select the unit from “oz”, “ml”, “g” and “oz/lb”.
3. Put the brown sugar on the scale and read the value.

Tip – How to Store Brown Sugar?

As you know, air exposure is the culprit in hardening brown sugar. Thus, the key to keep your brown sugar soft is to help it retain its moisture. Try placing the brown sugar in a zip-top plastic bag with the excess air removed, and then put the bag inside an airtight container.

The above are all methods for softening brown sugar. Now, it’s time to prepare some brown sugar for your baking project.