Brown Sugar Hard? Here's How to Soften Brown Sugar In 60 Seconds by Elisa Schmitz

Have you ever been excited to bake or cook something, only to find that your brown sugar has turned hard? Join the club! I can't tell you how many times I've reached for my trusty bag of brown sugar only to find that it's hard as a rock. This happens because brown sugar loses moisture after the package is opened, enabling the sugar crystals to stick together.

If you've ever wondered what to do when this happens or, even worse, tossed out all that delicious brown sugar, I've got great news for you. You can soften that hard brown sugar in only about 60 seconds. Seriously! It's so easy to soften hard brown sugar. All you have to do is put the moisture back into it. Once you know how to do it, you'll never worry about your brown sugar hardening ever again!

So what is this magical cooking and baking hack that will change your life for the better? It's a quick and easy process that results in soft and fluffy brown sugar in only a matter of seconds. All you need to gather is your hard brown sugar, a microwave-safe bowl, a damp paper towel and a metal spoon. The recipe below is for a cup of brown sugar. This simple hack should help you get cooking your favorite dinners and baking your favorite desserts again in no time at all!

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Cuisine: American 
Prep Time: 1 minute 
Cook Time: 1 minute 
Total Time: 2 minutes 
Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup hard brown sugar

Helpful Products

• Brown Sugar Savers
• Metal Spoons
• Microwave
• Paper Towels
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Airtight Containers

Recipe Notes

• Microwaves vary in their intensity, so the time it takes for your brown sugar to soften may differ. That's why it's best to take it 20 seconds at a time. 
• Store your brown sugar in an airtight container to keep it fresh as possible.

• To keep your brown sugar fresher for longer, you can try various brown sugar saver products (see links below).

Here's how to make it:

1. Take a chunk of hard brown sugar (about 1 cup in size) and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.
   
2. Place a thoroughly damp (not dripping wet) paper towel over the hard brown sugar then place the bowl in the microwave.
   
3. Microwave the sugar for 20 seconds. Remove the paper towel and, using a metal spoon, try to loosen the sugar.
   
4. Put the bowl back in the microwave for 20 more seconds. Remove the paper towel and use the spoon to loosen the sugar some more.
   
5. Put the bowl back in the microwave for 20 additional seconds. Remove the paper towel and loosen the sugar again. At this point, the sugar should be soft and fluffy. If it's not yet, put it back in the microwave for 20 more seconds, at which point it should be soft.
   
6. Now your brown sugar is ready to be used in your cooking and baking again. Enjoy!
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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