How To Soften Hard Brown Sugar - Delish

It's happened to us all: You're about to bake cookies when you realize that your brown sugar has turned into a boulder. Dang it. No cookies for you. Ordinarily, brown sugar has a bit of moisture in it thanks to the addition of molasses. But as the moisture evaporates, the sugar begins to harden.

But wait. There's hope. Here are several tricks for softening your brown sugar right-the-heck now and for keeping it that way later.

When You Need It Now 1) If you simply cannot wait for those cookies, place your sugar rock into a heatproof microwave bowl alongside another bowl filled with water or a dampened paper towel. Microwave in short, 30-second bursts until the sugar has reabsorbed enough moisture to soften. Be careful, though: The sugar will melt if you heat it too much — and that towel will be hot.

2) No microwave? Place it in an oven set on low (not more than 250 degrees F), checking every minute or so until the sugar is soft again.

Related: 14 Cookie Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Keep It Soft for Later 1) If you don't need your brown sugar immediately, place either a piece of bread, an apple slice, or a marshmallow or two in the bag for a day or so. It will absorb the water from the food items, rendering it soft and pliable once more. Remove the food once it's soft (it could mildew) and store it in an airtight container.

Related: Unusually Delicious Cupcake Recipes

2) Store your brown sugar in the freezer, which will prevent moisture from evaporating. The sugar will feel hard as it does freeze a bit, but will soften quickly at room temperature.

3) Finally, try a brown sugar disc, which is a small piece of terra cotta that usually comes in clever shapes or designs. (Secret: A shard of a regular terra cotta pot works just as well.) To use, you wet the disc until it's damp and cool to the touch, but not dripping, then place it in the bag. It gives off just enough water to keep the brown sugar hydrated for months.

Do you have any other tricks for keeping brown sugar pliable?

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