How to Soften Brown Sugar

I like to stock my vacation place with some basic things so that when I’m there I can still cook and bake. But, I like to make sure that the food I keep won’t attract any critters.

So, I keep things like sugar in airtight sealed containers. But, when I’m not at the cabin, I store those containers in the fridge. Keeps the smells down, and the critters away.

That storage method, though effective for keeping pests away, is horrible for the brown sugar. Every time I visit the cabin, the brown sugar is rock hard, a solid brick, and not usable at all. I’ve found a great way around this! So I wanted to share it with you!

Put the hard brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl, lay a moist paper towel on top, and microwave it for 20 seconds. After 20 seconds, try breaking up the rock o’ sugar with a sturdy fork. I usually have to do these 20 second intervals a couple (few) times. So, feel free to give it another 20 seconds in the microwave, breaking up big pieces each time with a fork.

That’s it! Super easy and really effective!

And, some brown sugar tips:

Always keep your brown sugar in a sealed, airtight container.

You can also seal the sugar in a ziptop plastic bag first, before storing it in the container. I do this now, partly because it helps me get the brown sugar out of the container if it turns hard again, making it easier to pop it in a microwave safe container when I need it!