Help! Rock solid brown sugar

**Kellili** · 01-02-2012, 03:58 PM

I am making cookies for Gavins birthday....he requested that instead of a cake or cupcakes. I just opened 2 packages of brown sugar and they are both solid as a rock. They were stored unopened in the kitchen cabinet. Not sure what the issue is. Is there anyway to soften them or salvage them?

**sabrelvssammy** · 01-02-2012, 04:01 PM

If you have time (like tomorrow AM) you can put a slice of fresh bread in each bag & seal them up tight. Tomorrow you will have a giant crouton (the bread) & the brn sugar will be soft again.

**krbshappy71** · 01-02-2012, 04:01 PM

Put them and also a coffee-cup of water into the microwave. Nuke for 1 minute at a time, checking to see if its softening up.

The plastic they use on the brown sugar is pretty thin, imo, I throw mine into tupperware containers, unopened in their original packaging for extra protection.

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-02-2012, 04:01 PM

Do you need it right now? Brown sugar turns hard when it dries out, you can drop them in a container with a piece of bread and it will soften up as it absorbs the moisture from the bread.

Not sure how to soften it quickly though.

**frugalfranny** · 01-02-2012, 04:05 PM

Oh yeah..........do it all the time.

Put a small piece of apple in it.......VERY SMALL........I have even used a piece of apple peel with a bit on it...........it isn't instant but always softens it up.

If you are in a big hurry............and be very careful!!!......put "about" what you will need in a bowl and microw. it.......ON DEFROST.......starting out for about 5 seconds..........this is VERY TOUCHY but can be done.........sugar heats up fast!!

**Kellili** · 01-02-2012, 04:31 PM

Thanks everyone, I will try the bread trick tonight. The cookies turned out a bit os a disaster all around. I had just enough brown sugar soft to squeak out a batch but ran out of all purpose flour so subbed stone ground whole wheat flour four half of what was called for. They are flat and terrible looking! Taste ok but I'm a bit embarrassed to send them to daycare tomorrow. I did just find some self rising flour in the other cabinet....if I soften some sugar and try again using that how would it affect things? Don't use baking soda I guess?!

**imagine** · 01-02-2012, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Kellili

Thanks everyone, I will try the bread trick tonight. The cookies turned out a bit os a disaster all around. I had just enough brown sugar soft to squeak out a batch but ran out of all purpose flour so subbed stone ground whole wheat flour four half of what was called for. They are flat and terrible looking! Taste ok but I'm a bit embarrassed to send them to daycare tomorrow. I did just find some self rising flour in the other cabinet....if I soften some sugar and try again using that how would it affect things? Don't use baking soda I guess?!

Self rising flour is flour with baking powder and salt

**Kellili** · 01-02-2012, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by imagine

Self rising flour is flour with baking powder and salt

Right, so if I leave those out of the cookie recipe will it turn out? I have no clue on the ratios and things. Ugh...I probably will just send the weird cookies. I doubt 2-3 year olds will care

just disappoints me!

**imagine** · 01-02-2012, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Kellili

Right, so if I leave those out of the cookie recipe will it turn out? I have no clue on the ratios and things. Ugh...I probably will just send the weird cookies. I doubt 2-3 year olds will care

just disappoints me!

Simple answer yes I think it should be okay to just leave those out

Remeber baking soda and baking powder are not the same thing

**MomToTwoBoys** · 01-02-2012, 07:19 PM

Slice of bread will do the trick. The moisture from the bread will help crumble up the brown sugar.

**lissaky** · 01-10-2012, 10:55 AM

Just wanted to share a tip i heard. They say if you store brown sugar in the freezer it won't get hard. I haven't tried it yet.

Oh yeah, I know its late now but I have used self rising four for cookies and they turned out fine. I just left out the baking pwder and salt.

**nuisance26** · 01-10-2012, 11:31 AM

~After 11 years of baking, I finally got my first batch of hard brown sugar last month. I did the bread trick, waited a week and the sugar was soft again. Definitely works!~

**NicJean** · 01-11-2012, 06:25 AM

I keep a terra cotta saucer, that I soak in water, in the lock and lock (Tupperware/plastic box with the brown sugar in it. Each time I use brown sugar, I drop the saucer in a bowl of warm water for a couple minutes, then toss back in the brown sugar container. There are little round terra cotta disks for this - but why not spend just 50 cents at the garden center?