How do you keep brown sugar?

[AmyBeth73]

When I took mine out of the cupboard it was a complete brick. I followed the directions on the box for softening it up, but it didn't work. Any tips?

[Laura B]

I use a brown sugar bear. It is a little clay (i think) bear that you soak in water and then put in your brown sugar container. It really does work to keep the sugar soft. When it eventually starts drying out again, it means you need to resoak the bear!

[growlingbelly]

I buy brown sugar in a bag and simply clothespin it...never seems to harden.

[LaraW]

To soften your sugar try putting a slice of apple in the bag with it. I also tried recently microwaving some sugar that had been in the fridge, and was really hard. That worked pretty well too.

[Safari Girl]

I also buy it in a bag, it tamps down and gets a little flat, but all I usually have to do is smush the bag around a bit and it loosens it right up.

[Vanessa]

Once I open brown sugar I place the bag inside a zip lock bag and put it in the cupboard. I used to keep it above the stove cupboard's but it hardened so now I keep it in another cupboard.

[dlhoon]

I keep brown sugar in a tupperware container in the cupboard. That keeps it airtight and it never seems to harden. I've also heard that a slice of white bread might soften it, but have never tried that.

[gobluem82]

I used to have a problem with hard brown sugar, but now I do like Vanessa does--I close the bag with a twist tie, then place it in a ziploc bag. Since then I have had no problems at all.

[AdGirl]

i actually keep mine in a tupperware container in the freezer. you only have to leave it on the counter for about 10 minutes and it's just like new. i use to do the twist-tie thing but it still hardened up on me...

[Peggy]

I also keep it in a tupperware container in the cupboard. Learned this trick at a Tupperware party and have not had hard brown sugar since.

Peggy

[Jewel]

I buy brown sugar in the bags also, but I seal it with a twist-tie then stash it in my large ceramic canister on the counter. I have a set of handpainted canisters, and I don't use them for the traditional flour, sugar, coffee and tea. My smallest one holds Sweet 'n Low packets, my next one DOES hold tagless tea bags, the next size holds dried peppers and dried herbs in plastic bags, and the large one holds the brown sugar and open bags of chocolate chips and such. Saves cupboard space, and I like the fact that I'm keeping them in a 'cool dry place' away from direct sunlight.

Never had the brown sugar brick up on me since I put it in there! :D

[Curleytop]

I dump my brown sugar out of the box and put it in a #7 Rubbermade container. I keep different flours in #9 containers.
Everything stays the way it should be, and also no BUGS. I even keep a scoop in every container to save time when I bake!

[Leanne]

Ziplock bag for me too! Works like a charm

[beejayw1]

zip-loc here.

By the way, my mother told me, years ago, to put a slice of fresh white bread in with the sugar if it did the brick routine.

I've done it many, many times over the years (even zip-locs will leak and let in air) and it works beautifully.

[Packy]

I buy brown sugar in both the box and bag. Whenever I open it for the first time and get what I need I then put a slice of white bread in it and close the box lid back up or fold the paper bag down and wrap up with a rubber band so the lid doesn't come back open nor the paper come unwrapped. I also keep them in my cabinet. My brown sugar is never hard when I put bread in it.

[HARRYET]

I also buy my brown sugar in zip-loc bags, and once opened I either place a slice of bread into the bag or a terra cotta disk that has been soaked in water. I never had problems w/brown sugar getting hard on me when I lived in New England, but since moving to AZ, and the climate being so much drier, I find I need these little tricks otherwise I end up with a brick!

Ann :D

[aggie94]

I buy brown sugar in resealable bags and have never had a problem with just sealing the bag back up and putting it in the cupboard.

[JanetB]

I use a tupperware thing - and a little disc that I got at a kitchen supply store - I think it is terracotta (not sure) but you are supposed to soak it and then pop it in. It has worked so far.

[catharine]

I have always had a problem with hardened brown sugar – so the idea of using my Foodsaver for brown sugar was a major selling point.

Of course, it is a little pain to cut open and reseal the bag each time, but it works so well. Of course, I don’t recommend buying one just for this reason, but I would definitely suggest it if you already have one. Note, there are tons of threads on the Foodsaver if anyone isn’t familiar with our love of this toy.