Make An Easy Molasses Alternative With 2 Simple Ingredients

Molasses is one of those ingredients that you may not keep tucked away in your cabinets, and if you do, it's probably several years old. This thick, syrupy substance that is a byproduct of making sugar, comes in handy when you are making some of your favorite breads, muffins, glazes, marinades, baked beans, and finger-licking barbecue sauce. The distinctive flavor and the depth of taste molasses adds to these foods make it difficult to replicate; however, if you don't have any and don't want to run to the store, you can make an easy molasses alternative with two simple ingredients you probably already have.

If you have access to a little hot water and some dark brown sugar, you are in business. When you combine these two items using a one-to-three ratio of liquid to sweetener, it will produce the perfect substitute for a single cup of molasses. This is largely due to the fact that brown sugar is a combo of white sugar and molasses. 

If you are without dark brown sugar, you can always use light brown sugar, but the taste won't be as intense. However, there is one caveat you need to know. There are some recipes that call for molasses where this substitution just won't work. If you plan to make gingerbread or some type of molasses cookie, sadly, this is a case where there ain't nothing like the real thing. The hot water and brown sugar hack simply won't work. 

It might take a little bit of practice to figure out if this substitute can be a reliable go-to. Brown sugar tends to be sweeter than molasses, so you may need to use a little less to get the level of sweetness you are hoping for. If you are wondering if you can use Demerara or muscovado sugar in place of brown sugar, the answer is no. There is no molasses that has been added to either of these and they will not give you the same taste.