brown sugar
Taste Profile
Primary Flavor
sweet
Intensity
strong
Flavor Notes
Pairs Well With
Cooking Behavior
Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added back. The molasses is hygroscopic — it holds water — so doughs made with it stay softer and chewier than the same dough made with white sugar, and they brown faster because molasses carries reducing sugars. It is also slightly acidic, which is what activates baking soda in a cookie dough.
Best Techniques
Common Mistakes
- Measuring loose instead of packed (a packed cup holds far more)
- Substituting white sugar one-for-one (the result spreads more and stays crisp rather than chewy)
- Leaving the bag open (it hardens as the molasses dries)