Up until this past year, I had been doing wrong. All wrong. I would:
1. Buy a bag.
2. Carefully attempt to open the top, inevitably tear the bag too much, see the fated shower of sugar graduals flying through the air as I spill sugar all over my kitchen.
3. Take out the amount I need.
4. Roll top of bag down as far as I could and pretend it will stay closed.
5. Set bag in a cupboard or pantry.
Now, since I baked so often and used so much sugar, I didn’t experience too many clumps or moisture issues. But I did occasionally, and it all could have been avoided if I had done just a few easy things!
First, I bought this lovely glass canister from The Container Store. (not an affiliate link) They have a silicone seal inside which makes it air tight.
I got two, one for sugar and one for flour, and they sit on the shelf in my pantry. (It is recommended that granulated sugar be stored in a cool, dry and odorless place. Make sure your onions and garlic are somewhere else!)
PRO TIP: Set the container in the sink and open the bag next to it. Any sugar that may spill out with be contained in the sink and you have one less thing to clean up!
It works like a charm! Now when I need sugar I either bring my ingredient bowl to the pantry or bring the canister to my counter. Either way, so much easier.
But then I took in one step further.
PRO TIP:
(doing this one little thing can make the difference in a baking recipe working beautifully or failing!)
I put a 1/2 cup measuring cup into the sugar and I leave it there. I do this for one main reason:
Consistency in baking. Using the same measuring cup to measure my sugar means that I always have the same amount. As you may already know, measuring cups can vary greatly in size/volume. If I use the same cup every time, I know my measurement of 1/2 cup is true.
Being a recipe creator, or someone who shares recipes publicly, I need to make sure they are as accurate as possible. This is just one small way I can ensure I am doing everything possible to share a quality recipe.
For the sugar canister I use the 1/2 cup size, and the 1 cup size in my flour canister. A typical American recipe has flour is measured in 1 cup increments (that is a total generalization, I know flour amounts greatly vary), while sugar can differ a bit more. Using the 1/2 cup in the sugar gives me a bit more wiggle room.
Bonus: One less measuring cup to clean!
Moral of the story? Get one of these pretty glass canisters, use it to store your sugars and flours, and keep a measuring cup in the canister. Voila! Happy bakers everywhere.
I’ve also recently started storing my sugar and flour in pretty jars as well and seeing them in my pantry helps me know when I need to buy more. Somehow, I never paid much attention when they were in the bags. I stuck the bags to the side and didn’t notice them much. I love the idea of keeping the measuring cup inside each container too. Great idea!
I use the same type of container for my Sugar, Flour and Yeast. Thanks for the info on the measuring spoon.
I’ve been doing the same thing with my sugars and flours here too. We work in weight here in the UK, so guaranteed accuracy with no issues here.
If I’m using an American recipe in cups, I convert to weight. Saves on washing up too.
Good to know you have found what works for you!
Thanks for the great tips!
Where did you find your pretty measuring cup?
I can’t remember. 🙁
Amanda, I had just bought these jars myself (with Red lids)… I love your measuring cups, they are so pretty! I wondered how you decided / settled on measuring cups, when all cups aren’t the same size; how should i determin what ones are the “correct” 1/2 cup, 1 cup, etc…
Thanks so much! I love your blog!!
I picked the pretty ones! lol You can certainly measure out the contents with water and see which is the most accurate if you want. xo
any helpful hints on how to store brown sugar? no matter what i do, it always hardens within a few weeks of opening.
I store mine in the crisper drawer of my refrigerator and never have any problems.
I stopped using measuring cups to measure flour and sugar. I use a scale. I have found my results are more accurate and my results more consistent. I like the jars from The Container Store. I use Ziploc bags in canisters on my counter and have wanted to get rid of them for years. I’ll do this instead. Love your site.
I may have missed it but what brand and where did you purchase your measuring cup in the picture?
For consistency and accuracy I find it better to weigh ingredients than measure them.
I use my 40 year old Tupperware canisters and scoops but I prefer to follow recipes using weight measurements as they are far easier to be consistent.
But I only have one set of dry measuring cups anyway so I would always be using the same one anyway.