Does Molasses Go Bad?

Yes, Molasses does go bad. Unopened jars of molasses should be kept in a pantry or area that is dry, cool, and dark. If molasses is exposed to heat or humidity, it can allow bacteria to grow and develop mold.

How To Tell If Molasses Has Gone Bad

It is difficult to tell how old molasses is and if it has gone bad. The look and smell may have not changed, which is why it is difficult to tell.

The best way to tell if molasses has gone bad, is to see if there is any change in taste. The change may be subtle and hard to determine.

Another way to tell if molasses has gone bad is to look for crystallization forming. As with any sweetener, if crystals appear it may be spoiled.

As discussed earlier, if mold appears in your jar of molasses, it has gone bad. Mold is tricky though, because it may be really small and hard to spot. You should throw it out if you are unsure. Always better to be safe than sorry.

What is Molasses?

Molasses is a thick syrup. It is commonly used as a sweetener. It is made from crushed sugar can and sugar beets.

Sugar cane is broken down and crushed. The liquid leftover is then boiled down and reduced to sugar crystals. Once sugar crystals form, the liquid is filtered out and the remaining liquid is molasses.

Sometimes the process is repeated a few times, which is what creates different types of molasses.

In addition to being a great sweetener, molasses also has many great health benefits due to containing magnesium, iron and potassium

How Long Will Molasses Keep After Opening?

Unopened bottles of molasses will keep for ten years if stored properly. Unopened bottles should be stored in a dry spot like in a pantry just like the other sweeteners you have: honey, and maple syrup.

Opened bottles of molasses should be refrigerated and it will keep for one to five years. Although it isn’t necessary to store it in the refrigerator, the place you keep it should have a consistent temperature. This will help extend the life of your molasses.

Is A Spoonful Of Molasses Good For You?

Blackstrap molasses is used as a sweetener for baked beans. However, it has many health benefits. For example, blackstrap molasses has a high iron content. In fact, it contains about twenty percent of the daily value.

It is also a rich source of calcium, magnesium and potassium. As a result, it can help make your hair healthier. It can relieve arthritis with its anti inflammatory properties and promote strong healthy bones. Molasses contain a good source or calcium which helps improves and supports healing of bones.

The calcium and magnesium also help fight fatigue, anxiety, and help reduce stress. Finally, molasses can help with anemia since it has such a high content of iron.

Is It OK To Use Expired Molasses?

Molasses is similar to other baking ingredients, they have a best by date instead of an expiration date. You can still use molasses as long as there is no mold and have not formed any crystals.

Does Molasses Need To Be Refrigerated After Opening?

Unopened bottles of molasses do not need to be refrigerated. They should be stored in the pantry.

Opened jars of molasses does not need to be refrigerated but by doing so it may keep your jar fresh longer. Molasses is normally a liquid and storing it in the refrigerator will cause it to thicken up a bit. You can solve this problem by taking the molasses out of the refrigerator ten to fifteen minutes before you plan to use it.

Should Molasses Smell?

Yes, molasses should smell. It is often described as having a sharp, robust, bittersweet smell. It is also often described as earthy and similar to soy paste.

Molasses should not smell rotten. If your molasses has a strange smell you should not use it and it should be thrown out.

Substitutes for Molasses

Molasses is commonly used when baking. If your recipe calls for molasses and your has gone bad don’t worry there are items you can substitute.

Brown sugar makes an excellent substitute for molasses since brown sugar contains molasses. If your jar of molasses has gone bad, you can replace it with brown sugar.

Maple syrup is also an excellent substitute for molasses. Dark in color and sweet like molasses, maple syrup can be used with cookies, fudge and breakfast items.

Honey is a natural and healthy sweetener and is an great substitute for molasses. It is easy to find and less expensive than molasses. Honey can be used to replace molasses for sweetness, but since the color of honey is lighter, the finished product may not look the same.

Sugar and water can be used as a substitute for molasses. Sugar is probably the most common of the substitutes listed so far. To replace one cup of molasses, simply mix three quarters cup of sugar and one quarter cup of water.

Finally, applesauce can be used as a substitute for molasses. You can substitute the exact amount for molasses but the best method is to add a little and add more as needed until you reach the desired consistency and sweetness.

What To Do With Old Molasses?

Old molasses can still be used in baking and cooking. However, if mold is present you will want to throw it out and buy a new bottle of molasses. Molasses can still be used past the expiration as long as it has no mold and has not crystalized.

Conclusion

Molasses is a great sweetener, which also has great health benefits. It can last for up to ten years if unopened and stored properly. There is no need to store molasses in the refrigerator but it will help extend the shelf life. Comment below with your favorite molasses recipe.