When baking sweet treats [1], brown sugar is essential. It's one of those things that you most likely already have tucked away in your pantry, but when it comes time to use it, it's completely rock solid. Problem, right? Actually, not at all! You can quickly salvage that brick of brown sugar and soften it up [2] so it's suitable to add to your recipe. Here's how.

All you need are a few simple household items [3]: a microwave, some paper towel, and a little bit of water. First, transfer your brown sugar into a microwave-safe bowl. Second, using water, dampen a folded piece of paper towel and lay it right on top of the bowl of sugar. Then, pop it in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds. When you take it out of the microwave, use a fork to gently press on the sugar, breaking and loosening it up. If you find that the sugar is still lumpy in some areas, place it back in the microwave with a damp paper towel again for another 10 to 20 seconds. Just be mindful to keep checking, as the brown sugar will melt if it's in there for too long. And voila! You have soft brown sugar that's ready for baking [4].