Maple Syrup Substitute
This maple syrup substitute is made with only 5 ingredients and is ready in minutes. Serve it over pancakes or use it as a maple syrup replacement in your baked goods. Save money on pure maple syrup and use this substitute instead!
Maple Syrup Alternatives
Pure maple syrup is the gold standard, but it can be pricey. Current pricing has it at around $32 per gallon. That’s a lot!
Having an affordable substitute is excellent for the pocketbook. Besides, there may be times when your pantry is empty, and you don’t want to make a mad dash to the store. Here are some alternatives to consider:
- Agave Nectar — This is my favorite maple syrup replacement because it’s affordable, readily available, and performs similarly to maple syrup in recipes.
- Molasses — Molasses has a strong flavor that may not make it suitable for drizzling over pancakes, but you can use it in recipes for baking.
- Dark Corn Syrup — Corn syrup is a nice alternative to maple syrup that you can use on pancakes or even in recipes.
- Vegan Honey — Honey is a great alternative to maple syrup. if you prefer not to eat honey, vegan honey is a nice option.
- Stevia Maple Syrup — For a zero-sugar option, you can use Stevia Maple Syrup, found in many health food stores or online.
- Homemade — this maple syrup alternative is easy to make!
Maple Syrup Substitute for Baking
You want to substitute maple syrup in baking. I get it. Some studies have shown that maple syrup has a lower glycemic index when compared to sugar and, therefore, may not impact blood sugar. [Source]
You can use maple syrup substitutes 1:1 for most baked goods that call for maple syrup.
It can get tricky to substitute maple syrup for sugar in a recipe. Here are some tips to do that:
- Substitute 3/4 cup of maple syrup for 1 cup of sugar.
- Decrease the liquid by 1/4. So if the recipe calls for 1 cup of water, decrease that to 3/4 cup.
- Decrease the oven temperature by approximately 25°F/4°C to prevent caramelizing around the edges, which can happen with maple syrup baked goods.
How to Make Maple Syrup Substitute
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Reserve one tablespoon of the water.
- Add brown sugar and remaining water and bring to a low boil.
- Stir the reserved water, cornstarch, extract, and syrup in a small bowl.
- Drizzle this into the hot brown sugar syrup and stir to combine.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Let the syrup cool and then pour it into a lidded glass jar and refrigerate.
- Serve it over pancakes, waffles, and more.
Key Ingredients
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Brown sugar — You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Cornstarch — Feel free to substitute arrowroot powder.
- Extract — I love using real maple syrup extract. Please do not use imitation maple syrup that doesn’t have an authentic flavor. You can substitute vanilla extract.
- Agave nectar — To prevent the sugar from crystalizing, we’ll add a bit of agave nectar (substitute corn syrup).
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- SIMPLE — You need only 7 ingredients to make this maple syrup substitute.
- MAGIC — Transform brown sugar into a delicious maple syrup replacement.
- QUICK — Throw this syrup together in minutes so you can serve that yummy breakfast right on time!
Frequently-Asked Questions
What is maple syrup made of?
Maple syrup is made from the sap of a sugar maple tree. The sap is boiled to reduce the water, leaving behind a sugar concentrate that we refer to as maple syrup. By the way, it takes 40 gallons of tree sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.
What is pancake syrup?
Pancake syrup is made by combining syrup, usually corn syrup, with maple syrup extract.
Serving Suggestions
You can use this maple syrup substitute for baking these delicious vegan maple donuts. Or drizzle it over your favorite pancakes and waffles:
Storage Tips
Transfer syrup to a lidded glass jar. Seal it tightly and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. To serve, let it come to room temperature or microwave it for a few seconds until it resumes a spreadable consistency.
Maple Syrup Favorites
Here are some tasty recipes that utilize maple syrup either in the recipe itself or drizzled on top:
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Maple Syrup Alternative Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon maple syrup extract (substitute vanilla extract)
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar (substitute corn syrup)
Instructions
- Reserve one tablespoon of the water. Add brown sugar and remaining water to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring this to a low boil.
- Stir together the reserved water, cornstarch, extract, and syrup in a small bowl. Drizzle this into the hot brown sugar syrup and stir to combine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until reduced in volume to 1 cup or for thicker syrup down to ¾ cup.
- Let the syrup cool and then pour it into a lidded glass jar and refrigerate. Serve it over whole wheat panckes, vegan waffles, and more.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I made this for waffles last weekend and it was a perfect substitute for maple syrup!
This maple syrup over waffles? Sign me up, Ivy!