Maple syrup drizzled on fluffy pancakes is something to die for, but what if you do not have a single drop of the sweet syrup to pour? Simple. Just look for some maple syrup substitutes.
Maple syrup is widely used, especially in baked goods. It adds depth and a smooth texture to the dish and brings out the flavors of the dish.
People generally use maple syrup to pour on hot pancakes, but one can use it anywhere and everywhere they want to add caramel-like sweetness.
Some of the best maple syrup substitutes are honey, molasses, brown sugar syrup, corn syrup, and nut butter. The only thing one should be careful of is the quantity of the substitute used.
The cool tip is to a little bit at the start and then gradually increase the amount of any syrup. Today we will peep into all possible substitutes for maple syrup so you don’t miss out on the sweetness.
17 best substitutes for maple syrup
1. Honey
The best substitute for maple syrup is honey. If any single ingredient possesses the same qualities as maple syrup and surpasses the taste, it’s honey.
Honey has the same flavor, aroma, consistency, color, and sweetness as maple syrup. You can use honey wherever you require maple syrup. It is also important to note that honey will have a flavor of its own that is for sure very much likable.
However, the flavor will get more subtle if you cook the honey with the dish. Honey will have a sweeter and more floral tone than maple syrup. If you are looking for a vegan substitute, honey may disappoint you as it is derived from bees.
On that note, honey is gluten-free, so in case you are gluten intolerant, honey is safe for you. You can use honey instead of maple syrup in a ratio of 1:1. Simply drizzle honey on top of the waffles or pancakes and enjoy your lovely meal.
2. Molasses
If you don’t have maple syrup and honey, then molasses is the next best thing to use. Molasses has a thick texture with rich and robust flavors.
Molasses is a by-product of the sugar-making process but has a depth in flavor with a lot of nutrient contents. The color of molasses is darker and also less sweet than maple syrup.
To avoid the bitterness in the dish’s overall flavor, you may add some extra sugar and then use it in the recipe.You can also go for light molasses instead of dark molasses and swap it with maple syrup in a 1:1 ratio.
You can use molasses for baking or drizzling it over pancakes. Try making other sweet items like cake, pastries, and brownies with molasses and add deep flavors.
3. Brown Sugar Syrup
When it comes to quick and easy maple syrup replacement, brown sugar is something to look for. Making syrup from brown sugar that will fill in the space for maple syrup is relatively easy.
Simply add brown sugar and water (in the same amount) to a saucepan. Let the mixture come to a boil, and then put it on a simmer.
When the sugar is completely dissolved, put it on rest and let it cool down. Your delicious sweet syrup is ready to be added to your dishes.
Many suggest using three parts of sugar and 1 part of water, but that depends on your sweet preference level. You can adjust the ratio of water to sugar accordingly.
Brown sugar may miss the caramel flavor, but it indeed gives you the perfect sweet punch. You can use brown sugar syrup in place of maple syrup in a ratio of 1:1.
4. White Sugar Syrup
White syrup sugar can also be used as a substitute for maple syrup. Similar to brown sugar syrup, you can prepare white sugar syrup at home by adding and boiling an equal amount of water and white sugar.
White sugar syrup may not have the same depth as brown sugar syrup, but it will justify the maple syrup flavors. It will give the right amount of sweetness and have a similar consistency.
You may not find it idle to use as a topping, but it goes well with other recipes.
Adding white sugar syrup won’t change the consistency of the batter and will dissolve without much hustle. White sugar syrup goes well in baking recipes or sweet drinks. Go for 1 cup of white sugar syrup instead of ⅔ cup of maple syrup.
5. Agave Nectar
Agave nectar will give your recipe a flowery and sweet flavor. It is a natural sweetener like honey and can be used in place of maple syrup.
It is also said that agave nectar is a healthier alternative to maple syrup and is also gluten-free. It is derived from the agave plant and can also be used as a vegan substitute.
Use agave syrup in baking recipes or top your dishes for a strong and caramelized flavor.
You can use light, amber, or dark agave nectar as per your taste. The dark agave nectar will have a robust and bold flavor, whereas amber agave syrup will have strong notes of sweetness. You can go for light agave nectar to get a neutral flavor.
Substitute maple syrup with agave nectar in a ratio of ½:1 and adjust the quantity according to your taste.
6. Corn Syrup
Corn syrup is your answer if you are looking for something that resembles maple syrup and is inexpensive. Corn syrup may not be able to provide the same level of sweetness, but it will surely help to fill the space.
It may also have a lesser caramelized tone of the maple syrup but will not overpower the dish like another substitute.
You can find two types of corn syrup in the market. The dark corn syrup will have little extra depth in flavor as compared to the light corn syrup.
The dark corn syrup will closely resemble the taste of maple syrup. A downside of using corn syrup regularly is that it quickly gets absorbed into the bloodstream and causes obesity or diabetes.
It is colorless but has the same consistency as maple syrup. You can substitute corn syrup in place of maple syrup in a ratio of 1:1.
7. Coconut Sugar
What can be a natural sweetener and replace maple syrup as well? You guessed it right – coconut syrup. Like maple syrup, it has a strong caramel flavor. It is thick in consistency and also has a crumbly texture.
You will have a coconut taste in the dish (not too much), which is also great if you happen to like coconut.
Coconut sugar can be used anywhere in place of maple syrup. The flavor of coconut sugar may be a little extra deep and less sweet than maple syrup.
If replacing with maple syrup, use an equal amount of coconut sugar. You can use it to drizzle or use a frosting. Add some liquid and make coconut syrup or nectar to use it exactly like maple syrup.
8. Brown Rice Syrup
Where does the starch from the brown rice go? Brown rice syrup is prepared with starch from brown rice. It is less sweet than white sugar but possesses an excellent nutty flavor. Many say that it has a butterscotch flavor too!
You can get brown rice syrup in the nearby stores that mainly come in a jar. It is also called a healthy substitute for maple syrup. The only thing that needs to be remembered is that brown rice syrup is sweeter, so you must add more.
Go for a cup of brown rice syrup instead of ⅔ cup of maple syrup. You can use brown rice syrup to bind the ingredients as well.
9. Golden Monk Fruit
Golden monk fruit is a great sweetener that can be substituted for maple syrup. You must mix golden monk fruit with some water and get the same consistency as maple syrup.
It is great if you want fewer carbs yet sweeter than white sugar. To avoid extra sweetness, start with less and gradually increase the quantity.
Golden monk fruit has the same flavors as brown sugar, and as we all have already seen, brown sugar is an excellent substitute for maple syrup.
It dissolves very quickly and will give you the perfect maple syrup flavor. Go for ½ cup of golden monk fruit in place of 1 cup of maple syrup.
10. Golden Syrup
Golden syrup looks like honey but is sugar and water with citric acid. When it comes to substituting maple syrup, golden syrup is another great option after honey.
You will have the caramelized flavor and a great amount of sweetness in golden syrup. Golden syrup can also be prepared at home—simply boil water and sugar with some lemon juice, or you can buy it from nearby stores.
Its warm golden color and thick consistency are great for substituting maple syrup. Sweet with a caramelized flavor, use golden syrup to drizzle it over pancakes or waffles.
Simply go for an equal amount of golden syrup as maple syrup, and you are good to go.
11. Buttermilk Syrup
Don’t worry, as the syrup will not taste like buttermilk. You simply need to cook the buttermilk with some sugar and have a thick consistency that will work as maple syrup.
Buttermilk can be a little expensive, so you can also go with regular milk. Just stir some lemon juice or vinegar in the milk for 5 minutes, then cook with sugar to attain the right consistency and texture.
You need to use the syrup in a very short period as it gets ruined real quick. It will definitely satisfy the need for sweet flavors. Go for an equal amount of buttermilk syrup as maple syrup.
12. Nut butter
I know nut butter may not sound as appealing as honey or molasses in place of maple syrup, but indeed it is a great option to try.
Using nut butter on top of pancakes is a great way to add a crunchy yet buttery texture. Nut butter will have precisely the same sweetness and add a nutty flavor to the dish.
The consistency may not be similar to maple syrup, but it will definitely upgrade the flavors and add great nutrient content.You can spread as much nut butter as you like. The more, the better it is.
13. Date syrup
Something sweet has a great texture, deep and complex flavor, and is healthy as well; what could it be? Yup, it is date syrup.
A very close substitute to maple syrup, but the only downside is that dates are expensive. It would be great if you could get some date syrup from the market.
You can also mix date paste with honey for a thick consistency and a similar flavor to maple syrup. Use ⅔ cup of date syrup or paste in place of ½ cup of maple syrup and enjoy the sweet flavor with smooth texture.
14. Caramel syrup
If you want the caramel flavor of maple syrup, then what’s better than caramel syrup? You can make it at home or get it from the stores. Whatever works for you.
Caramel syrup is basically made from brown sugar, so there is no doubt it will act as a great substitute for maple syrup.
You can use caramel syrup in place of maple syrup in almost every dish. Go for an equal amount of maple syrup and enjoy the sweet slurry texture.
15. Coconut oil/butter
We have already discussed how coconut nectar is a great substitute, and you can always go for coconut oil or butter.
Simply add a spoonful of coconut oil or butter on top of the pancakes or waffles and get a smooth, glazy appearance. You can add little sweetness or go for sweet coconut butter readily available in the market.
Enjoy warm, fluffy pancakes with 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil/butter.
16. Fruits
Try something directly from nature- fruits! Go for sweet berries and make a sweet paste that is a little slurpy and enjoy it in place of maple syrup.
Adding fruits to your meal, whether in the form of syrup, will do great for you!
17. Stevia
Stevia must be the last option to try in place of maple syrup. It is nothing but a sweetener that might also add an unwanted aftertaste. You can simply pour it into your dish and enjoy it.
It doesn’t have the same depth in flavor as maple syrup but will take care of sweetness.
Short Recap Of The Best Substitutes For Maple Syrup
Below is a short recap of the best substitute options for maple syrup.
Best Maple Syrup Substitutes In Terms Of Flavor –
- Honey
- Molasses
- Brown Sugar Syrup
Best Maple Syrup Substitutes That Are Easily Available-
- White or Brown Sugar Syrup
Maple Syrup Substitutes Should Be Least Considered-
- Stevia
- Corn Syrup
How To Use Maple Syrup Substitutes In Recipes?
17 Best Maple Syrup Substitutes That You Should Try!
Ingredients
- Honey
- Molasses
- Brown Sugar Syrup
- White Sugar Syrup
- Agave Nector
- Corn Syrup
- Coconut Sugar
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Golden Monk Fruit
- Golden Syrup
- Buttermilk Syrup
- Nut Butter
- Date Syrup
- Caramel Syrup
- Coconut Oil/Butter
- Fruits
- Stevia
Instructions
- Go through the substitutes and see which one seems fit for the recipe.
- Collect your ingredients and use your preferred substitute.
- Use the substitute in the required amount and proceed to make the dish according to the recipe.
Conclusion
Whatever substitute you try, nothing can beat the authenticity of maple syrup. I personally recommend going for either honey or brown rice syrup.
If anything, that should be avoided is corn syrup and stevia. I hope that this sweet piece of conversation was helpful. If you happen to try any of the substitutes from the list, let me know your experience.
I will be back soon with a more sweet and savory conversation. Until then, bake some cake!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is using maple syrup good for health?
Maple syrup has a higher concentration of minerals and is filled with other nutrients like zinc, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
What tastes like maple syrup?
Honey tastes very close to maple syrup. Other than honey, you can try molasses or brown rice syrup.
What is maple syrup comes from?
Maple syrup is made by concentrating a little sap from sweet maple trees.
