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by Alea Milham1 Comment
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Maple syrup can be used to sweetened anything you would normally sweeten with sugar. Here is how to substitute maple syrup for sugar in recipes, as well as 15 recipes using maple syrup.
While I realize that maple syrup is a spring food since the trees are usually tapped in the spring. The long shelf life of syrup means it can be used any time of year. My youngest son loves Sugar Maple trees so much that we bought him one and planted it in our yard so he has his own source of Maple leaves. And in the mind of a six-year-old, it is a very short leap from doing a fall leaf craft project to enjoying some maple syrup.
Syrup doesn’t need to be limited to topping pancakes and waffles. It is delicious used in recipes. Maple Syrup not only sweetens the dish, but it also adds a depth of flavor missing from white sugar.
How to Substitute Maple Syrup for Sugar:
If you want to substitute maple syrup for honey, it is easy because you do not have to do any conversions: You can replace honey with maple syrup one for one. However, it is a little more complicated to substitute maple syrup for sugar.
Maple syrup is sweeter than sugar, so you will use less of it than you would of sugar. To substitute maple syrup for sugar in recipes, use 2/3 – 3/4 cup of syrup for 1 cup of sugar.
When you are replacing the sugar with syrup in a recipe like glazed carrots, you don’t have to worry about the liquids, but when you are substituting maple syrup for sugar in baked goods, you will need to reduce the liquids by a small amount. If you use 1 cup of syrup, then reduce the liquids by 3 tablespoons. I find it easiest to measure the normal amount of liquid called for in the recipe in a Pyrex measuring cup and then spoon out the excess liquid.
If a cake recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar, you would use 1 1/3 – 1 1/2 cups maple syrup and then reduce the liquid in the recipe by 4 tablespoons (or a quarter cup).
To help figure out the exact amounts use these conversions:
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
Don’t want to worry about the math, then try a recipe that calls for maple syrup!
15 Recipes Using Maple Syrup:
Give these delicious Ginger Pear Mini Pies a try this fall and savor all kinds of flavors from the season.
This was originally published 9/27/2013 and was updated and republished 3/21/2018.
About Alea Milham
Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.
Comments
Patricia Ramseysays
Are you using ‘real’ maple syrup? Can you use pancake syrup the same way? Someone gave me bottles and bottles of pancake syrup so I have been experimenting. So far I can substitute pancake syrup for sugar used in my homemade bread. It has a richer flavor that especially goes well with oatmeal and whole wheat bread. I have not had to adjust the liquids for these.
To replace white sugar with maple syrup in general cooking, it is ideal to use ¾ cup of maple syrup for every one cup of sugar. When it comes to baking, that same amount is used but also be sure to reduce the amount of overall liquid in the recipe by about three tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup substituted.
To replace white sugar with maple syrup in general cooking, it is ideal to use ¾ cup of maple syrup for every one cup of sugar. When it comes to baking, that same amount is used but also be sure to reduce the amount of overall liquid in the recipe by about three tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup substituted.
A quart (one liter) of syrup will yield about 2 pounds (one Kg) of granulated sugar. Granulated maple sugar is prepared by heating maple syrup until the temperature is 45° to 50° F (25° to 28° C) above the boiling point of water.
Maple syrup's consistency doesn't need thinning for any type of drinks. It'll dissolve neatly into hot drinks and mix right in with cold. Save yourself the effort and use it as-is, 1 for 1 as you would simple syrup.
Baking with maple syrup is easy because substituting maple for white sugar is a breeze! According to the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association – and they should know – you can substitute each cup of white sugar with 3/4 cup of maple syrup as long as you reduce other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup.
Gather all ingredients. Bring water, white sugar, and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in maple extract. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
It's less processed than regular table sugars and therefore contains more nutrients like vitamins, minerals & antioxidants which help improve your health. Maple Syrup also scores lower on the glycemic index so it's an excellent choice if you want to maintain stable blood glucose levels while enjoying delicious treats!
The most straightforward approach is to simply replace one cup of granulated cane sugar with one cup of granulated maple sugar. In this case you gain the extra flavors from maple while the sweetness and the liquid stay in balance.
When cooking with pure Vermont maple syrup, substitute 3/4 to one cup of maple syrup for every one cup of granulated white sugar. Decrease the liquid in your recipe by 2 to 4 tablespoons for each cup of syrup used.
In order to meet the legal definition, maple syrup must have a sugar content of at least 66 brix (this equates to 66 percent sugar content) at 60°F. Many producers also further process the syrup into value-added products.
One teaspoon of granulated white sugar equals about 1.5 teaspoons of simple syrup. If your recipe calls for a teaspoon of simple syrup, you might want to drop in only about two-thirds of a teaspoon of the granulated variety. You can always add more sugar, but you can't take it back out.
You can use it for salad dressings, as a glaze on salmon, ham or turkey, mix it in with butter in roasted vegetables and use it as a part of meat marinades. You can add maple syrup to store-bought or homemade barbecue sauces. It can be added to sauces, bean and vegetable casseroles, and chili.
Honey is the closest match and will work with a 1:1 substitution. The flavour profile of honey tends to be more aromatic and floral than maple syrup but it does have it's own characteristic flavour which can be equally appealing.
To make maple syrup, the tree trunk is drilled or tapped to allow the sap to flow out in the hanging bucket.The collected sap liquid is boiled until it reaches 219°F. At this point, the water evaporates and a thicker consistency develops. Then it is filtered through a cloth to prevent contamination before bottling.
The sugar percentage of the liquid is measured in degrees Brix, where one degree Brix equals 1% sugar content. The standard density for maple syrup is 66.9 Brix. A hydrometer looks a bit like an oversized thermometer and is calibrated to measure cold syrup at 60°F or hot syrup at 211°F or higher.
One cup of maple syrup at a fairly common density of 67º Brix provides 7.5 ounces (214 grams) of sugar and 3.7 ounces (105 grams) of water. One cup of cane sugar averages about 7.4 ounces (210 grams) of sugar. This is roughly the same amount sugar in a cup of maple syrup as in a cup of granulated sugar.
Both of these natural sweeteners have a lower glycemic index than regular sugar and offer a wider profile of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If you're going to reach for one over the other, maple syrup contains the fewest sugars, calories, and carbohydrates per serving.
As a natural sweetener, pure maple syrup contains more nutrients than table sugar and is therefore considered a healthier alternative to table sugar. However, it's still high in sugar, and like any sweetener should be enjoyed in moderation. That said, if you are to pick one, pure maple syrup is the natural choice.
General recommended substitution ratios are as follows: For every cup of sugar, you can replace it with a 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup of honey or 2/3 cup agave. If using maple syrup or molasses, 3/4 cup to 1 cup will do the trick.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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