Have you run out of maple syrup? Here's what you can use instead! Get the best maple syrup substitute and use these alternatives for cooking, baking and to top over pancakes and waffles when you run out of maple syrup. It saves the recipe every time!
What if you get to a recipe and realize you are out of maple syrup and need a quick maple syrup alternative? No problem, here is exactly what you can use instead. These replacements are the best substitutes for maple syrup, and there is a homemade syrup recipe below to use. For more swaps see my cinnamon substitute, oat flour substitute and almond flour substitute.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 2 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 7 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 9 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4
- ⚡ Calories: 209kcal
- 🥣 Ingredients: 3 (dark brown sugar or coconut sugar, water, maple extract)
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich caramel notes from the sugar with the maple taste coming from extract
- ✋ Difficulty: Whisk sugar and water on the stove until it thickens, then stir in the extract
Quick Answer
Agave nectar is the closest substitute for maple syrup and goes in at a 1:1 ratio. Honey also works in equal amounts, though it alters the flavor and texture slightly. If you have no liquid sweetener at all, heat sugar and water at a 3 parts sugar to 1 part water ratio, which is ¾ cup sugar to ¼ cup water, for 5 to 10 minutes on medium heat, then stir in ½ teaspoon of maple extract and ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of molasses for a richer dark syrup flavor. Coconut sugar, dark brown sugar, golden monk fruit and Xylitol all work with that same 3:1 method. For a sugar-free bottled option, Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup is sweetened with monk fruit and swaps in at 1:1.
Jump to:
What is maple syrup?
Maple syrup is a natural sweetener made by boiling down the sap of sugar maple trees, resulting in a rich and flavorful syrup with a distinct, sweet-maple taste.
Over the winter months the starch in the tree trunk turns to sugar in late winter and early spring, which we can often see dripping down a sugar maple tree, red maple tree, or black maple tree trunk. The sap is then collected by drilling a hole in the trunk of the tree and bottled into what is known as maple syrup.
This natural sugar is used as a condiment for butternut squash pancakes, waffles, French toast, and chia oatmeal. It is also used for sweetening baked goods, salad dressings, and caramelizing and flavoring foods.
Why These Substitutes Work
Click to see why each swap works
- A 3 parts sugar to 1 part water ratio rebuilds the syrup. Heating sugar with water dissolves it into a simple syrup with roughly the pouring consistency of maple syrup. For a smaller amount, use ¾ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water, and adjust the quantities proportionally while keeping the 3:1 ratio.
- Maple extract puts the flavor back. Plain sugar and water is missing the rich maple taste, so a ½ teaspoon of maple flavoring or maple extract carries the aroma the sap would have brought.
- Molasses supplies the dark notes. Add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of molasses for a richer dark syrup flavor.
- Agave is the closest match. Agave nectar is the alternative that most resembles the syrup, so it goes in at a 1:1 ratio with no other adjustment.
- Coconut sugar keeps it low glycemic. Coconut sugar is a low glycemic sugar that does not spike blood sugar levels and is much better for you than white and brown sugar.
- Butter makes the fastest version. Heating ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds gives you a drizzle in under a minute. This is the version my mother always did with a sprinkle of cinnamon and it's delicious!
Why You'll Love This List
- It saves the recipe every time, whether you are baking or topping a stack of pancakes.
- Nine options, covering liquid sweeteners, pantry sugars and sugar-free swaps.
- 209 calories per serving on the printable homemade version, which takes 9 minutes start to finish.
- Keto and diabetic friendly choices included, so nobody is left out of the pancake breakfast.
- Part of the substitute library with my paprika substitute, tomato paste substitute and potato starch substitute.
Key Ingredients
- Dark brown sugar or coconut sugar - the body of the syrup. Coconut sugar is a low glycemic sugar that does not spike blood sugar levels and is much better for you than white and brown sugar.
- Water - goes in at 1 part water to 3 parts sugar so the sugar dissolves into a pourable syrup.
- Maple extract - or maple flavoring, ½ teaspoon, which is what gives a plain sugar syrup its maple taste.
- Molasses, optional - ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon for a richer dark syrup flavor.
- Butter, optional - for the 30 second microwave version, 1 tablespoon whisked into ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar.
See recipe card for quantities.
Best Maple Syrup Substitutes
- Agave Nectar - agave nectar makes a great substitute for maple syrup. Use it in a 1:1 ratio for maple syrup. This is an alternative that most resembles the syrup.
- Honey - if you are making cookies and baked goods that call for maple syrup and don't like the taste or have any, you can use honey in equal amounts or a 1:1 ratio. Keep in mind that using honey will alter the flavor and texture slightly as it's perfect for making recipes like gluten-free cornbread muffins. In other recipes you may need to adjust spices in a recipe to complement the flavor substitution.
- Coconut Sugar and Water - heat coconut sugar at 3 parts sugar to 1 part water, which can be converted to specific measurements based on your needs. For a smaller amount, use ¾ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of water.
- Sugar and Water - white sugar is not the best sugar to use for a maple syrup substitute, but it will work if you need. Heat sugar with water, try ¾ cup sugar with ¼ cup of water, for 5 to 10 minutes on the stove on medium heat then add a ½ teaspoon of maple flavoring or maple extract. Add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of molasses for a richer dark syrup flavor.
- Brown Sugar and Water - just like regular sugar, you can heat dark brown sugar with water at a 3:1 ratio like coconut sugar, then add a ½ teaspoon of maple flavoring or maple extract.
- Coconut Sugar and Butter - make a quick version by heating ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Whisk together until it melts and drizzle over breakfast like butternut squash pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
How to Make a Maple Syrup Substitute
This is the printable stovetop version, and it works with dark brown sugar or coconut sugar.
1Heat the sugar and water. In a small saucepan heat ¾ cup sugar and ¼ cup water on medium heat, whisking constantly until it starts to thicken and bubble and the sugar is dissolved, about 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure not to overcook it or use too high a heat, to avoid burning it.
2Stir in the maple extract. Add a ½ teaspoon of maple flavoring or maple extract, and ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of molasses if you want a richer dark syrup flavor.
3Or take the 30 second shortcut. Heat ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds and whisk until it melts.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Going the other way, use ¾ cup of maple syrup for every one cup of sugar. If a recipe calls for white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar and you prefer to use maple syrup instead, that is the rule of thumb.
- Reduce the liquid when you bake with syrup. Cut the overall liquid in the recipe by about 3 tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup.
- Watch the heat. Make sure not to overcook the syrup or run it on too high a heat, or the sugar burns.
- Honey changes the spice balance. Using honey will alter the flavor and texture slightly, so you may need to adjust the spices in a recipe to complement the substitution.
- Golden beats white for flavor. The golden monk fruit version has rich notes that most resemble the sap taste better than Xylitol or white sugars.
- Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the butter version, the way my mother always did.
Best Sugar-Free Maple Syrup Substitutes
Lakanto Maple Syrup
Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup is a sugar-free condiment sweetened with monk fruit. It is a wonderful maple syrup substitute for keto and sugar-free diabetic diets since it contains no sugar. Use in a 1:1 ratio the same as you would honey and agave.
Golden Monk Fruit and Water
You can heat golden monk fruit and water at a 3:1 ratio like other sugars to make a simple syrup that resembles maple syrup. This golden version has rich notes that most resemble the sap taste better than Xylitol or white sugars.
Xylitol and Water
Xylitol from a birch tree is a healthy sugar-free alternative. Like other sugars it can be heated into a simple syrup at a 3:1 ratio and used as a maple syrup substitute. So use ¾ cup sugar to ¼ cup water, although you'll be missing out on the caramel notes of maple. Try adding ½ teaspoon maple extract and ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of molasses for a richer flavor.
Substituting maple syrup in baking for sugar or brown sugar
If a recipe calls for white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar and you prefer to use maple syrup instead of sugar then a good rule of thumb is to use ¾ cup of maple syrup for every one cup of sugar. When baking you will want to reduce the overall liquid in the recipe by about 3 tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup.
Try our maple syrup substitution on these recipes: Waffles With Low Sugar Maple Greek Yogurt, Fluffy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes, Easy Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe, Paleo Pancakes and Gluten-Free Scones With Maple Drizzle.
Maple Syrup Substitute FAQs
Agave nectar. It is the alternative that most resembles the syrup, so it swaps in at equal amounts with no other adjustment. Honey also goes in at a 1:1 ratio, though it alters the flavor and texture slightly.
Heat sugar and water at 3 parts sugar to 1 part water, so ¾ cup sugar with ¼ cup water, for 5 to 10 minutes on the stove on medium heat. Then add ½ teaspoon of maple flavoring or maple extract, plus ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of molasses for a richer dark syrup flavor.
Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup is sweetened with monk fruit and contains no sugar, so it works for keto and sugar-free diabetic diets at a 1:1 ratio. You can also heat golden monk fruit or Xylitol with water at a 3:1 ratio to make your own.
Yes, in equal amounts. Keep in mind that using honey will alter the flavor and texture slightly, and in some recipes you may need to adjust the spices to complement the substitution.
Use ¾ cup of maple syrup for every one cup of sugar, and reduce the overall liquid in the recipe by about 3 tablespoons for each cup of maple syrup.
Heat ¼ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds and whisk until it melts. Drizzle it over pancakes, waffles and French toast, with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
More Recipe Substitutes and Alternatives
More substitutes and alternatives: Gluten-Free Flour and Starch Alternatives, Paprika Substitute, Potato Starch Substitute, Tomato Paste Substitute, Oat Flour Substitute, Almond Flour Substitute, Cinnamon Substitute and Demerara Syrup. I hope you enjoy these maple syrup substitutes! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
Maple Syrup Substitute Recipe
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan heat the sugar and water on medium heat, whisking constantly until it starts to thicken and bubble and the sugar is dissolved, about 5-10 minutes. Then add a ½ teaspoon of maple flavoring or maple extract. Make sure not to overcook it or on too high a heat to avoid burning the sugars (especially if using coconut sugar). Optional to add ½ to 1 teaspoon of molasses for a richer dark syrup flavor.
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