These maple recipes feature the sugary syrup in sweet treats and savory dishes, from pies and fudge to glazed meat and roasted veggies.
For the longest time, I only grabbed my bottle of maple syrup to drizzle over pancakes and French toast. As I got older, I realized how much more the syrup has to offer and how outstanding maple recipes can be. The syrup’s nutty, caramel-like flavor adds comfort to sweet maple desserts like pies, cookies and cakes, and surprises in savory dishes, from easy sides to hearty mains.
Maple syrup is a versatile sugar alternative to granulated sugar, but the distinct flavor can also transform a recipe. In a maple old-fashioned, the syrup’s rich flavor counters bourbon and bitters with a unique taste that a sugar cube doesn’t have. In a glaze or marinade, maple balances herbs and salt before caramelizing in a hot skillet or oven until sticky and browned. For dessert, buttery cookies, a stacked cake loaded with walnuts or a hot maple cream coffee are cozy ways to finish the day.
When putting maple at the forefront of a recipe, it’s important to start with the best maple syrup for the purest flavor. Maple syrup used to be divided into grades A and B, but now it’s color-graded into golden, amber, dark and very dark. The flavor correlates to the color, with golden having the lightest taste and very dark being the most robust and almost molasses-like. Changing the type of syrup can give your favorite recipe a fresh taste and a new reason to love maple.
1/30
Maple Pecan Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
Our Vermont maple syrup can't be beat, and this is one of my favorite pies. It's also quick and easy to make. —Mildred Wescom, Belvidere, Vermont
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 561 calories, 35g fat (12g saturated fat), 111mg cholesterol, 294mg sodium, 58g carbohydrate (38g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
2/30
Maple Cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
I created this recipe after tasting maple cookies with a maple glaze at a bakery in Stowe, Vermont, some years ago. I get many requests to bring them for bake sales, parties and ski trips. —Delores Day, Wolcott, Vermont
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 139 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 101mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.
3/30
Maple-Glazed Pork Chops
From the Recipe Creator:
Everyone cleaned their plates when my mother made these succulent, tangy-sweet pork chops when I was growing up. Now I get the same results when I serve them to my family alongside applesauce and au gratin potatoes. —Cheryl Miller, Fort Collins, Colorado
Nutrition Facts:
Nutrition Facts: 1 pork chop equals 530 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 101 mg cholesterol, 121 mg sodium, 68 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 32 g protein.
4/30
Quebec Maple Syrup Dumplings (Grands-Peres)
From the Recipe Creator:
These quick and easy maple dumplings are so delicious! They are a classic French Canadian dessert that's comfort food at its best. —Francine Lizotte, Surrey, BC
Nutrition Facts:
2 dumplings with 1/3 cup sauce: 544 calories, 17g fat (10g saturated fat), 44mg cholesterol, 395mg sodium, 96g carbohydrate (70g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
5/30
Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
From the Recipe Creator:
Take your favorite breakfast and put a flavorful spin on it. Adding maple syrup, brown sugar and milk to old-fashioned oats turns the ordinary oatmeal into a creamy, sweet variety. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 247 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 159mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 4g fiber), 5g protein.
6/30
Chocolate Maple Bars
From the Recipe Creator:
My family runs a maple syrup operation, and I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate maple syrup into my cooking and baking. These bars are delicious! —Cathy Schumacher, Alto, Michigan
Nutrition Facts:
1 bar: 143 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 43mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
7/30
Maple Butter Twists
From the Recipe Creator:
My stepmother gave me the recipe for a delicious yeast coffee cake shaped into pretty rings. When I make it for friends, they always ask for seconds. —June Gilliland, Hope, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
1 slice: 119 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 144mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.
8/30
Maple Baked Beans
From the Recipe Creator:
Since my husband raises hogs and my parents produce maple syrup, this recipe is a natural for me! I usually prepare maple baked beans just for us during the winter. In summer, I'll often make it for family picnics and get-togethers. —Cindy Huitema, Dunnville, Ontario
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 280 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 453mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 10g fiber), 10g protein.
9/30
Glazed Apple-Maple Blondies
From the Recipe Creator:
My 6-year-old son and I conjured up this recipe to use the last of the apples we picked from the local apple orchard. Each bar goes beautifully with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. —Heather Bates, Athens, Maine
Nutrition Facts:
1 blondie: 192 calories, 6g fat (4g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 149mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.
10/30
Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
From the Recipe Creator:
Maple syrup sweetens these lovely little cinnamon buns. I make the dough in my bread machine before popping the rolls in the oven. My husband prefers them warm. —Juanita Carlsen, North Bend, Oregon
Nutrition Facts:
1 cinnamon roll: 176 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 28mg cholesterol, 152mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
11/30
Maple Walnut Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
This maple-flavored cake with candied walnuts honors beloved my grandpa, who made maple syrup when I was a child. It honors his memory and has proven to be a favorite with family and friends throughout the years. —Lori Fee, Middlesex, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 653 calories, 38g fat (20g saturated fat), 116mg cholesterol, 275mg sodium, 75g carbohydrate (61g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.
12/30
Maple Pancakes
From the Recipe Creator:
Our family looks forward to tapping the maple trees in March and then enjoying the pure maple syrup year-round. This is just one of the recipes I like to make that has maple syrup as an ingredient. —Mary Colbath, Concord, New Hampshire
Nutrition Facts:
3 pancakes: 445 calories, 17g fat (3g saturated fat), 100mg cholesterol, 1031mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 2g fiber), 13g protein.
13/30
Maple-Glazed Ham
From the Recipe Creator:
I cook this ham for Christmas and for Easter, but my husband thinks that twice a year is not enough. If it were up to him, we'd eat this every day! When I have larger hams, I double the glaze. If any glaze is left, we use it on pancakes the next day. —Jeanie Beasley, Tupelo, Mississippi
Nutrition Facts:
4 ounces: 234 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 93mg cholesterol, 1137mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 0 fiber), 31g protein.
14/30
Maple-Orange Pear Crisp
From the Recipe Creator:
In fall, my family loves to kick back after dinner and dig into big bowls of this spiced crisp. It isn't too sweet, but it still satisfies a sweet tooth. —Noreen McCormick Danek, Cromwell, Connecticut
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 254 calories, 12g fat (5g saturated fat), 19mg cholesterol, 135mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 5g fiber), 2g protein.
15/30
Blueberry Pan-Cake with Maple Frosting
From the Recipe Creator:
Here's your excuse to have cake for breakfast. The batter is made with pancake mix! —Matthew Hass, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 257 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 449mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
16/30
Maple Apple Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
Each spring, we tap maple trees and make our own syrup at our home in Northeastern Vermont. We spend the rest of the year inventing delicious ways to use it all up—this maple apple pie included! Maple and apples are a winning combination, and snacking on well-aged cheddar while eating apple pie is a Vermont tradition. —Suzanne Podhaizer, St. Johnsbury, Vermont
Nutrition Facts:
1 slice: 534 calories, 24g fat (10g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 502mg sodium, 75g carbohydrate (43g sugars, 3g fiber), 9g protein.
17/30
Maple-Glazed Salmon
From the Recipe Creator:
This maple salmon is special because it comes from my mom, both my children like it and it's easy to prepare. I serve this with rice and broccoli—the sauce tastes fantastic on the rice. —Danielle Rothe, Greenville, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 fillet: 349 calories, 16g fat (3g saturated fat), 85mg cholesterol, 453mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 0 fiber), 30g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1 starch.
18/30
Baked Apple Oatmeal
From the Recipe Creator:
I've tried a number of different types of fruit for this recipe, but apple seems to be my family's favorite. I mix the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls the night before and combine them the next morning when it's ready to be baked. —Megan Brooks, Saint Lazare, Quebec
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 305 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 48mg cholesterol, 325mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (20g sugars, 4g fiber), 8g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 1-1/2 fat.
19/30
Maple Fudge
From the Recipe Creator:
Pure, woodsy maple syrup takes the starring role in this old-fashioned favorite. It's smooth, creamy delightfully decadent. —Sarah Farmer, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 97 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 16mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
20/30
Maple Muffins
From the Recipe Creator:
Maple combines with a subtle touch of cinnamon and nuts to give these muffins the flavor of a hearty pancake breakfast. But you don’t have to sit down to enjoy them. Our 2-year-old comes back for seconds, and even my husband—who doesn’t normally like muffins—likes these. —Elizabeth Talbot, Lexington, Kentucky
Nutrition Facts:
1 muffin: 212 calories, 9g fat (5g saturated fat), 36mg cholesterol, 211mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
21/30
Maple Bacon Walnut Coffee Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
Wake up the sleepyheads in your household with this moist, tender coffee cake that’s both sweet and savory. Bacon and nuts in the crumbly topping blend with flavors of maple, nutmeg and cinnamon. Yum! —Angela Spengler, Clovis, New Mexico
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 160 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 27mg cholesterol, 183mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat.
22/30
Maple Sage Grilled Chicken
From the Recipe Creator:
Maple and sage are reserved for the fall no more! My family devours these sweet and savory chicken fillets in the summer—or any time. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 chicken breast with 1 tablespoon sauce: 419 calories, 12g fat (3g saturated fat), 167mg cholesterol, 410mg sodium, 13g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 0 fiber), 61g protein.
23/30
Coffee Maple Spritz
From the Recipe Creator:
I like spritz cookies because they're easier to make than rolled cutouts but I can still be creative with different shapes and sizes. Feel free to substitute vanilla or rum extract for the maple flavoring. —Dierdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 44 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 22mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.
24/30
Maple-Walnut Sticky Buns
From the Recipe Creator:
Mmm! These ooey-gooey goodies will have everyone licking maple syrup from their fingers—and reaching for seconds. The yeast dough chills overnight. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
Nutrition Facts:
1 bun: 159 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 13mg cholesterol, 114mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
25/30
Glazed Green Beans
From the Recipe Creator:
After I picked my first green beans of the season one year, I wanted to make a savory side dish that was unique, quick and packed with flavor. I loved this so much I couldn't stop eating it. The next day I picked more beans and made this delicious side dish again. —Merry Graham, Newhall, California
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 173 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 302mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 4g fiber), 4g protein.
26/30
Maple Glaze for Doughnuts
From the Recipe Creator:
Cider doughnuts are a tradition in Vermont, but here in Texas, we love maple flavors, too. Our maple glaze of choice features delicious maple syrup. —Barbara Elliott, Tyler, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
4 teaspoons: 89 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 3mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 0 fiber), 0 protein.
27/30
Maple Miso Sweet Potato Casserole
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe takes a beloved holiday side dish and gives it a savory twist. —Sara Schwabe, Bloomington, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 386 calories, 15g fat (7g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 383mg sodium, 60g carbohydrate (32g sugars, 6g fiber), 5g protein.
28/30
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
From the Recipe Creator:
Fresh sweet potatoes Mom grew disappeared fast at our family table when she served them with this easy, flavorful glaze. She still makes them this way, and now her glazed sweet potato recipe has become a favorite with the grandchildren as well! —Rosemary Pryor, Pasadena, Maryland
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 352 calories, 9g fat (6g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 96mg sodium, 66g carbohydrate (39g sugars, 6g fiber), 3g protein.
29/30
Maple Shortbread Cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
Whenever I visit friends in Lutsen, Minnesota, I make sure to buy maple syrup there because I think it's even better than in Quebec. These delicious cookies can be decorated with sprinkles but they're just fine as is.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 188 calories, 10g fat (7g saturated fat), 27mg cholesterol, 82mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.
30/30
Maple-Glazed Cinnamon Chip Bars
From the Recipe Creator:
When I make these, the kitchen smells like Christmas. Cinnamon chips add fabulous flavor to the bars, and the maple glaze fancies them up a bit. —Lyndi Pilch, Springfield, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1 bar: 254 calories, 10g fat (6g saturated fat), 36mg cholesterol, 228mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 0 fiber), 3g protein.
Maple Recipes FAQ
What’s the best type of maple syrup for baking?
Since the color and flavor vary with different types of maple syrup, it’s best to follow the recipe’s recommendation so the bake has a balanced taste and proper rise. If it’s your choice, as long as you start with pure maple syrup, the color grade you use is personal preference. Golden and amber syrups have a lighter taste and color, making them the most versatile for baking. Dark maple syrup with a robust taste has a richer color and flavor, so it stands up in recipes with strong spices, toasted nuts and chocolate.
Are there savory dishes that use maple syrup?
Including maple syrup in savory dishes is an excellent way to add a hint of sweetness to everything from salads and roasted vegetables to holiday ham, baked salmon and grilled chicken. A splash of maple syrup tames the sharpness of vinegar in salad dressing, caramelizes in the oven on root vegetables and can be simmered into a sweet, salty, sticky glaze for seafood and meat.
How do I store maple syrup to keep it fresh?
Store sealed bottles or jars of maple syrup in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cabinet. After opening, store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to one year. For longer storage, transfer maple syrup to a freezer-safe container and freeze it. Due to its high sugar content, the syrup won’t solidify, but it will become thick or slushy, so it should be thawed in the refrigerator before use.
