Snow with syrup being drizzled from a spoon.

Cooking with Maple

Beyond pancakes, bring the sweet to every dish

Maple syrup isn’t just for pancakes — it’s for roasted carrots, salad dressings, morning lattes, and glazed salmon too. With rich, natural sweetness and subtle complexity, Vermont maple syrup and maple sugar are your new favorite kitchen staples.

Explore maple recipes

Maple brings just the right balance — not too sweet, always real.

Pouring liquid into a glass jar from a metal pitcher in a warm indoor setting.

Swapping sugar for the real thing

Cooking with maple syrup or granulated maple sugar is easier than you think — and much tastier than white sugar. We've put together this list so you can easily substitute maple for sugar in any recipe.

  • For every 1 cup of white sugar, use ¾ cup of maple syrup.
  • Reduce liquids in your recipe by 2 to 4 tablespoons.
  • Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking soda unless your recipe already includes acidic ingredients (like buttermilk or sour cream).
  • Lower the oven temp by 25°F to prevent over-caramelizing.
Using maple sugar? Even easier.

Just substitute it 1:1 for white sugar — no adjustments needed.

 

Maple syrup contains antioxidants and naturally occurring minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. Sweet and smart.

Maple & Gin Cocktails

10 easy ways to use maple today

  1. Stir into your morning coffee or tea
  2. Drizzle over roasted carrots or squash
  3. Glaze chicken thighs or salmon
  4. Mix into salad dressings or marinades
  5. Add to oatmeal or yogurt
  6. Sweeten cocktails and mocktails
  7. Use in BBQ sauces or baked beans
  8. Swap for honey in baking
  9. Caramelize nuts with maple sugar
  10. Toss popcorn with maple and sea salt

Perfect Pairings

Vermont maple is surprisingly versatile. Use it to balance acidity, boost depth, or add a hint of comfort to your favorite dishes.

Candied bacon strips on a wooden board, autumn decor nearby.

Maple + Bacon

Salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumbers next to a jar of orange dressing.

Maple + Mustard

Caramelized pear slices topped with chopped nuts on a plate.

Maple + Apples

Roasted carrots with spices on a wooden board.

Maple + Root Vegetables

Fluffy biscuits with syrup on a plate.

Maple + Aged Cheddar

Latte art with a leaf design in a cozy cafe setting.

Maple + Coffee

Honey poured into a jar, surrounded by pancakes, lemons, and festive lights.

Maple + Lemon

A small glass bottle with a cork, filled with amber liquid, surrounded by autumn leaves.

Maple + Balsamic Vinegar

Five spoons of various colorful sauces on a white background.

Maple + Chili Flakes

The right way to store your syrup

Storing syrup incorrectly can lead to mold or off flavors; those issues can also occur if a maple producer hasn't followed best practices or has had an undetected production issue. Maple producers make high-quality, food-safe products - if you happen to get something that doesn't quite hit that mark, reach out to the producer directly to resolve. Also consider choosing products from members who belong to their state trade association. Trade associations, like the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association, provide a variety of different benefits including access to research-based best practices for all areas of production and packaging. Members are those who value this information and are using it to constantly improve their processes in areas like maple production, quality, sugarbush health and food safety.

Opened containers of maple syrup don't last long in Vermont! No matter how long it takes you to use the whole container, you should store them in the refrigerator or freezer once opened. For daily use, of course the fridge is an easier spot. However, we know that the most economical maple syrup comes in larger containers (in terms of price point per ounce). In that case, choose the larger container and then repack it into clean containers (mason jars work well here) and put those in the fridge or freezer. Many folks we know choose to keep their “daily” syrup container in the fridge and their “future” containers in the freezer.

In the fridge, you'll most likely use it up before you notice any concerns with color or flavor. For pure maple syrup, there is no finite "best buy" or "use by" date because it is a very shelf-stable, single-ingredient sweetener.

If you ever see mold in your syrup, toss it. Food safety comes first.

Ready to Cook Something Delicious?

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Waffle with syrup and fork on a plate.