First, here's where to find maple syrup online if you're unable to find it locally…
Do you use real maple syrup or do you use the kind with high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and preservatives? You may not have realized that typical grocery store syrup is full of all that junk. However, real maple syrup is a natural sweetener that actually still has some nutrients in it. As is the case with any sweetener, you shouldn't overdo it, but if you're going to have something sweet, using maple syrup is a great natural choice.
Different grades of maple syrup?
As far as I know, there are two grades of maple syrup: grade A & grade B. Grade B is much stronger (and usually a bit more expensive), and personally, I prefer it to grade A. However, grade A is good to start with if your kids aren't used to maple syrup, because it's very mild and closer in taste to the icky store-bought versions.
By the way, I had to play games when switching our syrup over to healthier versions, the same way I did with peanut butter: keep your store-bought container and put your syrup in that for a few months…this technique works very well!
All maple syrup keeps the best in the refrigerator.
Ways to use REAL Maple Syrup:
Here are a few of my favorite ways to use real maple syrup, besides the obvious, which reminds me, here's my recipe for healthy waffles/pancakes. I use maple syrup in certain recipes to replace the sugar:
- It's great in the bottom of a pan with butter and cinnamon when making homemade cinnamon rolls.
- I love it in the fall stirred in with butternut squash along with lots of butter, sea salt & pepper.
- It's divine in the homemade applesauce recipe in the Nourishing Traditions cookbook! (Tastes like the best apple pie you've ever had! I feel so rich when we still have some jars of this in the freezer.)
- I've also put it on top of yogurt or I used it in my baked soaked oatmeal recipe or in this superfood stovetop oatmeal.
- Oooh, when looking for a picture to use on this post, I saw a picture of “maple banana bread” – doesn't that sound yummy?! It would be easy to just replace the sugar in a banana bread recipe with Maple Syrup!
- UPDATE: here's one more – it's a great sweetener for homemade ice cream!
- I also love using it in my smoothies.
If you can't find it locally, you can get maple syrup here.
What are your favorite ways to use maple syrup instead of sugar in recipes? Comment below and share it with us!
More details here on maple syrup. And one more info page from Wikipedia.
- Need some healthy breakfast ideas? (Also in this post is a link to info on whether or not we should be eating boxed breakfast cereals.)
- Wonder about Agave Nectar and other sweeteners? The comments at this post are still goin'…
- More Rookie Tips
Holly says
Has anyone tried Indian Sugar (Maple Sugar)? It is great and gives you even more room for experimentation. I just love to sprinkle it on my toast, but try it when you make crumb for your breakfast cake, great with a sweet potato, just sub it any where you use sugar. It can be difficult to find and it is expensive, but worth it. Make sure it comes from Upstate NY or New England, there is a big difference as my girl friend found out when she moved out west. And there is also ,maple cream, it is dreamy.
KitchenKop says
I love it too, but it’s so expensive, I use palm sugar more.
Kelly
Perfect Supplements via Facebook says
For literally everything! I love making soft caramels with it, and using it as a marinade, ugh, I could go on and on.
Beth Lounds via Facebook says
I marinate pork steaks in a mixture of pure maple syrup, just a small jug and about two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil…salt and pepper to taste. You can than grill them or bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for an hour or so until done and tender…it’s delish!
Creative Christian Mama says
We also love to use it as the sweetener in our kefir smoothies. It takes less maple syrup to sweeten than rapadura or honey, and it seems to mix in better! I can’t wait to try the NT recipe for applesauce!! 🙂
Commenter via Facebook says
I have never met a maple syrup I don’t like (grade B, of course!), but with something like that, I would just not have the fake stuff in the house. It’s not nutritionally essential (wouldn’t that be nice!) so there is really no reason to try to “make” them like it. They could have it as an option, or they could use a little local raw honey or some homemade jam (my hubby’s favorite!).
Commenter via Facebook says
I have never met a maple syrup I don’t like (grade B, of course!), but with something like that, I would just not have the fake stuff in the house. It’s not nutritionally essential (wouldn’t that be nice!) so there is really no reason to try to “make” them like it. They could have it as an option, or they could use a little local raw honey or some homemade jam (my hubby’s favorite!).
Commenter via Facebook says
I like Trader Joe’s.
Commenter via Facebook says
What’s not to like about maple syrup? You could give them the option of real, grade B maple syrup or nothing. That might convert them quickly.
Jessica says
I have found prices on Amazon to be good, esp compared to what I can get at my local grocery store. Not sure how it compares to local farms though.
Commenter via Facebook says
We like the stuff from Costco, but my kids were pretty little when we switched to the real stuff so they don’t know any different. One trip to Blandford Nature Center ‘s SugarBush is a game changer!!
Commenter via Facebook says
They sure have it in Vermont! If you want to send for some, check out The Vermont Country Store’s website.
Erin says
What’s the deal with Organic vs non? Is it REALLY important to use the organic, not to whine too much, but it’s SO dang expensive…
KitchenKop says
I don’t buy syrup organic, waaaaay to much $$.
Commenter via Facebook says
Good idea about heating it up, also add a couple tablespoons of butter to make it extra dreamy! For those who can’t believe how screwed up taste-buds can be, you’re lucky to not have started so deep in the processed food world as I did!
Commenter via Facebook says
I buy a gallon of organic grade B maple syrup from a co-op, Azure Standard. They deliver from their farm in Oregon to Phoenix (and elsewhere) every month. It’s from Canada and $70/gallon so I ration. We are also trying to win them over to my homemade pear sauce in lieu of syrup. American organic maple syrup can still use a small amount of formaldehyde in the processing so I only buy Canadian. They allow none in their organic label. Yes, always heat. I guess my kids aren’t picky. They never notice a switch. But they ARE all boys. ; )
Commenter via Facebook says
I had a friend who’s kids thought the maple syrup wasn’t sweet enough – she got around that by mixing about 1/3 honey in with it while warm, and that seemed to take care of the problem. Of course, we mix 1/4 blackstrap molasses in with our maple syrup because we think it tastes too sweet. 😉 It’s all about what works for your family’s health & tastes.
Commenter via Facebook says
I agree with Carrie, make sure you heat it up on the stove so they have warm syrup!
Commenter via Facebook says
I was lucky, I grew up on only the real stuff. So as a kid when I went to a friends house I always thought there was something wrong with their gooey syrup. If you are trying to switch your kids over trying mixing some of the real with the fake until they are weaned off of it?
Commenter via Facebook says
In this house, we use only real stuff….however, I’m preparing paperwork for a home equity loan so we can afford it 😉
Commenter via Facebook says
Wow! It truly astonishes me that anyone’s taste buds could be so screwed up as to prefer any syrup other than real, pure maple syrup. It is like saying you prefer to ride your roller skates on the crowded Interstate rather than a Volvo (insert name of any other luxury type, safety engineered automobile).
Commenter via Facebook says
Grade B is better for you as it contains alot more minerals and stuff. We have always used Grade B and when I accidently grab grade a, they all complain that its too sweet. lol.
Commenter via Facebook says
My kids have never had anything except grade B maple syrup. I guess I’m lucky. Good luck with your quest! I actually remember making pancakes in my kindergarten class when I was little. Whoever was in charge served us real maple syrup and I loved it and always wondered why ours at home tasted different. Of course I started buying the real thing as soon as I was an adult and figured it out.
Commenter via Facebook says
I wonder if maple sugar passes the “unprocessed” test. Several years ago I bought some from a local syrup maker, and it was extremely helpful to make the transition from sugar to using plain old maple syrup.
Laura @ The Art of Cooking Real Food says
Between local maple syrup and local raw honey, we rarely use any other sweeteners. Our son has even perfected a maple vanilla pudding, omitting all other sugars! Love that stuff.
Commenter via Facebook says
Us too. But try some blueberry syrups and other flavors if you can find it to make the switch. They won’t remember what that crap tasted like after a while and they won’t miss it.
Commenter via Facebook says
Fortunately, my kids aren’t the problem – I am! I don’t buy log cabin anymore but use less maple and be sure to add fresh strawberries (thawed frozen out if season) and real whipped cream. That helps some. I have 39 years of undoing for my taste buds m
Commenter via Facebook says
So the grade A maple syrup we’ve been using is okay then until we can get the Grade B? Thanks for clarifying why we want to transition to Grade B.
Commenter via Facebook says
We started with real maple syrup luckily so the kids don’t know any different! YUM-O. Love those pumpkin button muffins from Nourish MD that uses maple syrup in them. Perfect time of the year for that!
Commenter via Facebook says
We were at the Mother Earth News fair last weekend and had some REAL maple syrup direct from the harvester. They also had a maple cream, maple candy and maple cotton candy. Yes, we spend a lot of money there 🙂
Commenter via Facebook says
Heating it on the stove in a glass container, in a pan of water and serving it hot always works! yum….
Commenter via Facebook says
i can’t imagine any child liking hungry jack more than any real maple syrup
Commenter via Facebook says
Here’s what we did: find a grade A maple syrup – it’s much milder than grade B, but still REAL syrup with no crap. (Only ONE ingredient: maple syrup!) If that’s still too strong (in the VERY beginning it was for my kids still), then *using the Hungry Jack container*, put HALF of the grade A in there and slooowly use more grade A and less Hungry Jack. That worked like a charm with my family way back when. Now we only use grade B, it’s stronger, but much tastier and more nutrients! To find grade A: You may have to call around, start with Wells Orchard, or look online – google ‘real maple syrup Grand Rapids’ or something like that. Also try localharvest.org.
deb(bie debbie doo) says
love the idea of it in the bottom of the cinnamon roll pan – oh yum.
i’ve found that things work best over here if i empower my kids with knowledge about what i want to change and why and enlist their help in finding solutions – that way they have knowledge and also get to experience the strength that comes from making better choices in their lives – i personally would feel weird sneaking it in on them
Kelly says
Margie, it’s late, so maybe I’m just getting fuzzy, but what were you following up WITH in the 2nd comment?
My advice is to check with your local Weston A. Price chapter and ask them where to buy syrup: https://www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html
$60 seems like a lot, I’ve gotten mine for $32, but not recently. The other day a place (Robinettes for the local readers) was selling them for $75! I got some a couple months ago for $44.
Margie/Midwife/Mom of 7 says
Here’s a followup on the syrup source post , I forgot to check the e-mail box so I’m re-posting here.
Margie/Midwife/Mom of 7 says
Ok, Hopefaully someone can help me out here. I live in Az (backside of the desert, as the saying goes here) and I need to find the best deal on 1 gallon or 5 gallon containers of maple syrup. I’ve done a little bit of web searching and am finding them for about 60 dollars for a gallon. Ouch!! So if anyone has a better source I need to find one!
Kelly says
Oh myyyyyy that sounds yummy!
Donielle @ Naturally Knocked Up says
I use our maple syrup 1:1 with melted butter and brush over roasted sweet potato chunks about 10 minutes before they’re done. Our favorite way to eat sweet potatoes!!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Hi Katrina,
Recently I needed to find a new source, so I called around to local apple orchards and found it there. Bummer is, it’s only grade A. Grade B is not easy to come by (in my experience anyway), and when you do, it’s expensive, but worth it!
Kelly
Katrina again says
I don’t think we can get it locally around here. Anyone know where a girl can get some decent grade B for a good price?
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Great ideas, everyone! Keep ’em coming! 🙂
Michigan Mom2three says
I’ve made “maple butter”, which is just whipping softened butter with maple syrup together. Use a mixer with nice quality wire whips. Maple butter is WONDERFUL on homeade cornbread or homeade biscuits along with a pot of homeade soup in the winter. You can also just spread it on your morning toast!
Shauna
Jody says
We’ve used maple syrup in everything for a long time! To sweeten French Toast, in pumpkin muffins, chocolate pudding, homemade chocolate syrup, in oatmeal, and yogurt.
I had not thought of using them with cinnamon rolls–YUM!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Mmmm, I’ll bet the cooked carrots go over a little better with the kids that way, too. 🙂
Holly says
Sometimes as a treat I pour a little over some cooked carrots just to sweeten them up a little. I must admit, I usually do this when I am not all that thrilled with how the rest of my dinner is turning out.
If carrots are going to be the highlight of your meal you gotta do something to them! 🙂