A Sweet Guide to Baking with Maple Syrup Instead of Sugar (w/ BONUS Recipes)
love TO BAKE? LOVE THAT SWEET SYRUP? YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE WHAT WE WHIPPED UP.
The maple syrup market is expected to hit $2.18 Billion by 2030.
Yeah, you read that right. TWO BILLION. Think of how much maple syrup that is. A big part of that growth is because of how big maple syrup has gotten in baking.
Baking with maple is big-time popular — be it cookies, cakes, bread, or brownies. And rightfully so. But how is it used by bakers and what’s the benefit of using maple syrup instead of sugar?
Never fear, our crew is here to explain why sweet syrup is a superb substitute for refined sugar, and most importantly, how you can use it in your next baking bonanza!
Benefits of Baking with Maple Syrup Instead of Sugar
OK — right off the bat, maple syrup is only slightly better for you than refined sugar.
But still — slightly is something.
Studies suggest that the antioxidants found in maple syrup offer serious health benefits — particularly boosting your immune system.
And that’s just the beginning of the benefits of incorporating maple syrup into your diet…we actually came up with a list of all the benefits (sweet tip: it’s the largest list on the internet).
Another great reason to mix it up with maple instead of sugar comes from wellness dietician Kristin Kirkpatric, who writes :
“While comparable in calories and carbs, maple syrup has a lower glycemic index than sugar. Also, because maple syrup tends to be sweeter, theoretically you can use less of it. But moderation is key, as it is with any sugar.”
—Is Maple Syrup Better for You Than Sugar?
And lastly, we’re not sure if you’ve heard or not — but maple syrup has been deemed a “hero” ingredient by researchers at the University of Rhode Island.
Their research, which our crew of sap scientists has affirmed, confirms that syrup does indeed have superhero qualities due to its “unique compositional chemistry containing minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and more than 67 bioactive natural plant compounds with potential health benefits.”
So, would you rather dump in a bunch of sugar or use something that consists of ingredients that help stabilize blood glucose levels, fight inflammation, and even help fight wrinkles? Yeah.
But before you go baking away, be sure to adhere to some of these best practices for baking with maple.
TIPS FOR BAKING WITH MAPLE INSTEAD OF SUGAR
If our crew wasn’t busy tapping trees this time of year, you know we’d be in the kitchen baking with maple.
But it’s probably best to leave it to the experts, which is why we’re relying on some of the sweet tips from Janice at BakeSchool — she’s a noted baking recipe expert and chemist, who has some important insight on how to bake with maple.
The biggest of which is…
Adjust Your Recipe!
Because maple syrup is a liquid sweetener, it cannot be substituted for granulated sugar without making some adjustments – otherwise, the flavor and texture could be a little wonky. Here are a few examples:
- Replace 1 cup of sugar with ⅔ cup to ¾ cup maple syrup (works for both granulated sugar and brown sugar)
- Reduce liquids in the recipe when baking with maple syrup — around ¼ cup less liquid for every cup of sugar replaced.
- Consider adjusting the temperature of your oven when baking with maple syrup, reducing it by 25ºF
Now for the sweetest part of this post…some recipes that use syrup instead of sugar!
