Maple syrup is a one-of-a-kind sweetener with a vibrant flavor and all-natural sweetness. The syrup has a more pronounced flavor than sugar, but it’s also somewhat less sweet, making it one of the more healthy syrup options. That’s also one of the reasons why it’s sometimes necessary to experiment to get a recipe just right.
A quart of maple syrup requires around 10 gallons of sap. Oh, the possibilities with only a quart of maple syrup (apart from drenching your waffles and pancakes)! First off, here are some of our favorite maple syrup-based sweet and savory recipes. And you don’t need much—a few tablespoons is sometimes all you need to make a meal as maple-y as possible.
Maple Pumpkin Doughnuts
If you’re afraid of frying, these maple-laced doughnuts are baked rather than fried, and the maple glaze amps up the maple sweetness even more. You can sprinkle chopped pecans and sprinkles on top to create a texture and flavor comparable to pumpkin bread. These doughnuts have quite a lot of ingredients, but they’re incredibly moist and delicious.
Tofu Nuggets with Maple-Mustard Dipping Sauce
These nuggets have the texture of real chicken thanks to extra-firm tofu and breading, and the sauce is just a tasty bonus. The combination of tangy dijon mustard and sweet maple syrup creates a similar flavor to the honey mustard dip.
Baked Cinnamon Toast with Fruit
Imagine a mash-up of pie, cinnamon toast, and bread pudding. Now make it with any fruit on hand (from apples and pears to berries and stone fruit).
Grilled Carrot “Hot Dogs” with Tangy Slaw
Char glazed carrots, rich with earthy umami flavor and spice from a marinade of earthy-and-sweet soy sauce, adobo, and maple syrup, on the grill, then put them in a hotdog bun and never look back.
Hasselback Butternut Squash With Bay Leaves
Roasting the butternut with several bay leaves placed between the slices creates a subtle aromatic backdrop for the chile sauce and maple syrup in this main-course-worthy vegetarian recipe.
Coconut Maple Coffee
With this simple recipe, you can make café-quality coffee at home. Coffee is made creamy with plenty of thick coconut milk and sweetened with maple syrup.
Maple Cannellini Bean Salad with Baby Broccoli and Butternut Squash
When you’re looking for a salad that will keep you full, try this inventive dish. Cannellini beans are combined with crisp baby broccoli, substantial butternut squash, and a maple-thyme sauce. It’s excellent when served warm or at room temperature.
Maple Old-Fashioned
This seasonal spin on the classic whiskey cocktail is ideal for the fall season.
Bacon for a Crowd
A glaze comprised of the tangy, sweet, and spicy combination of Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper will give a bit extra punch to your bacon, whether you’re hosting a group breakfast or constructing B.L.T.s for an army.
Seedy Oat Crackers
The blend of colors and textures in this crackers recipe featuring various seeds is fantastic, but you may use fewer types—just make sure the total amount remains the same.
Baked Beans with Maple-Glazed Bacon
The buttery Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye beans are baked in a tangy-hot mixture of molasses, apple cider vinegar, crushed red pepper, and brown sugar for a zesty version of a New England favorite. You can replace yellow Eyes with Great Northern beans or regular Italian cannellini.
Maple-Soy Snack Mix
Butter, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce are typical flavors in savory snack mixtures. On the other hand, this snack mix is made with a crunchy combination of Thai curry paste for heat and maple syrup for sweetness.
Maple-Apple Upside-Down Cake
This is one of the most excellent upside-down cakes you’ll ever have; the maple syrup permeates both the cake and the apples, giving the dessert the flavor of a stack of apple pancakes.
Tempeh “Bacon”
In this simple vegetarian recipe, protein-rich fermented tempeh is thinly sliced and infused with a marinade of smoked paprika, soy sauce, and rich maple syrup to emulate the smoky-sweet flavor of the breakfast staple. Stir-fry it, put it on a vegetarian B.L.T., or serve it with eggs in the morning.
Buttered-Pecan French Toast with Bourbon Maple Syrup
This French toast is highly indulgent thanks to the buttery, eggy brioche, but the bourbon maple syrup and Southern-inspired buttered pecans take it off the roof.
Salted-Butter Apple Galette with Maple Whipped Cream
This is a textbook example of sweet and salty. Salted butter is used in this apple galette to mellow out the vanilla-flecked and sweet apple filling. Topping it all up with maple whipped cream is the perfect finishing touch.
Blondie Muffins
These dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free teeny muffins are ideal for satisfying a sweet appetite while being healthy. Chickpeas are rich in fiber and protein, making them an excellent post-workout snack.
3-Ingredient Sweet Potato Casserole With Maple Pecans
The candied pecans on top of this maple-kissed casserole bring out its sweetness. In this classic Thanksgiving meal (which you can make on days other than Thanksgiving), maple syrup enhances the taste of puréed sweet potatoes. It serves as a sweet coating for extra-peppery candied pecans.