Sugar swaps syrup · In season for Fall
Maple Simple Syrup
Pure maple thinned 2:1 with water. Swaps ounce-for-ounce for simple syrup.
- 2 min total
- 1½ cups360 ml
- Keeps 3 weeks
Quick answer
Maple simple syrup is pure maple syrup thinned with water: 1 cup maple to ½ cup hot water. Shake or stir until smooth; it matches the sweetness of 1:1 simple syrup, so use it ounce-for-ounce in cocktails and coffee.
Pure maple syrup is already a syrup, but it's thick, a little sweeter than simple syrup, and it sinks in a cold drink. Thinning it 2:1 with water makes it pour, shake and stir like simple syrup while keeping all the maple flavor.
That 2:1 ratio by volume lands at almost exactly the same sugar content as classic 1:1 simple syrup, so there's no math when you swap it in.
Tastesmaplecaramelwoody
The recipe
Maple Simple Syrup
Ingredients for 1½ cups360 ml
You’ll need: glass jar, measuring cups, jigger, shaker, swing-top bottleglass jar, measuring cups, jigger, shaker, swing-top bottle
Method
-
Combine
Pour the maple syrup into a clean jar and add the hot water.
1 cup315 g pure maple syrup½ cup120 ml hot water
-
Mix
Seal and shake, or stir, for about 30 seconds until completely uniform. (Or warm both together in a small saucepan for a minute.)
-
Cool and refrigerate
Let it cool, then cap, label and refrigerate.
Storage. Keeps about 3 weeks in the fridge. Diluted maple is more prone to mold than sugar syrup, so use a sterilized jar and hot water. Discard at the first sign of mold, fizz or a sour smell.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 35 kcal, 8.9 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Maple Old Fashioned
¼ oz (7 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon or rye and 2 dashes Angostura. Stir over ice; express an orange peel.
Maple Whiskey Sour
¾ oz (22 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon and ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon. Shake hard; serve over ice.
Maple latte
1½–2 tbsp (22–30 ml) per 12 oz latte, with a pinch of cinnamon on top.
Maple cold brew
1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) per 12 oz glass of cold brew with a splash of cream.
Applejack Sour
¾ oz (22 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) apple brandy and ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon for a fall sour.
Classic drinks with Maple syrup
Gear for this recipe
Mixology & Craft 16-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
Shaker, double jigger, bar spoon, tongs and more in one stainless kit: everything needed to put your syrups to work.
Best for Starting a home bar
Ball Regular Mouth 16 oz Pint Mason Jars (12-pack)
Best for Big batches and everyday storage
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
OXO SteeL Angled Measuring Jigger
Best for Measuring syrup into drinks
More gear for this recipe (1)
Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set (1, 2 & 4 cup)
Best for Measuring, microwaving and pouring
Tips for the best batch
- Choose Grade A Dark Robust (the old 'Grade B') for drinks. Lighter grades taste delicate on pancakes but disappear behind whiskey and ice.
- Never use pancake or 'table' syrup. It's corn syrup with flavoring and tastes artificial in a cocktail.
- Using undiluted maple? It's thicker and slightly sweeter: use about three-quarters of the simple syrup called for and stir a little longer.
- A drop of bitters or a pinch of salt in the bottle sharpens the maple flavor for cocktails.
Variations
Rich maple (3:1)
3 parts maple to 1 part water for stirred drinks where you want more body and less dilution.
Spiced maple
Steep a cinnamon stick and 2 cloves in the hot water for 10 minutes before mixing; strain. Great in hot toddies and lattes.
Smoky maple
Steep 1 tsp lapsang souchong tea in the hot water for 4 minutes, strain, then mix with the maple. Campfire-smoky in a Maple Old Fashioned.
Questions people ask
Can you use maple syrup instead of simple syrup?
Yes. Thinned 2:1 with water, maple syrup matches 1:1 simple syrup's sweetness and swaps ounce-for-ounce. Straight maple works too; use about three-quarters as much.
Why dilute maple syrup for cocktails?
Undiluted maple is thick and doesn't mix well with cold ingredients, so it sinks. A little hot water makes it pour and blend like simple syrup.
What grade of maple syrup is best for cocktails?
Grade A Dark Robust (formerly Grade B). Its stronger flavor survives dilution, ice and spirits; lighter grades taste faint in drinks.
How long does maple simple syrup last?
About 3 weeks in the fridge. Once diluted, maple is prone to mold, so use a clean jar and check it before each use.
Can I use pancake syrup?
No. Pancake syrup is corn syrup with artificial maple flavor, and it tastes noticeably fake in drinks. Use 100% pure maple syrup.