Oh the joys of maple syrup! Through the years, I’ve experimented and used many syrups that are low carb. Mrs. Butterworths Sugar Free Maple Syrup has always been a pleasure of mine to use, though I do use it rarely. It’s got aspartame so I know others wouldn’t want to use it.
Torani also does some awesome syrups, but I have decided that Torani is kind of expensive for what it is. I realize many people have a budget and many people like to make their own foods to their own tastes. So, I ventured out to make a great maple syrup that will supplement any of the pancakes or sweets that require it.
I just want to point out that the Maple Extract I was using (after reading on it) seems to be weaker than others. So, if you are using a concentrated maple extract, make sure you measure in 1/2 tsp. increments to make sure you are getting the taste you want!
Yields 1 Cup Maple Syrup, 4 Servings Total
The Preparation
- 2 1/4 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup erythritol
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 3/4 cup water, filtered
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
The Execution
1. In a microwave safe container, mix together 2 ¼ teaspoons coconut oil, 1 tablespoon butter, and ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum.
2. Microwave the oil and butter together for 40-50 seconds, until melted and hot.
3. In a spice grinder, powder ¼ Cup NOW Foods Erythritol. Add cinnamon into this mixture if you plan to use it.
4. Mix ¾ cup filtered water and ¼ Cup Powdered Erythritol into the mixture.
5. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons maple extract. Your maple extract may vary, so make sure you taste as you add.
6. Mix everything together well until combined.
7. Microwave the mixture for 40-60 seconds and stir. Let cool and serve!
This makes a total of 4 servings of Thick & Sticky Maple Syrup. Each serving comes out to be 60 calories, 5.4g fats, 0.4g net carbs, and 0g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 2 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil | 91 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon butter | 102 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
| 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum | 4 | 0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1/4 cup erythritol | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0 |
| 3/4 cup water | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract | 6 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 |
| 2 teaspoon maple extract | 25 | 0 | 1.1 | 0 | 1.1 | 0 |
| Totals | 239 | 21.7 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.2 |
| Per Serving (/4) | 60 | 5.4 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0 |
Thick & Sticky Maple Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ cup erythritol
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- ¾ cup water filtered
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe container, mix together the coconut oil, butter, and xanthan gum.
- Microwave the oil and butter together for 40–50 seconds, until melted and hot.
- Use a spice grinder to powder the erythritol. Let powder settle a little before removing lid. If using cinnamon, add it in now.
- Add the water and powdered erythritol to the butter and oil mixture.
- Add in the vanilla and maple extracts. The strength of maple extracts may vary, so adjust the amount to taste.
- Mix everything together until well combined.
- Microwave the mixture for 40–60 seconds and stir. Let cool before using.
Craig,
you pictured and mention stevia in the directions but it’s not listed as an ingredient. How much to use?? 😉
Marsha, I personally didn’t use any. I just had it out because I thought I might have used it. It was sweet enough for me, with just the erythritol. So if you want to use it, just add a few drops at a time and taste test 😉
Hey Craig, thank you so much for this recipe. I subbed guar gum for xanthan gum, added 8 drops of stevia, and omitted the cinnamon. It turned out really well! Mine is dark and actually looks like the Log Cabin stuff you buy at the store. I’m going to try it tomorrow on almond flour pancakes. Then the real test will be to see how it works in that blueberry muffin recipe you helped me with!
Awesome Melissa, glad you like it! 🙂 I personally cook mine in a pan, so I will get how I really make it up one day. I normally don’t do it in the microwave, but figured it would be easy for most. Let me know how it turns out on the pancakes!
It was the highlight of breakfast! Not to say that the almond flour pancakes weren’t good, but the syrup was perfect. My husband loved it. I’ll report back after I try it in the muffin recipe. Thanks again!
Awesome! Happy to hear you guys liked it 🙂 I use it in a lot of my cooking now. I used to use Mrs. Butterworth’s but I had to find a way to make some syrup myself and this one has become a staple in my house too
I am new to all of this but I do appreciate the recipes you post. Could you send me the blueberry muffin recipe they talk about. As a group do you just share recipes. I am 67 and not very good with all the new media.
Donna,
The blueberry muffin recipe was never posted so I don’t know the ingredients of it. I had just helped her figure an alternative for it when she wanted to make it.
Craig,
How do you store the leftovers? And how long does it keep? Thanks – can’t wait to try it!
Hey Darla! I store the leftovers in a container (tupperware usually) and then microwave it for 40-60 seconds after I take it out the fridge to get it back to the regular consistency 🙂
Craig,
I just made your syrup recipe and it is REALLY good!!!
I haven’t used syrup for years, mostly because of the way I feel after eating THAT much sugar and my husband finally quit eating sugar a year ago. I am excited about this recipe and all the culinary doors it just opened for us. I think we might have to have pancakes with syrup for dinner tonight.
Thank you Sandi! Haha, pancakes for dinner is something that I love to do myself. Ever since I started keto, I’ve changed around my eating habits – sometimes sweet style breakfasts for dinner and steaks for breakfast. Super glad to hear you guys like it!
Hey Craig,
Will it work to use granulated erythritol instead of powdered?
Lauren, it will but it’ll be a bit grainy. The erythritol won’t dissolve so that’s why I highly suggest powdered
Do I measure the 1/4 cup erythritol first, then process it into a powder? Do you know the conversion if I used pre-powdered erythritol? Thanks, Craig!
Lee,
Not 100% sure if you use pre-powdered but I am thinking it would just be a little less than 1/4 a cup. You could add 2-3 Tbsp. and then taste it and go from there!
I just made this, and used 1/4 cup of powdered Erythritol sweetener. Not sure if it was because I used too much, but the flavor didn’t quite seem right. Added the cinnamon, and it was a bit better, then added a pinch of salt…BINGO! Thanks for this recipe, it is nice to have a zero carb syrup that is not exceptionally expensive.
Glad to hear Eric! If you make this on the stove top where you brown the butter a bit first, you might even enjoy it more. That’s how I started to make it (because you can control the thickness by how long you cook it) and you can control flavors a lot more. Give it a try on the stove and I think you’ll enjoy it!
Do you think the erythritol is needed to get to the right consistency, or could that be made up for with the xanthan gum and cooking it on the stove? I do have erythritol, but I usually prefer using liquid stevia and nothing else (if I can get away with it!)
You could definitely get away with only using stevia in this. The erythritol is just for the sweetness factor and not for the consistency 🙂
hi,
if im using splenda instead for the sweetener, should i still use 1/4 cup?
I would think so, yes. Erythritol and Splenda have about the same sweetness level 🙂
Hello,
I’m so excited to try this recipe but I can’t seem to find Xanthan Gum anywhere, can it be substituted for anything else?
Hey Donya,
Xanthan gum is a thickener agent and there’s not too much like it that thickens with it’s power (without the taste). If you have guar gum, that is about the closest you can get, but I doubt you will be able to find that if you can’t find xanthan gum. It’s pretty widely available in Walmart and grocery stores now – so you may want to take a closer look at the spice isle in your local supermarkets. If anything, you can always order it off of Amazon 🙂
I buy xanthum gum at walmart. They don’t sell a big bag of it but they sell a box of packets.
How long do you think this would last in the fridge?
My guess is a few months. I don’t really see it going bad anytime soon, but normally it takes me 3-5 weeks to use up and it doesn’t go off by then.
I noticed your comment about the maple extract being weak – do you have recommendations for extracts? I’ve noticed a lot of brands get away with labeling sugar, glucose, and glucose syrup as “natural flavors” so these extracts actually have a lot of sugar in them!! ): It’s so hard to avoid because the rules for labeling extracts in the US seem very loose.
Hey Emma. I link my recommendations in my recommendation section on the site (in the navigation bar at the top). I have a few extracts in there that I use, but I haven’t found the “perfect” one just yet. I’ll keep looking though!
Craig, I noticed the measurement for maple extract is 2 tsp. That seems like a LOT if it’s truly maple extract, and not imitation maple flavoring. All of the “extracts” I’ve been able to find have sugar and alcohol in them. I use Boyajian Natural Maple Flavor, and the bottle says “Use 1/4 tsp. per cup of ingredients in recipes.” (The best price I’ve found for it is from King Arthur Flour – 1/3 of Amazon’s price, but no free shipping) I’ll probably have to experiment a bit with the right amount to use, but I’m going to start with their recommendation, and add as necessary. I just thought you may want to give it a try.
Judy,
I’m sure it will depend on what type of extract you’re using. I am using Frontier brand, which I read on Amazon is quite “weak” compared to other brands that other people have tried. But my maple syrup wasn’t super powerful, so I thought the ratio was fine for me. But you can try your own measurements and see what works best for you 🙂
That’s the thing, I can’t find any maple extract by Frontier, only maple flavor, which is a different animal. It also has soy listed as an ingredient, which I avoid due to thyroid issues. I did make the syrup using the Boyajian, which has only “natural maple flavor” as the single ingredient, and it did take more than 1/4 tsp., but nowhere near 2 tsp. I agree that everyone has a different taste, but there is a distinction between “extract” and “flavor”. Criticism aside, thanks so much for the recipe – it’s nice to have syrup without all the sugar alcohols.
Judy,
You’re probably right and I apologize for using those terms interchangably. They both come in little bottles and I use the same term for them. Yes, soy is one of the ingredients in the one I use, and I also have thyroid issues – but I think in such a small quantity (when there are so many other phytoestrogens and hormone changing substances in the other foods we eat), I don’t think it’s a huge problem for me. Either way, I’m glad you liked it!
Has anyone tried The Spice House maple extract? Gluten free and says highly concentrated. Four ounces for $10. Don’t know about free shipping, though, but I buy my spices from there so would just wait to place an order.
This is a brilliant idea. I usually just use the Torani sugar free French vanilla syrup and add maple extract to it. It’s watery so this will be much better but for people who don’t have time in a busy morning, the Torani can work until you prepare this. The commercial preps always have all kinds of additives which is worrisome.
Thanks Frank – it doesn’t take too long to make this and once you do, you have a pretty big batch that will last quite a while. Hope you like it!
Can I make this with salted butter?
I don’t see why not – I actually make it with salted butter every so often. I tend to like saltiness in my foods, though – so it kind of depends on your tastes.
Hi, i’m not sure if this is a silly question but I put this recipe in my fitness pal and it came up with 15g of carbs per serving. I also noticed on your Macro table it didnt include the erythritol which is where the carbs are coming from. Please advise. Thank you!
I went ahead and answered you via e-mail. Though I have answered this question on the forums before: http://www.ruled.me/forum/t…
Hi Craig, love your site and thank you again for all your delicious recipes. The maple extract is not available in canada and amazon won’t ship it to toronto. What can i sub with in this recipe and the syrup recipe. I hate stevia and only use erythritol in all baking so do I need to adjust the amount??Also I don’t want to use protein powder do I need to increase something else????
Hey Craig, I cant really find maple extract here where I live, so could I leave it out and maybe add a little more vanilla extract? I know its not gonna be maple syrup after that, but is it still good with only vanilla extract?
Hi Craig, it seems you might’ve answered this before, but I can’t find the answer. The nutritional breakdown is missing for the Erythritol? I came back to check what it was because the carbs for the syrup on fitness pal was 0? I know it can’t be 0 because there’s 4 carbs per teaspoon and the recipe called for 1/4 cup.
It’s funny though, when you scan the bag on fitness pal the carbs come up with a 0 for carbs too? Is this a fluke or are they free carbs? Lol
I would be very cautious with any conclusions from the MyFitnessPal database. I find it to be the MOST unreliable nutrition database available, especially the user-contributed items in tehre (which appear to be completely indistinguishable from “official” sources like the USDA or manufacturer’s label reporting).
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol. It SHOULD be listed as having carbs, but in a ketogenic diet those carbs will be simply subtracted from the total (or rather, ~99% of them should be; most folks just subtract the whole thing and ignore the small net carb load of erythritol).
Unlike many other sugar alcohols, very little of the erythritol (about 10%) makes it to the large intestine to be digested, and of that only a very small amount is actually digested (via fermentation) by the colonic bacteria, which is also why you don’t get the massive discomfort and, ahem, “laxative effects” from erythritol like you do with maltitol etc (individual mileage may vary). It is, instead, 90% of the erythritol is absorbed (not digested) in the small intestine and passes directly to the kidneys and urinated out. Of course, that small percentage of the 10% which makes it to the colon and is digested does contribute calorie-wise, but estimates are that 90% of that which reaches the colon leaves it completely untouched by the bacteria therein (which if you are paying attention means that 99% of the erythritol remains completely undigested). That said, “90% pass-through” is highly dependent on your particular gut flora, and so you should pay attention while eating erythritol to see how it is affecting you, as with other sugar alcohols – if you feel nauseated or gassy, then your colonic bacteria just happen to be better at digesting erythritol than the average bear, so you are getting more from it calorie-wise than most people and experiencing more of the negative side effects than average.
The main downside of erythritol is that it has a positive heat of solution – that is, it requires heat from the environment to dissolve, and thus when it does dissolve it has a “cooling” effect. If you have had a baked good made with erythritol and felt like you were eating a breath mint at the same time, this is why. It is often paired with other sugar alcohols, such as those of stevia or inulin, to counter this heat of solution issue. If you use such a blend, however, be aware that it does not measure out the same as “pure” erythritol or “sugar substitute” (ex, about half as much Truvia, volume-wise, should be used as erythritol).
The second major downside of erythritol, and why you see it rarely used in commercially-prepared foods, is that it is one of the most expensive sugar alcohols to produce. So, you see cost-sensitive companies who know that the majority of their customers will never look beyond the “net carbs” rating, and those who do will not know the difference between “maltitol”, “sorbitol”, and “erythritol” (if anything, the first two sound better and more “natural”), so it saves them a few cents to make their Atkins bars from something that will make you bloat up like the Goodyear blimp instead of something almost everyone can safely ingest.
Followed recipe and mine is super runny. Tastes GREAT but didn’t thicken up. More xanthan gum?
It should be pretty syrupy. Make sure that you mixed the xanthan gum in VERY thoroughly. If it’s still runny after ~1-2 minutes, add a little bit more at a time until you find a texture you like 🙂
I used guar gum and you have to double the amount of thickener at minimum. Tastes very good. As said previously, need a touch of salt but besides that tastes pretty darn good.
Sometimes guar gum can take a few minutes to properly come together, but I’m glad it turned out good either way 🙂
When making the syrup I had to use an immersion blender rather than just a fork and I wanted it to be sweeter so I added a few drops of stevia. I actually have an english toffee flavor and I used that it was delicious.
That works too. I noticed on some tries I had to do the same, though I wanted to try to make the recipe as simple as possible. If you have a small mason jar you could also use a lid and shake it vigorously.
So does yours harden when you keep in in the fridge? Do you just microwave it to liquify?
It won’t get super hard but it can separate. MIcrowaving it back and mixing will help it emulsify again.
The instructions calls for mixing in Stevia, but where in the ingredients is the amount of Stevia I should use? Also, there is a discrepancy in the amount of coconut oil. 2-1/4 tsp or 2-1/2 tsp?
Thank you, I am hoping to finally have something maple like for my keto pancakes!
Stevia can be used to taste as needed. It’s 2 1/4 tsp. of coconut oil, sorry. I fixed it.
I followed the instructions exactly, adding 3/4 cup of water. But, the taste is rather bland. Was I only supposed to use enough water to get it to the consistency I like or the entire 3/4 cup like I did?
Yes, you want to use the water to get it to the consistency you like. If you found the flavor weak, it could also be the extract you’re using. Feel free to add more and experiment with the ratios until you find a taste/consistency you like. In the end, it’s worth it!
I don’t have a coffee/spice grinder. Would powdered swerve work instead? I wasn’t sure if that would up the carb content…
That should work!
If you have a food processor, you can also powder granulated sweeteners. That’s what I’ve done with my erythritol and xylitol.
When I have made regular erythritol into powder it seemed to almost double the amount. So just to double check I powder 1/4 cup and then use whatever it makes or take 1/4 of the powdered? I have made this before but I think I used Swerve and now I have erythritol. It is a really good recipe. Thank you!
For this recipe measure 1/4 and then put through the grinder to powder it. 🙂
Can you use xylitol or does it have to be erythritol to work? Also, how long does it last? Thanks!
Brilliant recipe, how long would you say the syrup will keep for?
I would say about 1-2 weeks.
All, be very careful if you use xylitol! It is EXTREMELY toxic to dogs.
Even a very small amount will kill you beloved pets. I only use
erythritol in all my keto recipes as I have two little buddies.
Thank you for this reminder!
Just curious, does this set when cooled? Or does it just thicken up? Was thinking of using it as a binder for seed and nut bars.
Yes – it will set when cooled. The erythritol that’s used will recrystallize and it will become kind of chunky. You can just microwave and stir it to get it back to a syrup consistency. If you use it in a nut bar, it should help as a binder once cooled, though.
Is the xanthan gum really necessary or is it optional? Has anyone tried making it without it? If so how didi it turn out? I don’t mind a little less thickness in return for less ingredients.
To get the syrupy texture and the emulsification it’s needed. If you don’t use the gum, it will be very watery.
Are the instructions different if you are using the stove top to thicken it? I do not have a microwave.
You’d just cook it over medium-low heat if you’re using a stovetop.
I’ve found a great maple extract: OliveNation maple extract. The ingredients: Water, Alcohol, Maple Concentrate, and Caramel Color. Delicious, sugar-free, no added so-called ‘natural flavors’. Highly recommend!
Do you think I could use this recipe, minus the maple extract, as a replacememt for IMO syrup in a recipe I make? Trying to avoid the IMOs in Fiber Yum and Sukrin fiber syrups. Color is not an issue as it gets “buried” in the finished product.
It probably could, but with IMO syrups the end product will be different. IMOs and Inulin will bake differently than erythritol will.
When I added the vanilla, the coconut oil started to unmelt, which is ok once you do last heat up, but not once you let it cool again. Wouldn’t butter only have been best? And why not any salt? Yucky recipe, and I’m an experienced cook who loves your chocolate mug cake.
You could use MCT oil if you’re having an issue with the coconut oil. MCT oil will remain liquid even when cooled down. Sorry to hear you didn’t like the recipe. It is a bit finicky and needs to be warm to be served otherwise it will have bits of coconut oil in it. Using an immersion blender will also help some to help emulsify the fats.
Should I refrigerate the syrup?
Yes, since it has butter in it. You can just microwave it to get it back to the right consistency 🙂