Out of Corn syrup, one case
Can you substitute maple syrup for corn syrup?
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Pure maple syrup
1 cup for every cup of corn syrup
Yes, in baking, pecan pie, glazes and sauces: use 1 cup of pure maple syrup for each cup of corn syrup. Maple syrup is thinner and tastes of maple, so a pie filling sets a little softer and needs to cool completely before slicing. It is not a reliable swap in candy, because maple syrup is mostly the same sugar as table sugar and does not stop crystals the way corn syrup does.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- The tweak —
- Where the recipe has another liquid, cut it by 2 tbsp per cup of maple syrup. Use a dark, robust syrup in place of dark corn syrup.
- Best for —
- pecan pie
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full corn syrup card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup corn syrup | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pure maple syruppecan pie | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Pancake syruppecan pie | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Golden syruphard candy, caramels, marshmallows and brittle | 1 cupWorks | Works |
| 4 | Honeypecan pie | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
Pure maple syrup
clearly maple
Boiled maple sap. It sweetens and keeps bakes moist as corn syrup does, with more water in it and a flavor of its own.
- Best for
- pecan pie, cookies, bars and granola, glazes, sauces and baked beans, a spoonful in frosting or ganache
- Prep
- Where the recipe has another liquid, cut it by 2 tbsp per cup of maple syrup. Use a dark, robust syrup in place of dark corn syrup.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Hard candy, caramels, marshmallows and fudge that count on corn syrup to stay smooth: they can turn grainy. No-bake bars and popcorn balls hold together less firmly.
Pancake syrup
sweet, with artificial maple flavor
Most maple-flavored table syrups are made largely from corn syrup, with water and flavoring. Check the label: if corn syrup is the first ingredient, it behaves much like the ingredient you are missing.
- Best for
- pecan pie, baking, glazes and sauces
- Prep
- It is thinner than corn syrup. Where the recipe has another liquid, cut it by 2 tbsp per cup.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Candy cooked to a temperature. Brands vary in how much water they contain, so results are not predictable. Sugar-free versions are not a swap.
Golden syrup
light butterscotch
A thick invert sugar syrup, sold in a tin or squeeze bottle. It blocks sugar crystals the way corn syrup does, which makes it the dependable swap for candy.
- Best for
- hard candy, caramels, marshmallows and brittle, pecan pie, any recipe where the syrup is cooked to a temperature
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Pure white icing or marshmallow, where its amber color shows.
Honey
clearly honey
Thicker than maple syrup and closer to corn syrup in body. It works in soft candy, which maple syrup does not.
- Best for
- pecan pie, soft caramels and marshmallows, baking and glazes
- Prep
- Lower the oven 25°F and use a mild honey such as clover.
- Where it fails
- Hard candy, where it darkens before the syrup reaches 300°F. Not vegan.
Never for a child under 12 months, even cooked.
Tips for substituting corn syrup
5 tips- Pecan pie: swap cup for cup. Bake until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly, then cool at least 2 hours. The filling finishes setting as it cools.
- For a firmer slice of pecan pie, whisk 1 tbsp of flour into the sugar before the eggs go in.
- Baking: 1 cup maple syrup per cup of corn syrup, with 2 tbsp less of another liquid where there is one. The bake comes out a little darker.
- Use pure maple syrup when you want the maple flavor. A dark, robust syrup stands in for dark corn syrup; a golden or amber one for light.
- Small amounts: 1 tbsp of maple syrup replaces 1 tbsp of corn syrup in ganache or a glaze. In frosting it is thinner, so add it gradually.
Questions
4 questionsCan I substitute maple syrup for corn syrup in pecan pie?
Yes, cup for cup. The pie tastes of maple and the filling sets slightly softer, because maple syrup holds more water than corn syrup. Bake until the center jiggles only slightly and cool the pie completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing. A tablespoon of flour whisked into the sugar firms it up.
Is maple syrup a 1:1 substitute for corn syrup?
By volume, yes, in baking, pie fillings, glazes and sauces. It is thinner, so cut another liquid by 2 tablespoons per cup where the recipe has one. It is not a one-for-one swap in candy.
Can I use maple syrup instead of corn syrup in candy or caramel?
Not reliably. Corn syrup is in candy to stop sugar crystals from forming. Maple syrup is mostly sucrose, the same sugar as the rest of the pot, so it gives little protection, and caramels, fudge and hard candy can turn grainy. Golden syrup or glucose syrup does the job; honey works in soft candy.
Can I use pancake syrup instead of corn syrup?
In baking and pecan pie, yes, cup for cup. Most pancake syrups are made mainly from corn syrup, thinned with water and flavored. Expect a maple-style flavor and a slightly looser filling. Do not use sugar-free pancake syrup, and do not count on it for candy.