Maple syrup and your weekend waffles may go way back, but there’s way more to this sappy stuff than that. It also makes a fantastic refined sugar replacement in desserts and flavor enhancer for everything from braised chard to winter squash. Next time you’re out, pick up a bottle of the pure stuff to make one of these 21 marvelous maple syrup recipes — they have fall and winter enjoyment written all over them!
1. No-Bake Chewy Dark Chocolate Granola Bars: These no-bake vegan bars are the best of both worlds — rich enough to enjoy for dessert, yet healthy enough to nibble on with your morning coffee. (via Fork Knife Swoon)
2. Cinnamon Dolce Iced Coffee: Speaking of coffee, skip your morning Starbucks run and make this tasty sip at home instead. (via Kitchen Treaty)
3. Ricotta-Peach Galette With Maple Balsamic Glaze: Peaches and maple syrup take this cheese-filled galette in a welcoming, well-balanced dessert direction. (via The Faux Martha)
4. Churros With Maple Glaze: Churros are delicious enough rolled in cinnamon sugar alone, but when you add a maple syrup glaze to the mix, talk about making them absolutely irresistible. (via To Food With Love)
5. Fresh Blueberry Maple Syrup: Drizzle this tasty syrup over pancakes, waffles, French toast and more! (via Luv My VeggieTABLE)
6. Gluten-Free Plum Clafoutis: A simple, maple-syrup-enhanced batter allows the flavor or sweet, ripe plums to shine in this custardy clafoutis. (via Healthy Seasonal Recipes)
7. Rosemary-Peach Maple Leaf Cocktail: Think of this cocktail as a whiskey sour that spent some time in Vermont and Georgia. Muddled peaches and rosemary are shaken together with lemon juice, booze and a rosemary-maple simple syrup to create a perfect fall-meets-summer concoction. (via Bojon Gourmet)
8. Coconut Bacon: Use this vegan bacon swap anywhere you’d like to add a little bit of a smokey, surprisingly meat-free flavor. (via Cookie and Kate)
9. Maple Chicken Waffle Nuggets: We’re loving this twist on the usual chicken and waffles! (via Host the Toast)
10. Maple Syrup Milkshake: After five, add a shot of spiced rum or bourbon to take this four-ingredient milkshake in a boozy direction. (via Bite Me More)
11. Spiced Maple and Black Sesame Walnuts: Snack on these tasty home-roasted nuts on their own, or serve them up alongside a selection of cheeses at your next tasting. Either way, they’ll surely impress. (via Chew Town)
12. Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon + Toasted Hazelnuts: Maple adds a touch of sweetness to the mix, enhancing the flavor of already sort-of-sweet caramelized Brussels sprouts further. Of course, crumbled bacon and toasted nuts pull their weight in the flavor-enhancing department as well. (via Ambitious Kitchen)
13. Maple Cinnamon Meringue Cookie: These crisp meringues will simply melt in your mouth, releasing their sweet, warm flavors. (via Gourmande in the Kitchen)
14. Maple Glazed Maple Banana Bread: There’s a whole lotta maple action going on in this loaf of banana bread. Wouldn’t you like to get your hands on a slice? (via Crunchy Gooey)
15. Maple Daiquiri: A few dashes of bitters and maple syrup transform a summery, poolside cocktail into a rich, autumnal sip. (via A Cocktail Life)
16. Fried Egg on Toast With Smoked Paprika and Maple Chard: Maple and smoked paprika do wonderful things for quickly braised chard. Served atop buttered toast with a runny-yolked fried egg, cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of cheese, breakfast for one has never looked so good. (via The Kitchen Paper)
17. Smokey Kabocha Black Bean Chili: You’ll love this spicy, smokey vegetarian chili packed with sweet maple flavor and winter squash. A few cupfuls of IPA add an interesting hoppy contrast; another great way to enjoy beer in your dinner. (via Verily)
18. Breakfast Ice Cream: Pour a shot of espresso over a scoop of this ice cream to create an all new type of waffogato. (via The Candid Appetite)
19. Crispy Corn-Potato Cakes With Kickin’ Maple Butter: This isn’t your usual spreadable butter. Instead, it’s warmed with maple syrup and hot sauce to create a fantastic drizzle for sweet-savory fritters. (via JJ Begonia)
20. Maple-Pineapple Brisket: A pour of brown sugar-maple glaze and grilled pineapple enhance this fork-tender, slow cooker brisket. Is anyone else’s mouth watering? (via The Mormon Food Guy)
21. Maple and Mustard Glazed Chicken: Transform boring chicken breasts into something worth writing home about with a simple whole grain mustard and maple glaze. Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes roast alongside, making this an easy, well-balanced meal to whip up on busy nights. (via Savory Nothings)
Tell us, how do you like to use maple syrup outside of the breakfast table?