The short answer: maple butter, also called maple cream, is made from one ingredient: pure maple syrup. Boil it to 12 to 13 °C (22 to 24 °F) above the boiling point of water, about 112 °C (234 to 236 °F) at sea level. Cool it to about 10 to 20 °C (50 to 70 °F) without stirring. Then stir until it turns pale, thick and creamy.
Maple butter contains no butter at all. It gets its name from its soft, spreadable texture. The trick is in the cooling: the syrup has to cool undisturbed so that tiny sugar crystals form all at once when you stir. That gives a smooth spread instead of a grainy one. Below is the method, the three temperatures that matter, and a quick whipped butter version for when you have no thermometer.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | About 1 hour, most of it cooling |
| Ingredients | Pure maple syrup, nothing else |
| You need | A candy thermometer and a large bowl of ice water |
| Keeps | Several weeks in the fridge in a closed jar |
What you need
- 475 ml (2 cups) pure maple syrup, Grade A golden or amber
- A drop of butter or neutral oil, to stop it foaming over
- A heavy saucepan that holds at least 2 litres, so the syrup can foam up
- A candy or digital thermometer
- A large bowl of ice water
- A wooden spoon, or a stand mixer with a paddle
Use pure maple syrup only. Pancake syrup is mostly corn syrup and will not set.
How to make maple butter
- Check your boiling point. Boil a pan of water and read the thermometer. At sea level it reads 100 °C (212 °F). Higher up, it reads lower. Your target is 12 to 13 °C (22 to 24 °F) above that number.
- Boil the syrup. Pour the syrup into the large pan with the drop of butter. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Do not stir. It foams a lot at first.
- Reach the target. Keep boiling until the thermometer reads your target, about 112 °C (234 to 236 °F) at sea level. This takes 10 to 15 minutes. Take it off the heat at once.
- Cool without stirring. Set the pan in the bowl of ice water. Do not stir, shake or move it. Let it cool to about 10 to 20 °C (50 to 70 °F), until no warmth rises from the surface. This takes 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stir. Now stir steadily with a wooden spoon, or use the paddle on low. At first it looks glossy and runny. After 10 to 20 minutes it turns paler, loses its shine and thickens.
- Jar it. As soon as it turns opaque and creamy, spoon it into clean jars. It firms up a little more in the fridge.
Why maple butter goes grainy, and how to avoid it
Smooth maple butter is full of very small sugar crystals. Grainy maple butter has fewer, larger ones. These are the usual causes:
- Stirring while it is hot: crystals start to form early and grow large. Leave it alone until it is cool.
- Not cooling far enough: if you start stirring while it is still warm, the crystals grow slowly and coarsely.
- Boiling too far: a few degrees over the target makes it set hard and gritty. Pull it off the heat right on the target.
- Not boiling far enough: it stays runny and never turns creamy. A few degrees under the target is the usual reason.
If a batch turns gritty, it is not lost. Put it back in the pan with 2 tablespoons of water, melt it, and start again from step 2.
If it separates in the jar
After a few weeks, a thin layer of syrup can rise to the top. That is normal. Stir it back in with a spoon. Keeping the jar in the fridge slows this down.
Quick whipped maple butter (with real butter)
Some people mean something else by maple butter: soft butter whipped with maple syrup. It takes 5 minutes and needs no thermometer.
- Beat 115 g (½ cup) soft unsalted butter for 2 minutes until pale.
- Add 60 ml (¼ cup) pure maple syrup a spoon at a time, beating after each one.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt. Beat for 1 more minute until fluffy.
Keep it in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for up to 3 months. For more ideas with butter, see our brown butter guide and our herb butter recipe.
Maple cream and whipped maple butter compared
| Maple butter (maple cream) | Whipped maple butter | |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Maple syrup only | Butter, maple syrup, salt |
| Time | About 1 hour | 5 minutes |
| Texture | Thick, creamy, like peanut butter | Light and fluffy |
| Keeps | Several weeks in the fridge | 1 week in the fridge |
Ways to use maple butter
- Spread on warm toast, scones or pancakes
- Swirl into porridge or yoghurt
- Melt over roasted squash or sweet potatoes
- Use as a frosting for a simple sponge or cinnamon rolls
- Dip apple slices into it
Questions
Is there butter in maple butter?
No. Classic maple butter, also called maple cream, is only maple syrup. It is boiled, cooled and stirred until it turns smooth and spreadable.
What temperature do you boil maple syrup to for maple butter?
To 12 to 13 °C (22 to 24 °F) above the boiling point of water. At sea level that is about 112 °C (234 to 236 °F). Check your boiling point with water first if you live in the mountains.
Why did my maple butter not thicken?
Usually it was not boiled far enough, or it was not stirred long enough. Keep stirring until it loses its shine. If it still stays runny, boil it again a degree or two higher.
Does maple butter need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Keep it in a closed jar in the fridge. It stays smooth there for several weeks.
Can I use a stand mixer?
Yes. Use the paddle on low speed once the syrup has cooled. It saves your arm and gives a very smooth result.
