Pure maple syrup is made by harvesting sap from sugar maple trees and, through a combination of heat and evaporation, concentrating that sap down to create a deliciously smooth sweetener. Remarkably, it can take 40 gallons of sap collected over the winter and into spring to make a single gallon of pure maple syrup. As you can imagine, the process takes a lot of dedication and care. The sugar makers on this list have found a way to perfect that process. The result is options ranging from lighter and thinner to thicker and sweeter syrups, fun flavors like bourbon or fruity, and other options like sugar-free or organic Our Top Picks Best for Gifting: Best Sampler Set: Runamok Maple Pantry Favorites Pairing Collection at Amazon ($25) Best Flavored: In This Article Our Picks What to Look for FAQs How We Selected Why Trust The Spruce Eats? Sources What We Like Balanced flavor Thicker consistency Versatile uses What We Don't Like Heavy bottle may be hard to pour out of If you’re looking for the perfect maple syrup, Anderson’s has you covered. The Anderson family has been making maple syrup since 1928, and their expertise and dedication are apparent in its grade A very dark amber maple syrup. The Wisconsin-sourced maple syrup has a perfectly balanced flavor that’s robust, somewhat smoky, and full, making even just a little bit ideal for a pancake or oatmeal topping to a sweetener for your yogurt or savory dishes. Basically, it checks all the boxes for what you think of when you think of maple syrup: thick, flavorful, sweet, aromatic, sticky, and deep in color. Be mindful when pouring from the jug, though. It weighs 2 pounds and may be hard to pour from for some, as the handle is small and only allows for a finger or two to grip it. Some pure maple syrup can be an investment, and Anderson syrup is no exception. It is more expensive than some brands at your local grocery store, but we call it "a luxury that is worth having." Plus, because of its size, it will last longer. If 2 pounds isn't enough, however, there is a 1-gallon jug available, too! Size: 32 ounces | Grade: Grade A Very Dark | Made in: Wisconsin What We Like Organic and non-GMO certified Delicate, versatile flavor Affordable for the quality What We Don't Like Flip-top is a bit flimsy NOW Foods is a leader in the organic food market, and it lives up to its name with its certified organic maple syrup. The grade A amber maple syrup is distilled from the sap of sugar maple trees to create a light, delicate flavor that’s truly versatile and can be used on pancakes, in coffee, or as part of a grilling marinade. In addition to being organic, the maple syrup is also non-GMO certified. This option is great for stocking in the pantry. There are two jug sizes to choose from—1 and 2 pounds, with the larger variety being the best deal. Maple syrup should last for up to two years, so even if you go for the larger sizes but don't use it quickly, you have lots of time. If you’re looking for a darker maple syrup that’s a little more robust, NOW Foods also offers an organic grade B maple syrup that has a deeper, richer flavor. Size: 16 and 32 ounces | Grade: Grade A Amber | Made in: Illinois What We Like Rich maple flavor Versatile uses Comes in a squeezable bottle What We Don't Like May be hard to squirt There’s no doubt that pure maple syrup is delicious, but some of the higher-end options can be cost-prohibitive, especially if you’re someone who likes to drench your pancakes. That’s where Butternut Mountain Farm’s maple syrup comes in. Located in Vermont, the Marvin family has been producing and selling local syrup for forty years. Butternut Mountain found a way to provide the rich taste of its 100 percent pure Vermont amber-color maple syrup that won't ruin any kind of flapjack—without sacrificing quality. We love that it comes in a convenient squeeze bottle so any and/or every inch of pancakes are covered, and there won't be any huge messes to clean up. However, the bottle design may be slightly difficult to maneuver for children's hands or those with low grip strength. Be sure to angle it directly up and down instead of an angle and squeeze with both hands firmly but cautiously to prevent any shots from not landing on your plate. Size: 12 ounces | Grade: Grade A Amber Rich | Made in: Vermont The Best Pancake Mixes for Thick and Fluffy Flapjacks What We Like Comes in a sturdy glass bottle Consistency pours easily Inexpensive What We Don't Like Thinner Since it takes so much sap to make pure maple syrup, it's no surprise that some options come with a hefty price tag. For a high-quality, inexpensive option, try Maple Grove Farms Organic Maple Syrup. It's not as thick as very dark varieties but still has a good maple flavor. It also comes in a glass bottle with a screw top and pours easily—but can be runny if you are not paying attention. We love this option because of its consistency—it's great for baking, cooking, or marinating since it isn't as thick. The company has been tapping into Vermont maple trees for a century, and it has since started offering companions to its syrup, like pancake and waffle mixes. Size: 8.5 ounces | Grade: Grade A Amber | Made in: Vermont What We Like Unique Smooth consistency Made with sustainable edible glitter What We Don't Like Have to shake the bottle a lot Runamok's Sparkle Syrup is a great gift for kids and adults alike, because who can resist something sweet and glittery? We haven't seen anything like this maple syrup on the market and would love to get it as a gift ourselves. Although it contains sparkles, the syrup is smooth with no graininess. The glitter is sustainable, edible, and flavorless, so the pure Vermont maple syrup taste shines (literally and figuratively). It isn't as thick as other maple syrups, but we overlooked this after pouring it on freshly cooked pancakes and watching it glisten. Be aware that the glitter is fine and settles at the bottom of the bottle, so it takes a lot of shaking to evenly distribute it throughout the bottle. It is relatively small, so we found it easy to shake with one hand. As an added bonus, Runamok is big on sustainability; all of its syrups are certified organic by the Northeastern Organic Farmers Association and bird-friendly by the National Audubon Society. Size: 8.45 ounces | Grade: Not indicated | Made in: Vermont The 15 Best Food Gifts That Will Still Arrive By Christmas What We Like Smooth, delicate flavor Pure syrup with no artificial ingredients Comes in a beautiful jug What We Don't Like Expensive The extra-rare maple syrup is Escuminac’s best-selling flavor, and it’s easy to see (or taste) why. The organic maple syrup, which has a light delicate flavor that makes you want to drink it straight from the bottle, comes from a single forest and is harvested and bottled at a maple farm in Escuminac, Quebec. It’s truly pure and never blended with any other maple syrup or any artificial ingredients. The bottle is slightly expensive for its size, but is aesthetically pleasing, with the top sealed in wax and a minimalistic logo design, and a small label. If you like darker maple syrup, Escuminac also offers Great Harvest, which is harvested in the same way but later in the year to give it a richer, more robust flavor. Size: 16.9 ounces | Grade: Grade A Amber Rich | Made in: Quebec, Canada What We Like Each bottle is packaged by hand Smooth, sweet flavor profile Aged and infused syrup flavors also available What We Don't Like Shipping costs extra Vermont is a leading producer of maple syrup, and the Ackermann Maple Farm does the state proud with its pure maple syrup. The maple syrup, which is boiled using a natural wood fire, comes from over 6,400 trees on a family farm in Cabot, Vermont. Each bottle of syrup is poured and personally sealed by the co-owners, Caitlin and Ian Ackermann, to ensure strict quality control. Their original maple syrup comes in amber rich, dark robust, and golden delicate grade A varieties, and each one has a smooth and perfectly sweet flavor that can please a crowd. They also offer aged and infused maple syrups, like bourbon-aged and cinnamon-infused which contain real cinnamon sticks. In addition to the cost of the liter of maple syrup, the company charges for shipping it to your door, so be prepared for the total to go up. However, we don't mind since the money is going directly to Ackermann Maple Farm. Size: 33.8 ounces | Grade: Grade A Dark Robust | Made in: Vermont The 9 Best Pancake Griddles of 2024 What We Like Varied selection of flavors Produced sustainably Thick What We Don't Like Small bottles If you’re not really sure what kind of maple syrup you like—or you’re looking for a great gift for someone—your search ends with the Runamok Maple Pantry Favorites Collection. The set includes four 2-ounce bottles of Runamok’s best-selling organic Vermont maple syrups: ginger root–infused, bourbon barrel-aged, cinnamon- and vanilla-infused, and its traditional amber color syrup, which is called Sugarmaker’s Cut. While we don't love that the bottles are small, they are packed with flavor, are fun to sample, and the syrup is nice and thick. The company also offers more outside-the-box sets that include flavors like coffee-infused, hibiscus flower, and elderberry-infused. Size: 8 ounces (4 2-ounce bottles) | Grade: Grade A Amber | Made in: Vermont What We Like Smooth, rich, multilayered flavor Bourbon flavor is highlighted A little goes a long way What We Don't Like Thin consistency If you like your maple syrup like you like your bourbon—aged—then you’re in luck. Two worlds collide with this Crown Maple bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, which is aged in oak bourbon barrels; as the organic syrup sits, it soaks up all of the different flavor profiles. The end result, which comes from a sugar house in Dover Plains, New York, is a multilayered, rich maple syrup that’s infused with flavors of bourbon, oak, graham cracker, brown butter, and vanilla. In addition to its aged syrup, which can contain up to 2 percent of alcohol, Crown Maple also offers other organic syrups, including applewood smoked, cinnamon-infused, and Madagascar vanilla. Size: 8.5 and 12.7 ounces | Grade: Grade A Robust | Made in: New York The 9 Best Crepe Makers of 2024 What We Like Made with local Maine blueberries Thick Adds a unique flavor to foods What We Don't Like Small jar Maple is a very distinct flavor in and of itself but still pairs well with savory things like bacon and other meats, as well as sweet things like fruit. Stonewall Kitchen, which is known for all kinds of treat mixes and sauces, took the idea of combining its maple syrup with something fruity to a whole new level with fresh blueberries grown in Maine. Although it comes in a small bottle, the flavor is strong and the consistency is thick, making it a perfect topping for pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, yogurt, or ingredient in baking, lattes, or marinades. Size: 8.5 ounces | Grade: Not indicated | Made in: Maine The Best and Most Convenient Instant Oatmeals for a Nutritious Breakfast What We Like Only two ingredients 15 calories per serving Strong maple flavor What We Don't Like Thin Pure maple syrup doesn't contain any added sugar, so to get sugar-free maple syrup you'll have to settle for an option that is less natural. This one from Livlo only contains two ingredients, though, while others use quite a few to mimic the original taste. Two tablespoons of the allulose and natural maple flavor mixture has 15 calories and 1 gram of net carbs for anyone following a keto diet. This sugar-free maple syrup isn't as thick as the real thing but certainly gets the job done if 0 grams of sugar is the target. Size: 8 ounces | Grade: Not applicable | Made in: Not indicated What We Like One ingredient Creamy Company uses solar-powered equipment What We Don't Like Can be runny You can make your own maple butter at home, but this one from Nova Maple Syrup is made with Grade-A syrup from Northwest Pennsylvania that has not touched any herbicides, pesticides, or artificial preservatives. Once the sap is harvested, it is boiled and then stirred by environmentally friendly solar-powered equipment. It is then bottled in plastic tubs that are 100 percent BPA-free. There is no dairy or other additives, and you can spread this smooth maple butter on pancakes, toast, or on things like sweet potatoes or pork. Although it is thicker than regular maple syrup, it still is a bit runny, so keep that in mind when adding it to recipes and more. Size: 1 pound | Grade: Grade A | Made in: Pennsylvania From Belgian to Buttermilk, We Found the Best Waffle Mixes The Final Verdict Anderson’s Pure Maple Syrup checks all the boxes when it comes to both taste and price. It's bold, balanced, and just the right amount of sweet. If you want something more unique, go with the Runamok Sparkle Syrup—it is glittery, sugary, and makes a great gift for kids or kids at heart. The grade of maple syrup can tell you a lot more about the bottle's characteristics than you may think. "Grade is about the color and flavor depth in the syrup," says Gesine Bullock-Prado, a pastry chef and author of My Vermont Table: Recipes for all (Six) Seasons and other books. "Earlier in the sugaring season, the syrup is a lighter golden to amber and imparts a very delicate and light flavor. As the season progresses, the syrup gets darker and has a more and more robust maple flavor." There may be confusion when it comes to syrup grades, and this is because the system has recently changed. According to Caitlin and Ian Ackermann, Owners of Ackermann Maple Farm in Cabot, Vermont, "The new grading system is all called Grade A, with different levels within the Grade that better describe the taste and color." The grades are now: Grade A Golden Delicate, Grade A Amber Rich, Grade A Dark Robust, and Grade A Very Dark Strong Taste. Previously, there was a Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C, but this system was misleading and consumers could interpret "that there was a quality difference and that some were inferior to others, when this was not the case," Ackermann says. Note that if you find a flavored syrup, this does not impact the grade because "grading is done as soon as the syrup is made during sugaring season, so adding infusions later on won't affect the grade," Ackermann says. What is so unique about maple syrup is how much it can vary from bottle to bottle. According to Ackermann, "factors like soil, the type of equipment that's used, and tree variety help to determine the differences of what each syrup tastes like. Believe it or not, our syrup actually tastes different from syrup that's made only 10 miles away." The weather can also play a huge role in the grade of syrup; "a cold stretch will give you a higher sugar content in the sap, while a long stretch of warm weather will cause the sugar content in the sap to be lower," Ackermann says. So if you’re a maple syrup fan, don’t be surprised if the bottle you have from one farm varies greatly from another; embrace the differences! In addition to maple syrup's grade and origin, there is another way to try and determine its taste. "Different states and Canada grade their syrup differently but it's all about depth of flavor and depth of color, not a variation on quality," Bullock-Prado says. "The lighter syrups have a lighter flavor. Deeper colors, deeper maple flavor." When shopping for maple syrup, you should look for a label that says "100% Pure Maple Syrup" not "Pancake Syrup" or "Sugar Free Syrup" Ackermann recommends. (Sugar free real maple syrup doesn't exist, they note). Additionally, there should only be one ingredient, just maple syrup. Ackermann warns that, while some companies might use "Vermont" on their label, the product may be made with high fructose corn syrup instead of the real stuff. We all know and love a good syrupy breakfast. "For pancakes, the lighter varieties are perfect but for really getting maple flavor in baking (or on the pancake), go dark. It's my favorite," Bullock-Prado says. However, maple syrup is so much more than just a pancake topping (of course, we love it on pancakes–nothing wrong with that!). "Think beyond the pancakes and add maple syrup as a sweetener to your coffee, or when baking, marinating, or glazed on sweet potatoes, salmon, or Brussels sprouts," Ackermann suggests. Uses range from maple syrup baked beans, to maple whipped cream, to fruity co*cktails or sour co*cktails. You can make a maple latte with premium syrup, as well as a slightly sweet barbecue sauce, moist maple syrup bread, or everyone's favorite—classic maple leaves. Maple syrup is great for savory and sweet combos, too. "I use it as seasoning," Bullock-Prado explains. "I have salt, vinegar, and maple always at the ready to round out the flavor in my savory dishes." It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup, and Vermont produces roughly 50 percent of the country's supply. The process begins during the sugaring season—the freezing four to six weeks leading up to spring. The first step is drilling a hole into the tree and inserting a spout, which guides the sap into a bucket, or using the more complex tubing system connected to a collection tank in a sugar house or other facility by way of a vacuum pump. From there, the sap is sometimes filtered through a reverse osmosis machine to remove water before boiling. Once the temperature reaches 219 degrees, it's taken off the fire, filtered, adjusted for density, and graded for flavor and color. Maple syrup is shelf-stable when unopened (as long as it's in a dry environment at room temperature or lower), although it may begin to discolor and lose its flavor after two years. Glass bottles keep best, plastic bottles aren't recommended after 18 months, and tin should be tossed after six months. Once maple syrup is opened, you must store it in the fridge, where it will keep for several months or up to one year. As always, make sure to monitor the "use by" date. Maple syrup is completely plant-based, as long as it's 100 percent pure with no additives. Many commercial products, on the other hand, contain additional ingredients that may not be suitable for a vegan diet. To be safe, always check the ingredients list. To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best maple syrups on the market, evaluating their key features—like origin, grade, and price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used our own knowledge and first-hand experiences to choose the items on this list. Lindsay Boyers is a certified holistic nutritionist with extensive nutrition knowledge and food and beverage testing experience. She’s developed over 1,000 original recipes and is constantly on a mission to find the healthiest, best-tasting options and ingredients across all food and drink categories. Amanda McDonaldis an editor at The Spruce Eats and has over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing about all things food — from what new products are at the grocery store to chef-approved hacks that keep tricky leftovers fresh for days. She updated this article to include the most up-to-date information. The Best Gluten-Free Pancake Mixes for the Fluffiest HotcakesBest Organic
Now Foods Certified Organic Maple Syrup
Best for Pancakes
Butternut Mountain Farm 100% Pure Organic Vermont Maple Syrup
Best Canadian
Escuminac Pure Canadian Organic Maple Syrup, Grade A
Best Sampler Set
Runamok Maple Pantry Favorites Pairing Collection
Best Flavored
Stonewall Kitchen Maple Blueberry Syrup
What to Look For in Maple Syrups
Grade
Origin
Color
Labeling
Creative culinary uses
FAQs
How is maple syrup made?
Does maple syrup go bad?
Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated?
Is maple syrup vegan?
How We Selected
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Sources
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The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Maple Syrup Grades & Standards. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2015
Labeling organic products. U.S. Department of Agriculture
How GMOs are regulated for food and plant safety in the United States. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2020
Snyder SA, Kilgore MA, Emery MR, Schmitz M. Maple Syrup Producers of the Lake States, USA: Attitudes Towards and Adaptation to Social, Ecological, and Climate Conditions.Environ Manage. 2019;63(2):185-199. doi:10.1007/s00267-018-1121-7
Maple Syrup Grades & Standards. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2015
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