Simple Maple Butter

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/25/21
Maple Butter
Photo: Diana Rattray
Prep: 4 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 4 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
171 Calories
15g Fat
9g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 171
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 123mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 33mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

You may have experimented with making flavored butters, often referred to as compound butters, with cheese, fruit, black pepper, or even fresh herbs in them. Compound butters are easy ways to bring lots of flavor to various dishes, whether they're sweet or savory.

If you're not sure why you'd make maple butter, think of it this way: you can use it on foods where you might consider using maple syrup and butter. Consider it a natural addition to spread on top of pancakes, French toast, and waffles. But maple butter would be good also on toast, quick bread (banana and pumpkin are especially good choices), or toasted muffins. For savory applications, think about roasted butternut squash, baked or mashed sweet potatoes (think about your holiday spread!), or cornbread. The possibilities are pretty endless.

If this looks like too much butter, you can easily cut the recipe in half, or freeze some of it.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (darkest grade available)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine butter and maple syrup in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well blended and fluffy. 

  3. If desired, roll into a tube shape in a piece of parchment paper and chill. 

  4. Serve soft or chilled with pancakes, hot biscuits, waffles, 

Tip

  • Want to take this maple butter to gourmet heights? Make it with homemade butter, which is easier to do than you might think.
  • This recipe calls for the darkest grade maple syrup you can find (often labeled grade B), which is typically going to offer the most robust, complex maple flavor.

Variation

  • Add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the butter.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground pumpkin pie spice.
  • Use 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger or cloves.
  • Add 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme or sage for savory uses, along with a little salt.
  • Use honey or agave syrup instead of maple syrup.

How to Store and Freeze Maple Butter

  • Most of the time, butter can be kept at room temperature, but maple butter will keep better in the refrigerator, if covered, for up to 6 months.
  • You can store maple butter for up to a year in the freezer in a sealed container.
  • If you want to be able to use the butter in small increments, freeze it in ice cube trays, and then transfer the frozen butter cubes to a zip-close freezer bags.