This smooth and luxurious maple glaze recipe needs just three simple ingredients - butter, maple syrup, and powdered sugar - to make! It's gorgeous on pumpkin bread, scones, cakes, and more.
I wanted to do a standalone post for the maple glaze I drizzle over my recipes for gluten free pumpkin olive oil cake and oat flour pumpkin cake with maple glaze because it deserves the spotlight in its own right!
It could hardly be simpler to make this pretty and versatile glaze: Melt a bit of unsalted butter, whisk in pure maple syrup, then whisk in a little sifted powdered sugar. Easy peasy! It's delicious on cakes, oat flour scone or gluten free apple scones, gluten free pumpkin bread, oat flour shortbread cookies, a gluten-free one-bowl apple cake ... the possibilities really are virtually endless.
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Why I Love This Wonderful Maple Glaze
Three ingredients and a whisk to make a sumptuous and silky glaze that sets up like a dream? Count me in! I love quick dessert toppings that don't involve more than about a minute to make, so glazes are always a go-to. This one in particular is so lovely because:
- It goes with everything! I really think it does! Especially fall-forward desserts like gluten free apple cake or gluten free pear cake, this glaze shines.
- A great last-minute choice. If you're in a pinch and need a quick, flavorful frosting, turn to maple glaze. For a simpler dessert, try it draper over one layer of a gluten-free chocolate cake instead of making chocolate buttercream frosting.
- It will dress up anything. Try a bit of maple glaze on a batch of oat flour sugar cookies around Thanksgiving for seasonal flair, or add it to gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a touch of extra sweetness.
Ingredients Needed
Like I mentioned, just 3 simple ingredients are all you'll need for this glaze. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Butter - I prefer unsalted, melted butter here.
- Maple syrup - Pure maple syrup, please, not maple-flavored syrup!
- Powdered sugar - This provides the dual purpose of sweetening up the glaze a bit and helping to bind together the ingredients.
How to Make Maple Glaze
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this foolproof recipe:
1. Melt the butter: Melt the butter, cool slightly, then whisk in the maple syrup.
2. Add sugar: Whisk in the sifted powdered sugar until a smooth glaze forms.
Tips and Recipe Notes
- Double up. This recipe is so easy to double or triple if you need more! There's even a handy conversion button in the recipe card.
- Sift the powdered sugar. So important: We want this glaze to be super smooth and pourable. Make sure to ALWAYS sift powdered sugar before adding it to glazes, icings, or frostings to remove any lumps.
- Let the butter cool slightly. I usually melt my butter right in the bowl in the microwave, then I let it cool slightly so that it's not hot when I mix in the maple syrup and powdered sugar.
- Leave enough time for the glaze to set. This glaze will set as it cools and comes together, so if you add it to the top of a cake, make sure to wait about 15 minutes before cutting it so that the glaze is fully set.
- Try salted butter. For a slight kiss of salt, swap in salted butter or just add a pinch of sea salt.
- Make it vegan. Use vegan/non-dairy butter for the butter, or try melted coconut oil.
How to Use It
- On gluten free walnut pumpkin scones or gluten-free oat flour pumpkin muffins.
- As an easy finish to a gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cake or gluten free pumpkin bars.
- To easily frost a chocolate teff cake or oat flour chocolate cake.
- Drizzled over gluten free brownies!
Proper Storage
I prefer to use the glaze right away and let it set on whatever I add it to. However, you can make the glaze in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Let the glaze come to room temperature before using because it will have firmed up in the coolness of the fridge.
More Maple Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, melt the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, then whisk in the 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup.
- Sift the 1 cup powdered sugar into the butter-syrup mixture, then whisk until smooth.,
Notes
- Double up. This recipe is so easy to double or triple if you need more! There's even a handy conversion button in the recipe card.
- Sift the powdered sugar. So important: We want this glaze to be super smooth and pourable. Make sure to ALWAYS sift powdered sugar before adding it to glazes, icings, or frostings to remove any lumps.
- Let the butter cool slightly. I usually melt my butter right in the bowl in the microwave, then I let it cool slightly so that it's not hot when I mix in the maple syrup and powdered sugar.
- Leave enough time for the glaze to set. This glaze will set as it cools and comes together, so if you add it to the top of a cake, make sure to wait about 15 minutes before cutting it so that the glaze is fully set.
- Try salted butter. For a slight kiss of salt, swap in salted butter or just add a pinch of sea salt.
- Make it vegan. Use vegan/non-dairy butter for the butter, or use melted coconut oil.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.