This heavenly Maple Glaze is packed with real maple flavor, and - best of all - easy to make! This recipe is made with real maple syrup (no artificial flavors needed) and butter to make the best maple icing for donuts, cake, cookies, cinnamon rolls, scones, and more. Plus it's the ideal consistency to drizzle and will hold up perfectly on all your baked goods (no more soaking in!)
This Maple Glaze is thick and smooth, the perfect maple icing for doughnuts, cake, scones, or other sweet treats. It uses lightly browned butter and real maple syrup (no extracts here!) to give it a creamy consistency and cut through the sharp powdered sugar taste, leaving you with a perfectly sweet and flavorful maple drizzle.
This recipe is the same maple glaze we use on our Apple Scones, one of many delicious breakfast recipes we make on repeat. It's also great on so many Thanksgiving recipes!
If you love maple flavors as much as we do, here are some of our favorite ways to use this amazing ingredient:
- The Best Pork Tenderloin (Lean meat that's glazed with maple sauce)
- Applebee's Blondie Recipe (delicious copycat!)
- Maple Pecans (The best way to dress up salads!)
- Maple Pecan Pie in your favorite pie crust (No corn syrup!)
- Maple Mustard Chicken Breast (one of our easy dinners)
- Chicken Apple Sausages with maple dijon mustard glaze
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Why this recipe is great
✅ Easy and fast
✅ Creamy (not too thin)
✅ Doesn't soak in and disappear
✅ Perfect maple drizzle (or if drizzling isn't enough just drown it 😉)
✅ Versatile - amazing on your favorite donuts recipe, scones, cake, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and much more.
This is just like heaven. The browned butter is so PERFECT in this recipe.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Rebecca
Ingredients for maple glaze
- Butter: The fat content in butter gives this maple glaze its creamy consistency and cuts the sharp powdered sugar taste. Plus we lightly brown butter for complimentary nutty flavor. If using unsalted butter instead of salted, just add a small pinch of salt.
- Maple syrup: It is very important to use real maple syrup for this recipe. Pancake syrup does not taste the same and will not have the correct flavor for the final product. See the FAQ section below for choosing the best grade of maple syrup for your taste buds. Also, do not use maple extract. With only 4 ingredients we want the real deal.
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: Real vanilla extract rounds out the flavor of this glaze perfectly.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make maple glaze
We are all about easy recipes and this maple glaze recipe is a simple recipe that's as easy as they come.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until lightly brown. Alternatively you can do this step in the microwave. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
Add the melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a small bowl. Add the powdered sugar to the wet ingredients.
Mix until thoroughly combined.
Note:
This is a small batch (¾ cups) so if doubling the recipe be sure to use a medium bowl.
If you need a much thinner glaze - closer to icing consistency - use heavy cream or half n half to thin it out.
Serving suggestions
- Donuts: Dip cooled doughnuts upside down in the glaze, allowing the excess to drip off before setting them on a wire rack to set. Sprinkle on some crispy bacon pieces for the best maple donuts ever!
- Cakes: For Bundt cakes or loaf cakes, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze across the top in a back and forth motion across the cake until the desired amount of glaze is reached. If you want a really precise look, put it in a piping bag and drizzle in a scallop or zigzag pattern.
- Scones: Using a spoon, whisk, or piping bag, drizzle the icing back and forth across the scone until they are covered as desired.
- Cookies: Dip or drizzle your favorite shortbread, pumpkin, apple, or maple cookies. Dipping is better for a firmer cookie, while drizzling is better for a softer cookie so that it doesn't break.
Variations
- Add in a little cinnamon to make this a maple cinnamon glaze.
- Try a teaspoon of bourbon for a boozy kick.
FAQs
Pure maple syrup comes in four different flavors, all are variations of Grade A. Golden is the most subtle in flavor. Amber is the next in line and is the best all around syrup for general use. This is the kind we use for this maple icing. Next is dark and very dark, both of which have a very strong maple flavor. If you want an even more robust maple essence in your glaze, one of those will be a good option.
Store any remaining glaze in the refrigerator in an airtight container or bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to a week. Before using gently warm it as it thickens when it cools.
Tips and tricks
- Use real maple syrup: See the FAQ section above for tips.
- Brown the butter: It helps with the nutty, deep flavor of this glaze. You might enjoy browsing our full collection of delicious Brown Butter Recipes!
- Help it on the edges: When pouring or drizzling the maple glaze, add a little extra to the edges wherever you want it to drip down the sides.
Recipe
Easy Maple Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until lightly golden brown. Alternatively, this step can be done in the microwave. Set aside to cool.4 tablespoon butter
- Add butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Stir.⅓ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk in powdered sugar until thoroughly mixed.1 cup powdered sugar
- Store any unused refrigerator for up to a week. Warm slightly before using.
Notes
- Use real maple syrup: See the FAQ section above for tips.
- Brown the butter: It helps with the nutty, deep flavor of this glaze.
- Help it on the edges: When pouring or drizzling the maple glaze, add a little extra to the edges wherever you want it to drip down the sides.
- Add in a little cinnamon to make this a maple cinnamon glaze.
- Try a teaspoon of bourbon for a boozy kick.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Kerry says
Hi! Does this icing harden? I’m looking to make an icing with powedered maple sugar for using natural dyes on to decorate cutout cookies. Will it behave like flow icing?
Misty says
Hi Kerry! This icing will get a little stiff on top after it has set for awhile, but will not harden like royal icing used to decorate sugar cookies. The syrup and butter are too soft. This icing is meant more for dripping down cakes or drizzling across cookies rather than to decorate precisely. I hope this helps!
Tamara Harris says
This is such a simple recipe. It's absolutely delicious! One can add so many other things to give a little extra kick. I like your suggestion of adding bourbon! I bet that is Devine! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Danielle says
We love comments like this one! So glad you enjoyed it!
Anna Carr says
so good. best with walnuts
Misty says
We're happy you liked it!
Jolene says
I used this on my famous Cinnamon rolls ! I always make a Caramel frosting but am ready for something different .
This was perfect !!! I added maple flavoring as well . SO good!!!
Misty says
That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Judy says
Delicious topping on pumpkin cookies. I replaced half of the vanilla extract with maple extract.
Danielle says
This glaze on pumpkin cookies sounds amazing! Thanks for letting us know!
Victoria says
The perfect topping for my apple cinnamon muffins, I left out the vanilla and added a splash of apple cider.
Danielle says
That sounds delicious! Thank you for taking a minute to let us know!
Lauren says
I used this to glaze some scones I made. Easy and delicious.
Misty says
Scones sound like the perfect way to use it. Glad you enjoyed!
Denice Guild says
This was delicious 😊
Danielle says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Laura says
I used this glaze on pumpkin bread and the taste was amazing. Unfortunately I didn’t let the butter cool down enough and it turned out more like frosting. It was not a problem for my husband. He loved it!
Danielle says
Glad it turned out delicious anyway! It really is delicious!
Linda Dodson says
Easy and tasty just what I was looking for! Thank you!
Danielle says
Yay! So happy it was what you needed!!
Marjorie Korzeb says
It completely made my pumpkin crumb cake delicious
Danielle says
Thanks for taking the time to let us know!
Rebecca says
This is just like heaven. The browned butter is so PERFECT in this recipe. Thank you!!! Gonna be a family favorite from now on.
Danielle says
What high praise! Thanks for letting us know!