Updated on April 9th, 2023
Pecan pies and snow eggs wouldn’t be complete to most persons without adding the corn syrup; even a simple brownie can turn into a rich flavor and moist textured dessert when the corn syrup is added to it.
It is a unique culinary Ingredient used as a flavor enhancer and thickener, but it is famously used in baking to add sweet flavors and a rich, soft texture.
However, if you can’t find it in your kitchen or nearest grocery shop, then keep reading to find out the potential substitutes for it in any recipe.
Corn Syrup Nutrition Facts
What is Corn Syrup?
Corn syrup, also known as glucose syrup, is a food syrup made primarily from the starch of corn. It is a sweet-tasting syrup that adds thickness, volume, taste, and a soft texture to baked goods.
Corn syrup is different from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), it is a sweeter syrup made by converting the glucose present in corn syrup to fructose with the aid of an enzyme known as the D-xylose isomerase.
Corn syrup has two common varieties which are transparent light corn syrup and dark corn syrup, the light corn syrup is mild in flavor and commonly available in vanilla flavors. While the dark corn syrup contains molasses and caramel which gives it a more deep sweet flavor and caramel color.
Corn Syrup Uses in Recipes
Corn syrup is a principal ingredient in many commercially produced desserts and pastries; it gives a sweet taste, a moist texture, and volume or thickness to baked goods.
Corn syrup can also be mixed with sugar, water, and cream of tartar to make sugar glass; it is often incorporated in candies, soft drinks, baked goods, fruit drinks, and a whole lot of other recipes. Listed below are fifteen creative and delicious recipes that can be made with cornstarch.
- Wedding Fruitcake Petits Fours
- Banana-Fudge Sundaes
- Savory Cheese-Filled Croquembouche
- Candied Pecan & Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
- Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Cookies
- Toasted Marshmallow Butterscotch Pie
- Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies
- Black Forest Layer Cake With Cherry Preserves
- Black-and-White Sesame Tart
- Frosted Malt Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Decadence with Raspberry Sauce
- Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
- Salted Butterscotch
- Chocolate Grasshopper Ice Cream Tart
- Mini No-Bake White Chocolate Raspberry Pies
Corn Syrup Substitutes
Corn syrup is often used in baking because it provides a smooth alternative for sugar crystals. When corn syrup is added to a recipe instead of sugar, it produces a smooth, moist, and shinyresult rather than a lumpy, grainy, and crystallized product.
This ingredient is undeniably the best addition to many sweet recipes, but when it is not readily available, knowing and having other alternatives would be beneficial to you. So I’ll be sharing some useful alternatives for corn syrup with you, note that they would not perfectly replace corn syrup but would help mimic some of its flavors and texture.
Honey
Honey is a sweet brown-golden colored syrup that is produced by honey bees and other bees. Honey is a famous healthy culinary ingredient that is used in cooking, baking, and even sometimes eaten raw.
Raw honey is the most preferred alternative for sugar because It is packed with many health benefits like regulating heart health, preventing the death of healthy cells, potentially lowering blood pressure, and improving fat blood levels.
However, honey crystallizes and wouldn’t be the best substitute for corn syrup in making candies and caramel but would pair well in baked goods, frostings, jams, and jellies.
Raw or unfiltered honey can be substituted with a 1:1 ratio for light corn syrup in recipes.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is a sweetener made from the xylem sap of the maple tree; it is also made from many other different species of maple tree like sugar maple, red maple, black maple, etc.
Raw maple syrup also contains antioxidants responsible for protecting cells against damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation. It has a unique taste and aroma that might change the taste and color of your recipe but pairs well in recipes like frosting, glazes, baked goods, and homemade jams.
Maple syrup also isn’t a great addition to sweets and caramel because it crystallizes but in other corn syrup recipes the maple syrup can be swapped with a 1:1 ratio.
Molasses
While honey would be a suitable alternative for light corn syrup, molasses would work great when substituting for dark corn syrup. It is a dark, sweet, and rich syrup that adds a rich taste, moist texture, and thickness to many baked goods, glazes, and sauces.
Molasses is the dark and thick leftover liquid gotten from refining sugarcane or beets. It is a sweet condiment that contains more vitamins and minerals than regular sugar.
For a syrup that closely mimics the flavor, color, and consistency of dark corn syrup, 1 part molasses with 3 parts light corn syrup can be mixed. If molasses is all you have, then you can just go ahead and use it in a 1:1 ratio substitution.
Golden Syrup
Golden syrup is a thick sweetener produced from sugarcane or sugar beet juice. It is a type of syrup that contains simple sugars, glucose, and fructose gotten from broken-down sugars.
Golden syrup is characterized by a unique buttery taste that may be present in the result of your recipe, it works in a lot of recipes especially in making candy and caramel. The same amount of golden syrup can substitute for the same amount of corn syrup in recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is golden syrup the same as corn syrup?
Golden syrup has almost a similar color, taste, and consistency to corn syrup, but it is not the same as it; the golden syrup is also slightly thicker than corn syrup.
How can I make caramel without my syrup getting crystallized?
To prevent crystallization in caramel, you should swirl, not stir, the pan containing the caramel. Swirling the pan would help melt the sugar evenly.
What other ingredients can be used to make candy and caramel?
Most sweet-tasting syrup crystallizes, but some good alternatives for corn syrup in candy making are brown rice syrup and golden syrup.
Conclusion
Corn syrup is an excellent addition in a lot of recipes especially baked goods, in cases where you don’t have this syrup readily available other ingredients can stand in place of corn syrup in recipes. You can try out some of the ones listed above to see what works best for you.
