The Reason Real Maple Syrup Is So Expensive

Maple syrup is one of those ingredients that can pack a significant punch in the kitchen. From mixing cream cheese and maple syrup to drizzle on top of cinnamon rolls to enhancing store-bought frosting with some syrup to slather on top of homemade cupcakes, a spoonful can transform everyday recipes with a rich sweetness that is difficult to replicate. Although not all maple syrups taste the same, the easy inclusion can add depth to sauces and brighten a plate of pancakes with little effort. But if you've ever wandered around the syrup aisle, you know pure maple syrup isn't necessarily cheap.

That's because producing maple syrup is a labor-intensive process. This natural sweetener has to first be collected from trees during a limited time each year. Once the sap is harvested, at least 40 gallons of sap are required to make a mere one gallon of maple syrup. Add in the complication that only mature trees can be tapped for sap, and the production becomes even more prized. Trees must be at least two decades old, and still, those mature trees will yield only about 10 gallons of sap each season. 

Sap can be harvested from maple trees for just a few short weeks in late winter and early spring, depending on the weather for that year. During that brief and important period, workers have to hustle to collect enough sap so they can make maple syrup to bottle and sell. Once trees are tapped and the collected sap is boiled, the produced maple syrup undergoes strict quality control so products are correctly categorized into different grades.

When browsing store shelves, look for labels that differentiate pure and imitation products. Pure maple syrup will be more expensive than imitation maple syrup, but if you're looking for the natural stuff, this is what you want. You'll need to open your wallet a bit wider so that tomorrow morning's waffles can be coated with that deliciously thick and subtly smoky sweetener, but some tastes can't be quickly replicated. Buy in bulk to help cut costs, compare prices online, or consider buying directly from farmers and producers during the off-season if you're looking to save on your maple syrup supply.