This smooth maple glaze is easy to make with 4 ingredients! It’s ready in minutes and makes desserts like donuts, cookies, cake and cinnamon rolls next-level delicious.
Easy Maple Glaze
This maple glaze recipe (maple icing) is the perfect finishing touch for all your desserts! It’s a great way to showcase the sweet and caramel flavor of maple syrup and is ready in minutes.
Use maple glaze on baked goods like maple bacon donuts, easy one hour cinnamon rolls, cookies, cake and more. It has a thinner consistency than my maple cream cheese frosting and is especially great for dipping desserts – no bag piping needed!
Glaze Ingredients
This creamy maple glaze recipe is so simple with 4 basic ingredients!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter so that the glaze isn’t overly salty. This way you can control the amount of salt used and add a pinch or so if needed.
- Maple syrup: Look for 100% pure maple syrup. This is different than pancake syrup and has a more rich and robust flavor.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract is added in for a boost of vanilla flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Adds a sweet flavor and gives the icing that creamy icing consistency.
- Kosher salt: Just a pinch of salt or sea salt will help balance out the sweetness of the glaze.
How to Make Maple Glaze
Add the butter to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until melted. Pour in the maple syrup and stir until melted, then remove the pan from the heat.
Next whisk in the vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Then it’s ready to dip or drizzle on all your favorite desserts!
Tips for Making Maple Icing
- No lumps. Whisk the glaze mixture VERY well, so that you don’t have any lumps from the powdered sugar. You could even sift the powdered sugar to prevent them.
- Spices. You could always add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or nutmeg during the fall months to give it a more warm spice flavor.
- Let your dessert cool. Make sure your dessert has cooled completely before adding the glaze, or else it could melt and thin out.
- Work fast. This glaze dries fairly quickly so make sure to work fast when dipping or drizzling on your desserts, especially if sprinkling on extra toppings.
- Pure maple syrup. This is the star of the show, so make sure to use 100% pure maple syrup. The maple flavor may change a bit depending on which type you go for. For a more subtle flavor, look for golden or amber varieties. For a stronger and richer flavor, look for dark or very dark maple syrup.
Ways to Use Maple Glaze
The options are endless when it comes to using this maple glaze recipe.
- Donuts. For dipping tops of my homemade donut recipe or soft pumpkin cookies.
- Muffins. Drizzle over pumpkin crumb muffins or snickerdoodle muffins.
- Cinnamon rolls. Spread on top of cinnamon rolls or these cinnamon roll pancakes.
- Cake. For a fun twist on apple cake.
- Cookies. Drizzle on top of maple cookies.
Storage Instructions
This maple glaze has the best consistency and flavor when used on the day of preparation. If you need to make it ahead or store it overnight, place it in the refrigerator overnight and slowly reheat it on the stovetop stirring while it is warming up.
More Ways to Use Glaze
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Maple Glaze
Video
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1 ½ cups powdered sugar , plus more if needed
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the 1/3 cup maple syrup until melted. Remove from the heat. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, up to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and pinch of salt until smooth.
- Dip donuts into the glaze or drizzle on top of your favorite baked goods.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Christmas, Desserts, Frosting, Gluten-Free, No-Bake, Nut-Free, Stovetop, Thanksgiving, Toppings, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I have used for a drizzle and a frosting! Get compliments all the time on it plus it is so unbelievable easy!
So happy to hear everyone loves the maple glaze!