This easy maple butter is your toast or dinner roll’s new favorite topping! It is so easy to whip up (seriously, 2 minutes) and can be made ahead of time. It makes a great (easy! fast!) gift for neighbors, coworkers, or your holiday hostess. Originally published December 13, 2016.
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“Eric, my nose is so cold. Is your nose cold? Feel my nose, it’s freezing.” (Eric feels nose)
Then he says lovingly, “You know what you need, Karen?” I look up with stars in my eyes.
“A clown nose. An insulated clown nose. That would solve your problem,” he says.
THANKS A LOT ERIC. Good to know my trials are being taken seriously.
In other news, today I sent a care package to someone that had trash stuffed in it. The tupperware of cookies that I was sending was a bit smaller than the box that I picked to send it in, and I was already at the post office, with no filler paper or bubble wrap. I looked around to see if there was anything I could use and spotted the full trash can. I could see what was in it: a brand-new discarded priority envelope, and some crumpled Christmas wrapping paper. No gum. No food. Just paper, as far as the eye could see, exactly what I needed…
Nothing says “I care about you” more than a stranger’s discarded post office paper. Anything for intact cookies, right? I’ve reached a whole new level of classy. Please add a screaming newborn, a meandering 3-year-old, and a 5-year-old singing at the top of her lungs (to “calm” said newborn) to this scene, and try not to judge me too harshly for dumpster diving.
Speaking of classy. Have you figured out what you’re giving your neighbors for Christmas this year? Last year I did these Caramel Nougat Pecan Rolls, which are super fun to make but take some doing. This year I have a newborn baby who has this habit of demanding basically every moment of my life, so I’m thinking less homemade candy and more 2-minute maple butter.
This maple butter recipe was inspired by this classic Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe, which is just as easy and quick (and delicious!!). I was going to share this recipe before Thanksgiving so that you could serve it with your dinner rolls, but then I had a baby and didn’t have time. Oops! Save it for next year! Or just make it right now and keep it all for yourself, because this stuff is amazing. It’s begging to be spread on your morning English muffin.
Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- butter
- maple syrup, Grade A
- powdered sugar
- Kosher salt
How to make maple butter
To get started you’ll want to soften your butter. If you’re super on top of it, leave the butter out on the counter for a couple hours. If you’re not super on top of it, microwave in 10-20 increments on low power. We don’t want to melt it so watch carefully!
Maple has a pretty mild flavor, so I used quite a bit in this maple butter recipe because I wanted the maple flavor to pack a punch. Feel free to adjust according to your taste. The small amount of powdered sugar is there to help with the texture.
Make sure you add the maple syrup gradually so that the butter stays nice and fluffy.
Add the amount of salt you like! For me that’s a LOT of salt. You do you.
I love that you can make it ahead and it’s ready to go whenever you need it, especially if you plan to gift it.
Does maple butter expire?
While butter does expire, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. I’m pretty sure this will be eaten within a few days. But let’s say, for some crazy reason, it’s not. If stored properly, maple butter can last about 1 month in the refrigerator. Just keep it tightly wrapped to prevent it from absorbing other odors and flavors from the fridge. You can also throw it in the freezer for up to 6 to 9 months. Just make sure it’s well-wrapped or stored in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.
What to serve with maple butter
Breads, muffins, pancakes, scones! Seriously, dream big with this one. Maple butter is amazing on so many things. You know what would be totally amazing, you could spread maple butter on crackers and top it with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. YUM. Don’t limit yourself to just these suggestions.
Soft and Fluffy Parker House Roll Recipe >> a must for your Thanksgiving table
Best Banana Bread >> you´ll go bananas for this flavor combo of maple and bananas
Sweet and Moist Cornbread >> try topping the cornbread with maple butter while still warm
Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits >> try maple butter instead of regular butter for a fun twist on a classic
Truly The Best Crepes I´ve Ever Had >> my mouth is watering thinking about warm, soft crepes topped with maple butter
French Toast Bake from Living with Landyn
Vanilla Muffins from Sweets by Elise
Here are some other Christmas gift ideas!
Cinnamon Honey Butter >> this is the one that inspired today’s recipe
Sticky Sweet-and-Salty Chex Mix (Christmas Crack) >> this is easy to throw together and sooo addictive
Caramel Nougat Pecan Rolls >> this homemade candy is not quick but it is worth every second. A fun Christmas project! I love giving these away as gifts to neighbors and friends.
Thick & SOFT Sugar Cookie Recipe >> try these for your holiday cookie exchange
Mom’s Easy Fudge Recipe >> if you need a last-minute gift, try this easy fudge recipe
White Christmas Slice from Bake Play Smile
Peppermint Whoopie Pies from The Happy Flammily
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2-Minute Maple Butter
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 & 1//4 cups maple syrup, Grade A
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, *
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Very gradually add about half of the maple syrup and all the powdered sugar. Beat well.
- Add the remaining maple syrup in small increments, beating well. Start to taste it towards the end. You might prefer less maple syrup!
- Add salt (cautiously) and beat again.
- Makes about 2 and 2/3 cup. Enough to fill 2 half-pint jars (or a 1 pint jar) and have enough leftover for you to scarf it down with your toast for a few days.
- You can store this on the counter for a couple days, but since real maple syrup must be refrigerated after opening, I would throw it in the fridge if you don’t think you’ll use it up in a week or so.
Please, by “beat”, do you mean use an electric mixer or perhaps by hand?
Wow, it sounds like your Christmas season is crazy! It’s totally acceptable to cushion a care package with crumbled paper…and environmentally friendly. What’s better than unearthing a little golden pot of maple butter? Love it.
I was laughing out loud at picturing oldest loudly singing to youngest in the midst of the tomb that is the post office!
I just ate some of this Maple Butter, I attest to it’s goodness on toast :)
I’ll take trash can wrapping if this maple butter is the prize!
Haha! I’ll keep that in mind next time I wrap a gift for you Amy :)
so…i don’t know if you’ll think this is as weird as i do, but we were JUST talking about insulated clown noses the other night. i’m not even kidding! for some reason, my nose gets ridiculously cold when my bf & i are sitting on the couch in our living room. not my body, just my nose. i usually end up pressing it into his body during a commercial to try to warm it up. last night he said it was “like an ice dagger.” lol! he said something had to be done. i agreed, but i told him the only thing i could think of was…yep, a specially made clown nose.
cold noses unite! and merry christmas!
HAHA!!! Okay I seriously was NOT expecting to bond with anyone over the insulated clown noses. MAYBE cold noses, (definitely not the trash-package), but clown noses? One more reason you and I are awesome. “ice dagger” lol!!