Maple frosting is a rich, fluffy and creamy frosting made with maple syrup. This maple syrup frosting is quick, easy to make and perfect for topping all your favorite fall desserts.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
Take a look around my blog and you’ll see how much I love incorporating maple into my favorite fall recipes. Some of the best maple recipes on my blog are my Maple Donuts, Maple Cookies, Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies, Maple Brownies and Maple Mascarpone Cheesecake. I am so excited to add this homemade maple frosting recipe to the blog. I know you’ll love it just as much as I do because:
- You love cozy variations on classic frosting. Regular frosting is already incredibly delicious, but adding maple syrup and maple extract makes this frosting even more amazing, flavorful and cozy.
- Depth of flavor. Maple syrup brings a sweet caramel like background flavor that truly elevates any baked treat, especially fall treats.
Ingredients
This maple frosting recipe requires only a handful of pantry basics and a little time to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
Gather unsalted butter, maple syrup, maple extract, salt, powdered sugar and milk or heavy cream (as needed).
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make this wonderfully delicious maple syrup frosting.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter. Just omit the added salt.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is made with nothing but maple syrup. Grade A maple syrup is lighter in color with a sweet aroma. Grade C maple syrup is darker in color with a stronger flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: I like using Wholesome Organic powdered sugar. If you need a lower sugar powdered sugar alternative, I recommend Swerve or Lakanto.
- Maple Extract: Maple extract adds a more pronounced maple flavor and scent. Swap with vanilla extract if you prefer. Just keep in mind that the maple flavor wont be as strong.
- Milk or Heavy Cream: This is used to thin the frosting as needed. Feel free to use an equal amount of heavy cream or milk of choice.
Variation
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: Follow my recipe for Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, but add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon maple extract and omit the ground cinnamon.
How To Make
Learn how to make maple frosting in a few easy steps.
- Add the room temperature butter, maple syrup, maple extract and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream together the butter with the syrup, extract and salt until creamy and well combined, about 2 - 3 more minutes on medium speed. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in the sifted powdered sugar ½ cup (60 g) at a time along with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk or heavy cream, mixing in each addition of powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed. Once all the sugar has been added, mix on high until the maple buttercream is fully incorporated and your desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 - 2 tablespoon (15 - 30 ml) more milk of choice or heavy cream, creaming until well incorporated.
- Transfer the maple frosting to an airtight container or use to top your favorite cake, cupcakes, cookies or brownies.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Make Ahead: This maple icing frosting can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week or freezer for up to two months.
- Store: Transfer the frosting to an airtight container to store at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freeze and Thaw: Transfer the maple buttercream frosting to an airtight and freezer proof container to store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw the frosting overnight in the fridge. Then bring the maple frosting to room temperature before using in a recipe.
- Serve: This maple frosting is perfect for topping all your favorite fall desserts. It would be especially delicious on top of cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, apple spice cake, carrot cake, carrot bread or even brownies.
M's Expert Tips
- Make sure to use real maple syrup. Maple syrup is made with nothing but maple syrup. Grade A maple syrup is lighter in color with a sweet aroma. Grade C maple syrup is darker in color with a stronger flavor.
- Bring the butter to room temperature. Room temperature butter is soft and cool to the touch.
- Use maple extract. For even more concentrated maple flavor, add a bit of maple extract.
- Wait to add the milk. Use milk this thin the maple buttercream as needed. If you add too much milk and find the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Chill the maple buttercream icing. If the frosting is too runny or soft, chill it in the fridge for 20 - 30 minutes.
FAQs
Maple buttercream tastes like vanilla buttercream with a sweet, caramel like flavor in the background.
If the cream cheese frosting is too thin, add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar to the frosting until your desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too soft, chill the frosting in the fridge for 15 - 30 minutes.
Depending on the temperature of the room, any baked good with buttercream can sit out for about a day. The cooler the room, the longer the frosting can stay out. After that time the frosting or baked good with the maple buttercream should be stored in the fridge.
This maple frosting recipe makes about 2 cups. This is enough to frost a 9 x 13 cake, a (1) layer 8 inch or 9 inch cake or about 12 cupcakes. Alternatively, use this maple frosting to top your favorite cinnamon rolls.
Other Frosting Recipes to Try
- Mascarpone Frosting
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Oreo Frosting
- Funfetti Frosting
If you try this Maple Frosting recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! - M
Maple Frosting Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract
- ⅛ salt
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) room temperature milk or heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
- Add the room temperature butter, maple syrup, maple extract and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Cream together the butter with the syrup, extract and salt until creamy and well combined, about 2 - 3 more minutes on medium speed. Stop and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon maple extract, ⅛ salt
- Mix in the sifted powdered sugar ½ cup (60 g) at a time along with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk or heavy cream, mixing in each addition of powdered sugar until incorporated. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl as needed.3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) room temperature milk or heavy cream, as needed
- Once all the sugar has been added, mix on high until the maple buttercream is fully incorporated and your desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 - 2 tablespoon (15 - 30 ml) more milk of choice or heavy cream, creaming until well incorporated.
- Transfer the maple frosting to an airtight container or use to top your favorite cake, cupcakes, cookies or brownies.
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