Can I replace honey with maple syrup in recipes that require honey?

Question

There are many recipes (or recipe variants) that require honey as ingredient.

• Barbecue Spareribs
• Honey Lamb Chops
• Honey Raisin Choc Drops
• Honey Shortbread Biscuits
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Krispie Shortcake
• Honey, Lemon and Rosemary Marinade
• Pear and Almond Tart

May I generally use maple syrup in recipes that call for honey?
Are there guidelines for when that substitution will work well?

Answer

Generally speaking, maple syrup will work fine in any recipe that calls for honey. They may have slightly different viscosities and water content, but that could be true between two honeys as well, so I wouldn't worry about it a lot. The only thing I think you really have to consider is whether the flavor of maple syrup is appealing in the dish you would substitute it in. In most cases, I think it will be fine, especially if the dish would have worked well with a dark, fully flavored honey. You might also like to try sorghum syrup, molasses, or agave nectar as other possible replacements.

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