Substitute sugar free maple syrup in baking?

Question

We're trying to make trailmix chunks. Is it alright to replace sugar free maple syrup (springtree low calorie maple syrup) in baking for this case?

My concern is that the sugar free syrup would break down and isn't a real replacement for the real syrup.

Update:

Recipe (roughly; as it was just eyeballed previously):

• 1 lb pepitas
• 1 lb raw diced almonds
• 1/2 lb of flaxseeds
• 3 cups of cranberries
• 2 cups of maple syrup
• Several tablespoons of honey

Answer

Honey is your real binding agent here, not maple syrup. You can substitute the sugar-free syrup but be aware of what's in it - according to the ingredients, it's mostly Sorbitol, which is both a humectant and a laxative.

Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't tell people to worry about the digestive effects of sorbitol, but that's a seriously large quantity you'd be adding, so if any of you have sensitive stomachs, beware of eating too much of that trail mix at once. The other property - humectancy - means that what you end up with is going to be moister than what you'd get with pure maple syrup. That may or may not be a good thing depending on your tastes.

Since your issue seems to be a lack of availability rather than a problem with sugar itself, I'd personally substitute generic pancake syrup, sugar syrup or even corn syrup instead. Or, if you're really keen on the sugar-free stuff, you can use less of it and add more honey because the sorbitol will help keep the whole product moist.

If you really want to cut down on the sugar, you can also use agave nectar, which is a fairly close substitute for honey (a bit thinner), and could also stand in for maple syrup if used in combination with another syrup and perhaps some maple extract or maple flavouring. It won't be the same flavour, but, texture-wise, it should be a pretty close match.

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