As the name suggests, glucose syrup is a concentrated form of glucose, which has been inverted to create a sweet, thick liquid. Glucose syrup is typically used in desserts or baked goods, as either a thickener or sweetener.
However, sometimes you may find yourself low on glucose syrup when you require it most.
There are lots of substitutes that you could consider from agave nectar or honey. Each substitution will provide your recipe the sweetness that glucose syrup provides.
We have gathered 8 incredible glucose syrup substitutes that you should try if you find yourself with a glucose syrup shortage.
What Is Glucose Syrup?
A clear, viscous liquid called glucose syrup is employed in a number of food products. It contains only glucose and is produced from cornstarch.
Glucose syrup is incredibly sweet and has a neutral flavor. It is used to give dishes more sweetness and texture. In many recipes, it may be utilized in place of sugar. You can also make confectionery, frosting, and icing with glucose syrup.
It comes in a variety of grades, the sweetness of which varies. The glucose syrup gets sweeter the higher the grade.
The sweetest glucose syrup is Grade A, and it's frequently seen in processed foods. While it is less sweet, grade B glucose syrup is frequently used in baking.
Make sure you read the label to ensure that the glucose syrup you are purchasing is 100% glucose. Other sweeteners, including fructose or corn syrup, are used in the production of some types of glucose syrup.
Most grocery stores include a baking aisle where you may find glucose syrup.
Glucose Syrup Substitutions
If for some reason you cannot get your hands on glucose syrup, there are a lot of amazing and delicious alternatives for you to try.
A natural sweetener derived from the agave plant is called agave nectar. It is significantly sweeter than sugar and has a faint, flowery smell. Click here to see our full taste profile.
There are light and dark kinds of agave nectar, with the dark variant providing a deeper flavor. In cocktails as well as other beverages, as well as in baked products and sweets, it is frequently substituted for sugar or honey.
Use one cup of agave nectar per each half cup of glucose syrup if you want to replace it. Remember that agave nectar will make your dish sweeter, so you might want to use less additional sweeteners.
A form of sweetener called brown rice syrup is frequently used as an alternative to refined sugar. It is produced by employing enzymes to convert the carbohydrates found in brown rice into simple sugars.
Similar to honey in flavor and consistency, brown rice syrup has many of the same applications. For instance, you can use it in baked items or employ it to sweeten coffee or tea. Also, you may utilize it as a natural sweetener for yogurt or morning cereals.
Brown rice syrup is a wonderful alternative to refined sugar. Just use an equivalent amount of brown rice syrup in place of the glucose syrup.
Each recipe can benefit from the distinct flavor and texture of honey, which can provide a hint of sweetness. Also, it offers a healthier option to corn syrup and processed sugar.
Just combine honey and water with a 1:1 ratio to replace glucose syrup in any recipe. Remember that honey has a higher sugar content than glucose syrup, therefore you might need to modify the quantity of additional sweeteners asked for in the recipe.
You can make delicious recipes that are lightly sweetened with honey via some trial and error.
Despite the fact that you might not be acquainted with it, corn syrup is a typical component in many processed meals. It’s manufactured from cornstarch, which gives it a sweet, syrupy flavor.
Due to its thick consistency, corn syrup is frequently used to give food more texture. The flavor and consistency of glucose syrup, which is produced from barley or wheat, are identical. You can use a similar ratio when using corn syrup for glucose syrup.
It is available at most supermarket stores. Simply ensure that it doesn't contain fructose by checking the label.
A tasty sweetener with a distinctive flavor is maple syrup, which can lend a sweet note to any recipe. It has a silky, creamy texture and a flavor that is slightly candy-like with a trace of molasses.
In recipes, maple syrup works well as an alternative to glucose syrup. Use the same quantity of maple syrup that you would use for glucose syrup to make a simple substitution.
Your food will get a special flavor boost from the maple syrup that is certain to please everyone's palate.
A sweetener prepared from sugar beet juice or cane sugar is called golden syrup. It is regarded as an inverted sugar, just like glucose syrup. It indicates that it has been converted into simple sugars.
These characteristics make it the ideal replacement for glucose syrup in various recipes and prevents it from sticking at high temperatures. Although it is not significantly healthier than glucose syrup, it can be used as its replacement without any difficulty.
One of the more expensive liquid glucose alternatives is birch. For one liter of liquid, around 100 to 150 liters of sap are required.
Birch is comparable to dextrose syrup, but instead of sucrose, it contains fructose and glucose. As with sugar, it can be used for baking and the creation of candies because it mostly includes fructose and glucose.
Cream or butter is a great option when you want to thicken the texture of your dish. The fat found in cream is ideal for making candy. As the fat prevents crystallization, which is the same effect glucose syrup has.
Both cream or butter are great options, and with cream or butter you can use equal amounts that you would have used of glucose syrup in your recipe. Although, be aware that these two ingredients can add a slightly creamier flavor to your recipe.
Final Thoughts
Glucose syrup is a common ingredient in sweet dishes or in any recipe in which there needs to be a thickening agent. While it can be purchased in most grocery stores, you may find yourself in a shortage.
If you do find yourself in this situation, then you can use any of the substitutions we have mentioned above such as corn syrup, brown rice syrup and golden syrup.
Each substitution we have offered will provide you with the sweetness that glucose syrup typically provides. You do need to be careful on the portions and how much of these substitutions you use in relation to glucose syrup.
We hope this article has been helpful, and now you have 8 amazing glucose syrup substitutions that you need to try.
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
Here at ButterandSaltGatherings, I want to offer a wide range of ingredients, flavors, meals and recipes so that you can start living each day to the fullest, and enjoy only the best food.
