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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Corn Syrup Substitutes + Corn Syrup Substitute Recipe

Corn Syrup Substitutes + Corn Syrup Substitute Recipe

April 3, 2018 by Alea Milham 23 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
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A corn syrup replacement can be used in many recipes. You can also use my corn syrup substitute recipe if the flavor of one of the corn syrup alternative suggestions would distract from the flavor of a dish.

A bottle of homemade corn syrup substitute recipePin it button

Whether you are cooking for someone with a corn allergy, avoid high fructose corn syrup for personal reasons, or live where it is not readily available, you will occasionally find yourself in need of a corn syrup substitute. If you are wondering what you can use in place of corn syrup, we have suggestions for replacements for dark corn syrup, alternatives for light corn syrup, and corn syrup substitute recipe for when the other alternatives won’t work.

Dark Corn Syrup Substitute Ideas

When replacing dark corn syrup, I often use either maple syrup or molasses. Maple syrup and molasses both have a stronger flavor than dark corn syrup, but as long as one of them will blend well with the ingredients of the recipe that I am preparing, I will use one.

If the flavor of the maple syrup and molasses will be too overpowering for a recipe, I substitute 3/4 cup of the corn syrup substitute recipe below and 1/4 cup of molasses for 1 cup of dark corn syrup. When a recipe calls for less than a cup of dark corn syrup, blend the ingredients well to make a cup and then measure out the amount of dark corn syrup substitute that you need. The leftover dark corn syrup substitute can be stored in a sealed container in the pantry for up to 2 months.

Light Corn Syrup Substitute Ideas

My favorite substitutes for light corn syrup are Lundberg’s Brown Rice Syrup and Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Both Rice Syrup and Golden Syrup have a fairly mild flavor and work in place of light corn syrup in a recipe.  Their flavor is stronger than corn syrup, but not as distracting as maple syrup or molasses. Unlike corn syrup, both brown rice syrup and golden syrup are expensive and difficult to find at traditional grocery stores.

How to Make Corn Syrup

In a pinch, I use the corn syrup substitute recipe below that is passed around among the Navy wives who have lived overseas.  It is quick and easy to make and works well as a substitute for corn syrup. I have used my homemade corn syrup substitute in recipes that traditionally call for corn syrup like Divinity, Traditional Toffee, and Chocolate Pecan Pie and it has worked well.

Corn Syrup Substitute Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Dash of salt

Directions:

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
  2. Stir and cook over a medium-high flame until it reaches a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and put a lid on it for 3 minutes (this is to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan).
  4. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until it reaches soft ball stage on a candy thermometer.
  5. Cool the syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. It will keep for about 2 months

Printable Recipe for Corn Syrup Substitute

5.0 from 1 reviews
Corn Syrup Substitute
 
Print
Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Total time
20 mins
 
Author: Alea
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Dash of salt.
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.
  2. Stir and cook over a medium-high flame until it reaches a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer and put a cover on it for 3 minutes (this is to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan).
  4. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until it reaches soft ball stage on a candy thermometer.
  5. Cool syrup and store in a covered container at room temperature. It will keep for about 2 months
3.5.3229

Marshmallow Fluff Recipe without Corn Syrup

Since I share so many fudge recipes, I am often asked for a marshmallow fluff recipe for those who do not have access to marshmallow fluff in their local stores. Then when people see the ingredient list often calls for corn syrup, I am asked for a marshmallow fluff recipe that that can be made without corn syrup. Fortunately, my friend Kris of Attainable Sustainable has come to our rescue. Here is a printable recipe for Marshmallow Fluff without Corn Syrup. You can see in the video below how easy it is to make:

More Homemade Substitutes:

How to Make Oat Flour

How to Make Simple Syrup

How to Make Powdered Sugar

How to Make  Almond Meal (Almond Flour)

How to Make Self-Rising Flour and Baking Powder

This was originally published on July 26, 2011, but was updated on 4/4/2018.

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. shumila says

    November 5, 2015 at 8:39 am

    Can we use thi for fondate making

    Reply
  2. Cheryl Godwin says

    November 12, 2013 at 3:50 am

    My sister in law was recently diagnosed with diabetes and I was wanting to make her some of the traditional (at least for my family) Christmas Candy that we have. I was wondering if this Corn Syrup Substitute can be made with a sugar substitute like Splenda?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      November 12, 2013 at 1:54 pm

      I am sorry, but I am really not sure if you can use splenda to make corn syrup substitute.

      Reply
      • Judy says

        January 5, 2020 at 6:26 pm

        I have a recipe I haven’t used it yet but it says, 2 parts water to i part Splenda.

        Reply
        • Marjorie Blessing says

          November 20, 2020 at 8:05 am

          Thanks, Judy!!

          Reply
    • Christina W. says

      December 23, 2013 at 5:04 am

      Cheryl check food.com for recipes they have lots for diabetic candies.

      Reply
  3. Tiffany says

    October 16, 2013 at 12:14 pm

    I usually just use honey or agave nectar instead of corn syrup. Never had any problems at all.

    Reply
  4. Kate Tho says

    June 27, 2013 at 11:02 am

    is it possible to replace white sugar with brown?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      June 27, 2013 at 11:12 am

      It will be darker in color and have a stronger flavor that may affect the flavor of your recipes, but it makes a good substitute for dark corn syrup.

      Reply
  5. Beth @ Aunt Bs Kitchen says

    October 28, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    Great tip. Thank you. I rarely use corn syrup so, when I do make a recipe that calls for it, I always end up having to go out in search of it. This will come in handy, I’m sure.

    Reply
  6. Chris Greten says

    December 27, 2011 at 7:22 pm

    Love this and can’t wait to try it. thanks!

    Reply
  7. Pa says

    December 6, 2011 at 8:58 pm

    Came here via Premeditated Leftovers. Love the tip and off to check the rest of your blog.
    Thank you and am sending this off to my daughters.

    Reply
  8. Blake Knittel says

    August 15, 2011 at 4:06 am

    I’m glad I found your webpage and this information on bing,very nice read 🙂 thanks. I hope it is ok if I post this article on twitter?

    Reply
  9. Glenn Martin says

    August 8, 2011 at 10:17 am

    Wonderful job with these posts. They are very informative.

    Reply
  10. Erminia Bodensteiner says

    July 29, 2011 at 8:13 pm

    Hi, After reading this article, I am very impressed , thanks a lot

    Reply
  11. Julia in West Des Moines, IA says

    July 27, 2011 at 3:08 pm

    Love seeing this type of substitution. Thanks.

    Reply
  12. SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in My Kitchen says

    July 27, 2011 at 5:53 am

    Interesting tip! I’ll pass this on to those I know with corn allergies.

    Reply
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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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