Easy Maple Syrup Recipes To Make After The Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
Alexandra ClarkEvery spring, thousands of people head to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival in Elmira, Ontario to celebrate pancakes, sugar shacks, and the world’s largest one‑day maple syrup festival. This year, Lex’s Pantry was there alongside so many amazing syrup producers and incredible food made with maple syrup.
It seemed like the perfect time to share some quick and easy recipes with Lex’s Pantry spice blends that work wonderfully with maple syrup. Tis the season – sugaring season – after all.
This roundup features 10 quick maple syrup recipes using Lex’s Pantry spice blends like Korean BBQ, Montreal Red, Bay Burger, Garlic Fire, Shawarma, Shakshuka, King Chai Masala, and Butter Masala. Each one is designed for big flavour with minimal fuss, and they’re perfect whether you’re cooking with syrup you picked up at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival or at a cabane à sucre elsewhere—definitely worth bookmarking for whenever the maple craving hits.
1. Maple‑Korean BBQ Chicken Thighs
For fans of sweet‑savory “bulgogi‑style” flavours, this sticky sheet‑pan chicken is a maple syrup slam‑dunk. Lex calls it her “Canadian bulgogi” dinner: maple syrup steps in for sugar and clings to garlicky, gingery Korean BBQ seasoning, turning chicken thighs and a pile of veg into sticky, caramelized goodness with almost no effort. It tastes like you worked much harder than you did, which is our favourite kind of Tuesday night magic.
What you’ll need:
Chicken thighs, mixed vegetables, maple syrup, soy or tamari, Lex’s Pantry Korean BBQ .
Pro tip:
Use dark, late‑season maple syrup here—the robust flavour stands up to soy, garlic, and ginger and gives you better colour on the pan.
Why it works:
Maple syrup replaces the usual sugar, highlighting the garlic, ginger, sesame, and hint of chile in the Korean BBQ blend while creating a glossy, caramelized glaze in the oven.
2. Maple‑Montreal Red Ribs
If you love ribfest energy without all‑day effort, this wet maple rub is your new best friend. Mark inspired this quick wet rub of maple syrup, Montreal Red, and a splash of cider vinegar, which does most of the work while the ribs laze in the oven. Think ribfest‑meets‑sugar shack but you don’t have to haul any wood. You get that sweet‑smoky bark and tender meat, without babysitting a smoker or fiddling with fancy barbecue gear.
What you’ll need:
Ribs, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Lex’s Pantry Montreal Red, a little oil.
Pro tip:
Pat the ribs dry before rubbing them down so the maple and spices stick instead of sliding off; finish under the broiler for 2–3 minutes to set the glaze.
Why it works:
Montreal Red brings gentle sweetness, spice, and smoke, while maple syrup deepens the bark and gives you fall‑off‑the‑bone, sweet‑smoky ribs that taste like they came off a smoker.
3. Maple‑Bay Burger Smash Burgers with Onions
This recipe is pure griddle joy: loose patties, a hot pan, Bay Burger Blend, and a drizzle of maple over the meat and onions right at the end. The maple caramelizes into a sticky, smoky crust that makes your kitchen smell like a diner parked beside a sugar shack.
What you’ll need:
Ground beef, sliced onions, maple syrup, Lex’s Pantry Bay Burger Blend, your favourite burger buns.
Pro tip:
Don’t overcrowd the pan—smash fewer patties at a time so you keep that hard sear and let the maple reduce into a glaze instead of steaming. Keep the heat hot enough to sear, but not so high that the maple tips from caramelized into burnt.
Why it works:
Bay Burger Blend brings traditional Montreal steak spices, smoky paprika, rosemary, and garlic; the maple syrup grabs onto that spice and creates a quick sticky glaze on the hot pan, giving fast‑food ease with steakhouse flavour.
4. Garlic Fire Maple Wings
This is your “hot honey wings” moment, but with Canadian maple and nine chiles from around the world plus a solid hit of garlic. These Garlic Fire Maple Wings are your next obsession: maple takes a bit of the edge off the heat and loads of garlic, giving you that glossy, finger‑licking sweet‑heat situation that disappears from the tray long before anyone thinks about using a plate.
What you’ll need:
Chicken wings (or cauliflower), maple syrup, Lex’s Pantry Garlic Fire, a splash of oil, optional vinegar.
Pro tip:
Toss the wings in just oil and Garlic Fire first, roast until nearly done, then hit them with maple for the last 10 minutes so the syrup doesn’t burn.
Why it works:
Maple syrup softens the heat and clings to the wings, while Garlic Fire brings layered chile heat and big garlic for an addictive sweet‑spicy glaze.
5. Maple‑Shawarma Chicken & Chickpea Traybake
Sheet‑pan shawarma is already a weeknight hero; add maple and it becomes sugar‑shack‑meets‑street‑food. This is a full shawarma platter on one pan: chicken, chickpeas, onions, and peppers tossed with maple, oil, and Shawarma Spice. The maple syrup caramelizes the edges so you get crispy bits, juicy chicken, and chickpeas that snack like little flavour bombs.
What you’ll need:
Chicken thighs, canned chickpeas, onions and peppers, maple syrup, olive oil, Lex’s Pantry Shawarma Spice Blend.
Pro tip:
Spread everything out into a single layer—crowded chickpeas steam instead of crisping, and you really want those toasty, maple‑spiced edges.
Why it works:
Maple syrup caramelizes around the shawarma spices and chickpeas, working with those lovely warm spices to give you crispy edges, juicy chicken, and a built‑in sauce that’s perfect for stuffing into pitas or serving over rice.
6. Maple‑Shakshuka Carrots
This is my “what if shakshuka married maple” side dish: fennel‑forward spice, a hit of heat, and maple turning humble carrots into something you’ll happily eat straight off the tray. It’s a great side, or even a snack piled into a bowl with a dollop of yogurt.
What you’ll need:
Carrots, maple syrup, olive oil, Lex’s Pantry Shakshuka Spice, lemon juice.
Pro tip:
Cut the carrots on a slight angle so you get more surface area for the maple and spices to cling to—and don’t skip the squeeze of lemon at the end.
Vegan spin:
Toss in a can of drained chickpeas for a simple vegan main that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Why it works:
Fennel‑forward spice and gentle heat meet maple’s caramel notes, transforming basic carrots into a glossy, flavour‑packed dish.
7. King Chai–Infused Maple Syrup
This is breakfast in a bottle: warm your maple syrup gently with King Chai Masala and you suddenly have a chai‑maple drizzle that makes pancakes, waffles, and even vanilla ice cream feel downright smug. It’s also a smart way to turn “just syrup” into your house‑signature.
What you’ll need:
Pure maple syrup, Lex’s Pantry King Chai Masala or King Chai Masala + Sugar.
Pro tip:
Keep the heat low and the steep short—think warm bath, not simmer—so you don’t cook off all the volatile aromatics in the chai spices. Don’t worry if you’re using King Chai Masala + Sugar; the sugar dissolves into the maple for another layer of sweet flavour.
Why it works:
Chai spices—cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove—were made to blend with maple syrup, and infusing them together gives you maximum flavour with almost no effort.
8. Maple‑King Chai Lattes
Once you’ve got chai‑infused maple syrup, lattes basically make themselves: brew your favourite chai, steam some milk, and sweeten with your chai‑maple instead of plain sugar. It tastes like you detoured through a café on the way back from the sugar bush, without leaving home. Throw in a shot of espresso and you’ve got a Dirty Maple Chai Latte.
What you’ll need:
Brewed chai tea, steamed milk, King Chai–Infused Maple Syrup.
Pro tip:
Warm the mug with hot water first, then dump it out before filling with your latte—hot cups keep the latte temperature cozy longer and make the maple aroma bloom.
Why it works:
Using maple‑chai syrup as the sweetener gives you café‑level chai lattes with almost no extra work, and it showcases Ontario maple syrup in a cozy, sippable format.
9. Maple‑Butter Masala Chicken
This is our “I want butter chicken but I also want to lean into maple season” dish. Maple syrup slides right into the Butter Masala profile, adding gloss and a gentle sweetness that plays beautifully with tomato and cream or coconut milk. It’s deeply comforting without being cloying.
What you’ll need:
Chicken pieces, crushed tomato or passata, maple syrup, Lex’s Pantry Butter Masala, cream or coconut milk.
Pro tip:
Add the maple after you’ve seared the chicken and bloomed the spices in fat; it keeps the flavour bright and prevents the sugars from scorching on the bottom of the pan. Want a little more kick? Try this with Lex’s Pantry Tikka Masala or Garlic Fire Starter.
Why it works:
Butter Masala already leans warm and comforting; adding maple syrup boosts the sweetness and gloss without making the dish candy‑sweet, playing beautifully with tomato and cream.
10. Dirty Dill Maple Dijon Balsamic Chicken
Dirty Dill Maple Dijon Balsamic Chicken is a juicy, one‑pan chicken recipe where pure maple syrup, Dijon, balsamic, and Lex’s Pantry Dirty Dill Seasoning team up for a glossy, sweet‑savory glaze that tastes like bistro food but cooks like a weeknight dinner. It’s an easy way to show off your Ontario maple syrup and the more adventurous side of dill.
What you’ll need:
Chicken pieces, maple syrup, Lex’s Pantry Dirty Dill, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive or neutral oil.
Pro tip:
Sear the chicken first in a hot pan, then add the maple–Dijon–balsamic–Dirty Dill glaze and finish in the oven so the sugars caramelize without burning and you get maximum sticky edges.
Why it works:
Maple syrup brings sweetness and shine, balsamic adds acidity and depth, Dijon pulls everything together into a silky emulsion, and Dirty Dill’s bold dill, jalapeño, and allspice cut through the richness so the glaze is bright, herbal, and addictive instead of cloying. It’s exactly the kind of “one sauce, big payoff” cooking that lets your maple syrup and spice blend share the spotlight.
Whether you spent the day at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival or just cracked open a bottle of pure Canadian maple syrup at home, there’s a whole world of flavour beyond pancakes waiting in your kitchen. A spoonful of maple syrup and a shake of Lex’s Pantry spice blends are often all you need to turn “how am I going to use all this syrup?” into something worth talking about at the table.
If you try any of these recipes, tag @fromlexspantry and show us what you’re cooking – Lex loves seeing where our blends land. And if you’re running low, you can stock up on Korean BBQ, Montreal Red, Bay Burger, Garlic Fire, Shawarma, Shakshuka, King Chai, Butter Masala and more by just clicking “Spices” above, so you’re ready for maple season, soup season, grill season… and every delicious season in between
