Beat the heat with these maple-sweetened homemade beverages

We’ve been making our own maple syrup at home for 10 years now. In addition to giving us a productive way to spend the month of March—not a small feat during the muddy thaw that is early spring in central Vermont—it provides us with enough natural sweetener to last through a full year of homemade eating and drinking.

Subsistence maple making is… well… sweet!

At the height of  “sugaring” season, as it’s traditionally called, we taste the earth waking up by drinking maple sap straight from the tree. Then we sample the hot, thin, sweet sap as it thickens mid-boil—what we call “maple tea.” But nothing in this world tastes better than just-finished syrup, fresh from the evaporator.

All year long, we dress our pancakes and waffles with our own maple syrup. The barbecue sauces, marinades, and salad dressings we serve with family meals almost always feature maple syrup. Homemade maple candy and baked goods iced with maple cream are for special occasions only, of course. But our homemade maple sugar does the hard, everyday work of standing in for the white stuff all year. And summer is no exception!

Not everyone can make their own maple syrup, and 100 percent pure maple syrup is not inexpensive, it’s true. But if there is one application beyond pancakes and waffles that is perfectly situated to the taste of maple, it’s drinks. And summer presents a unique opportunity to enjoy maple instead of white sugar in thirst-quenching beverages. 

Health Benefits of Maple Syrup

Unlike regular sugar, maple is particularly well suited to satisfy the intense thirst of summertime. Perhaps that’s because, in addition to being delicious, sweeteners made from maple sap contain vitamins and minerals absent from white sugar.

Maple sweeteners provide a significant amount of manganese—a mineral essential for building body tissue, supporting brain and nerve function, aiding calcium absorption, regulating blood sugar, and fueling metabolism.

Maple also contains notable amounts of magnesium, zinc, potassium, and calcium—electrolytes that support hydration. White sugar, by contrast, contains none of these nutrients and, in fact, consuming it in excess can actually contribute to dehydration.

While maple products are still high in sugar, we feel good about choosing them over the comparatively empty calories of conventional white sugar—and we do so all year long, including in the summertime. 

Whether you’re taking a break from felling, splitting, or stacking the coming winter’s firewood, tending a small orchard of fruit trees, caring for the kitchen garden, or just relaxing in the shade after a long day, consider a beverage that’s homemade and slightly sweet, with a delicious hint of maple.

Recipes

Switchel (aka. Haymaker’s Punch)

This hydrating beverage is the perfect thirst-quencher for a hot summer day. Packed with electrolytes, it’s traditionally made with apple cider vinegar, ginger, and either molasses, honey, or maple syrup as a sweetener—you can probably guess what sweetener this recipe calls for! Though its origins are debated—some trace it to New England, others to the Caribbean—switchel has long been a favorite for summer refreshment and hydration. If you’ve never tried this sweet, vinegar-based drink, be sure to add it to your summer bucket list. You can thank me later!

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Servings: 1 quart

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 cups ice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger*
• Pinch of sea salt
• Cold water to fill a quart jar

Instructions

• Add the ice, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, grated ginger, and a pinch of salt to a quart-size jar. Fill the rest of the jar with cold water.
• Seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well until the drink is ice cold.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

*For something a little different, I like to substitute the ginger with jalapeños. In place of the ginger, add three sliced or pickled jalapeños to the mix, or simply add them along with the ginger for a spicy twist on this old classic.

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Spicy Maple Shrub

A shrub is a syrup made of sweetened, fruit-infused vinegar. This version balances sweet and heat with maple, fruit, cinnamon, and chili flakes. Use any seasonal fruit you have on hand (blueberries are especially good!). Serve over ice or top with seltzer for a zingy mocktail.

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Servings: 1 cup of finished shrub

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup fresh seasonal fruit such as blueberries
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• Ice for serving
• Seltzer or club soda optional
• Extra fresh fruit for garnish

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, fruit, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, and chili flakes.
• Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently on the fruit to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Let the shrub cool completely.
• To serve, pour over ice and enjoy as-is or top with seltzer. Garnish with extra fruit if desired.

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Maple Iced Mocha

No summer drink list is complete without a coffee option! While a nice hot coffee is the perfect way to start the day, there’s nothing quite like an iced coffee break in the heat of a sweaty summer afternoon. Whether made with regular or decaf, this cool and chocolatey pick-me-up is a refreshing way to get your caffeine fix whenever and wherever you need it!

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Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee regular or decaf*
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• Ice
• Splash of milk or cream optional
• *If you have an espresso machine you can substitute a shot or two of espresso for the cup of brewed coffee and dilute it with a little extra milk or cream.

Instructions

• Mix the maple syrup and cocoa powder together in a measuring cup and then pour the coffee over top. Stir well to combine.
• Fill a pint-size jar with ice, then pour the coffee mixture over top. Add a dash of milk or cream if desired.
• Stir well to mix and enjoy!

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