One of the many things that I love about the homesteading world is that there’s more than one way to do just about anything – including canning maple syrup. You just have to play around with a few methods until you find what works best for YOU.
I’m going to teach you MY way of canning maple syrup, which has served us well, and I know I’m not alone in this method, either! This method might make some of you cringe, and that’s okay! After several years of trying both methods, this works best for me.
If you still want to learn the most common way to “can” maple syrup, don’t worry, we’ll chat about that method as well. That way, you can choose which way is best for YOU!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products (including Amazon). I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you! Regardless, I only link to products that I personally use on our homestead or believe in.
Why Should You Can Maple Syrup?
Even though maple syrup has a high sugar content (which acts as a preservative), it can still spoil and grow mold if not stored properly. Since it takes 40 gallons of maple sap to create just 1 gallon of maple syrup, losing it to spoilage is an absolute tragedy.
Therefore, most of us take the extra step to can it so that it is shelf stable for several years. It’s definitely worth the effort! Thankfully, the process is pretty darn simple and doesn’t require the more complex method of pressure canning. You can do it!
Why I use traditional canning methods
The most common way to “can” maple syrup is to simply fill hot, sterile glass jars with hot maple syrup, turn the jar upside down for a bit, return to an upright position, and let the jar self-seal.
I tried this method a few times and, to be honest, I didn’t have a great outcome. Some of the jars leaked (resulting in loss of some of that precious syrup!), and not all of the jars ended up sealing.
So, I did some research into why traditional canning with a water bath canner isn’t usually used. The consensus is that this can result in the maple syrup darkening and sugar crystals forming at the bottom of the jars. Naturally, I had to test it out for myself and was pleased to find out that neither of these things became an issue.
The color didn’t change dramatically, it still tastes amazing, and even if a small amount of sugar crystals form, they are a DELICIOUS treat to scoop out with a spoon when the jar is empty. Yum!
Lastly, I get a nearly 100% seal rate using water bath canning. I have a few other homesteading friends who do the same, and they also get great results!
Now, if I were a commercial maple syrup producer, I miiight reconsider my methods, but for our small backyard operation, this works great for us, and I’m confident that my precious maple syrup is safely preserved.
How to Can Maple Syrup
Once you’re done boiling down the sap and have finished maple syrup, it’s time to move on to the canning step (while it’s still hot!). I’m going to teach you two ways to do it (the common “no canning” or “bottling” way and my traditional canning way), but both processes start the exact same, so let’s jump in!
Tools
- Canning pot
- Canning jars (glass) – any size is fine!
- Canning lids – I like ForJars lids (use my code THRD10 for 10% off!). Don’t reuse old ones!
- Canning funnel
- Ladel
- Jar lifter
- Cutting board (or any heat-resistant surface to allow the jars to cool)
Ingredients
- Finished maple syrup – hot! (freshly boiled is ideal)
Instructions
Step 1: Heat the syrup, canner, and jars
While the maple syrup is in the last 10 minutes or so of boiling down, that’s when I start my canning pot. Add the appropriate amount of water to the canner (depending on the size of jars you’re using), submerge the jars, and crank up the heat. Warm up the canning lids in hot water (don’t boil these!).
The goal is to sterilize the jars before filling them with precious maple syrup to reduce the risk of spoilage. Heating the jars will also prevent them from shattering when adding the hot syrup.
Let the jars boil for 10 minutes for proper sterilization. If the syrup finishes before this point, make sure to keep the heat on a little to maintain the syrup temperature around 180-200F. You want to add hot syrup to hot jars to have a successful seal.
Step 2: Fill the jars
Using a jar lifter, carefully pull out the jars one at a time, dumping the hot water back into the canner as you remove them. Let them sit for 30-60 seconds to air dry (you don’t want to add water back to your syrup!). I like to work with 2 jars at a time so that they stay hot.
Place the jar funnel on top of the jar and start ladling hot maple syrup in, leaving 1/2″ of headspace. Place a warm canning lid on top and secure with a canning ring.
Step 3: Can the maple syrup
If you plan to waterbath can your maple syrup, return the filled jar to the hot canner using a jar lifter. Continue to fill jars and load the canner until the canner is full or you’re out of maple syrup, whichever comes first. Place the lid on the canning pot. Once boiling, set a timer to 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the canning lid, and wait another 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove the jars using a jar lifter and place them evenly on a heat-safe surface (I like a cutting board). Leave them undisturbed until fully cooled (usually 12-24 hours).
Alternate method – “bottling”
If you’d like to skip the waterbath method, simply tighten the lid a bit more than you would for canning, then flip the jars upside down (covered with a towel to maintain temperature) for 5 minutes. Then, remove the towel and flip them upright.
If you are bottling a lot of jars, you may need to work in smaller batches so they don’t cool down too much. Leave the jars undisturbed until fully cooled (usually 12-24 hours).
Step 4: Store the maple syrup
Once the jars are fully cooled, test the seal by pressing the center of the lid. If it flexes up and down, it hasn’t sealed properly and should be moved to the fridge to be used within one year.
If the jar has properly sealed, remove the canning ring and store the jar in a cool, dark location for up to 2 years for the best quality. However, it likely will store much longer than that!
Freezing Maple Syrup
Not interested in canning? No problem! You can freeze maple syrup as well, but I will say that it’s super nice to be able to grab a ready-to-go jar at any time. Plus, canned maple syrup makes wonderful gifts for friends, family, and neighbors.
If you want to give freezing a try, be sure to read my article Can You Freeze Mason Jars? 7 Common Mistakes to Avoid. No one wants to end up with shattered jars in their freezer!
Learn How to Tap Maple Trees!
Other Food Preservation Articles You’ll Love:
- How to Pressure Can Bone Broth (Chicken, Beef, Venison)
- No Cook Refrigerator Pickles (Quick!)
- Delicious Soaked & Dehydrated Pumpkin Seeds
- Can You Reuse Canning Lids? Is It Safe?
Canning Maple Syrup for Long-Term Storage
Equipment
- Canning jars any size is fine!
- Canning lids I like ForJars lids (use my code THRD10 for 10% off!)
- Ladel
- Cutting Board or any heat-resistant surface to allow the jars to cool
Ingredients
- Finished maple syrup hot! (freshly boiled is ideal)
Instructions
Fill the Jars
- Maintain the maple syrup temperature at 180-200F while you get the canning supplies ready.
- Fill the canner with water and submerge the glass canning jars. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes to sterilize the jars. Gently warm the canning lids (don't boil these!).
- Using a jar lifter, carefully pull out the jars one at a time, dumping the hot water back into the canner as you remove them. Let them sit for 30-60 seconds to air dry (you don't want to add water back to your syrup!).
- Place the jar funnel on top of the jar and start ladling hot maple syrup in, leaving 1/2" of headspace. Place a warm canning lid on top and secure with a canning ring.
OPTION A: Traditional Canning Method
- Return the filled jars to the hot canner using a jar lifter. Place the lid on the canning pot and let the water come up to a full boil. Once boiling, set a timer to 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the canning lid and wait another 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove the jars using a jar lifter and place them evenly on a heat-safe surface (I like a cutting board).
- Leave them undisturbed until fully cooled (usually 12 hours).
OPTION B: Common "Bottling" Method
- If you'd like to skip the waterbath, simply tighten the lid a bit more than you would for canning, then flip the jars upside down (covered with a towel to maintain temperature) for 5 minutes.
- Then, remove the towel and flip them upright. If you are bottling a lot of jars, you may need to work in smaller batches so they don't cool down too much.
- Leave the jars undisturbed until fully cooled (usually 12-24 hours).
How to Store:
- Once the jars are fully cooled, test the seal by pressing the center of the lid. If it flexes up and down, it hasn't sealed properly and should be moved to the fridge to be used within one year. If the jar has properly sealed, remove the canning ring and store the jar in a cool, dark location for up to 2 years for the best quality. However, it likely will store much longer than that!
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