This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
Maple seasoning is a beautiful balance of sweet, savory, smoky, and spicy flavors. It takes things like salmon, chicken wings, and ribs to the next level, and it’s a game-changer for slow-cooked dishes like pot roast and stew. You’ll find a ton of ways to use it all year long!
I love making my own spice mixes so I can customize them exactly how I want them. (Side Note: If you enjoy making your own spice blends, have you tried Moroccan Ras el Hanout?!) This maple seasoning is my new spice blend obsession; it’s sweet and smoky with savory depth, a hint of spicy heat, and a touch of earthy warmth. It’s perfect for seasoning summer barbecue meats or cozy fall and winter meals!
What is Maple Seasoning?
Also called maple spice, maple seasoning is a sweet and savory blend of ground spices that usually contains maple sugar. You can use it as a dry rub for turkey, chicken, or other poultry, fish, chicken wings, or barbecue meats like ribs, brisket, or steak. It also works well as a seasoning for roasted vegetables, and is one of my favorites for sweet potatoes!
How Do You Use Maple Seasoning?
I’m so glad you asked! Ever since I developed this recipe, I’ve been finding delicious new ways to use it. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- As a dry rub for air fryer chicken wings.
- To season air fryer salmon (also cooked in the air fryer because it comes out perfect every time!).
- Rubbed on brisket or pot roast before cooking.
- In hearty stews, like sweet and spicy butternut beef stew.
- Added to homemade breakfast sausage.
- To make maple blackened chicken. Oh myyy, yes.
- Sprinkled onto air popped popcorn to switch things up.
- To spice up sweet potatoes (try it on baked sweet potatoes or add a little to sweet potato casserole).
- To kick up the flavor of turkey for Thanksgiving!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Granulated maple sugar – The star of the show! Granulated maple sugar is made by boiling maple syrup until the liquid has evaporated. Its flavor is intense maple, sweet and robust with notes of smoky caramel.
- Sweet paprika – I like to use sweet paprika here because I add a touch of cayenne for spicy heat. However, hot paprika will also work if that’s your preference.
- Smoked paprika – For rich smoky notes that enhance the natural slightly smoky flavor of maple.
- Garlic powder – Adds rich umami notes.
- Onion powder – Adds a savory, subtly earthy-sweet flavor.
- Salt – Salt is a natural flavor enhancer that ensures our seasoning blend isn’t bland.
- Black pepper – Sharp, pungent, and slightly spicy.
- Mustard powder – Adds a sharp depth, and helps create balance.
- Cayenne pepper – For a touch of spicy heat.
- Allspice – Allspice is warming, and tastes like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with a hint of black pepper. It plays well on the sweetness of maple.
- Cinnamon – Also enhancing the natural sweetness of maple, cinnamon adds a sweet, slightly spicy warmth.
- Cumin – Adds earthy complexity.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium bowl.
- Whisk or stir to combine.
Storage
Store this spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 6 months to 1 year.
My Best Tips For Homemade Maple Seasoning
- Make sure your spices are fresh for this recipe. If you have a spice grinder, you can grind them yourself, but that’s optional. Just make sure they’re still potent before using them.
- Like all of my spice mixes, feel free to play with this recipe to make it your own. Adjust the amounts, or omit what you don’t like!
- Similar to brown sugar, maple sugar has a tendency to clump, especially if you live in a humid climate. If you want to make sure you get out all the lumps, you can blitz everything together in a blender, food processor, or spice grinder.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can get it, maple sugar is the best choice for this seasoning as a dry rub. However, instead of maple sugar you can use 1/4 cup of brown sugar + 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds.
Alternatively, if you want to use this as a wet rub, you can use 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup instead of maple sugar.
Fenugreek! Ground or powdered fenugreek seeds have a sweet, slightly bitter, maple-like flavor and aroma. Fenugreek is a popular ingredient in artificial maple-flavored syrups, such as pancake syrup.
More Maple Recipes to Try
- Maple Pecan Potato Chip Cookies
- Spiced Pumpkin Waffle with Brown Butter Maple Syrup
- Glazed King Oyster Mushroom Kale Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
Let’s Connect
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Maple Seasoning Recipe
Email This Recipe
Get this recipe link emailed straight to your inbox!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated maple sugar
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium bowl and whisk or stir to combine.
Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 7 1/2 tablespoons + 1/4 teaspoon. For the purposes of the nutritional information estimate, each serving is 1 tablespoon for a total of 7 servings (with a little leftover).
- Storage: Store this spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 6 months to 1 year.
- Granulated Maple Sugar Substitute: If you can get it, maple sugar is the best choice for this seasoning as a dry rub. However, instead of maple sugar you can use 1/4 cup of brown sugar + 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds. Alternatively, if you want to use this as a wet rub, you can use 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup instead of maple sugar.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
Share it with me on Instagram and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts!
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
