Halfway through baking and realised you're out of golden syrup? I'm here to save the day! Whether you're making flapjacks, cookies or chocolate tiffin, there are a few easy alternatives you can use instead.
I've been making a lot of flapjacks recently, and the other day I ran into a baker's worst nightmare- running out of an ingredient halfway through a baking session!
Luckily, I've made enough flapjacks to know how to swap out golden syrup pretty easily, but it made me realise a post like this might be really helpful for newer bakers who aren't quite sure what they can use instead. I hope you find it helpful!
Best golden syrup alternatives for baking
I've put together this list of my favourite golden syrup substitutes for baking, with a quick explanation about each one. Using this info, you can decide which option is best for your particular recipe, depending on the texture and flavour you're going for.
Honey
Honey, particularly the runny kind, is one of the best swaps for golden syrup. It has a similar consistency and behaves very similarly in baking, so you can usually use it as a 1:1 substitute.
It works really well in things like ginger cake, cookies, and flapjacks (check out my honey flapjacks)- any recipe where you want that sticky, chewy texture. As I mentioned, the runny, clear type of honey is best. I would recommend avoiding high-quality honey for baking as the floral flavour is quite strong and will likely overpower the other flavours in your dessert.
Agave nectar
Agave nectar is a close second to honey for me! It's a liquid sweetener that works pretty well as a substitute in baking. Although it has a slightly thinner consistency than golden syrup, it's still excellent for binding and sweetness, and its neutral taste means it won't overpower the other flavours in your recipe.
It works best if you're using it mainly for sweetness and binding, such as in a no-bake traybake or Cornflake cakes. However, it doesn't provide quite the same depth or richness as golden syrup, so it can make some baked goods that heavily rely on the flavour taste a bit 'off' if you use it on its own.
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is another great golden syrup alternative, especially since it's so widely available. This also usually works as a straight 1:1 switch. The flavour is a bit more distinctive and less caramel-like, but it's still great for binding and adding sweetness.
It's good for recipes where a small flavour change won't matter too much. I wouldn't recommend maple syrup for desserts like treacle tart or parkin, where the golden syrup flavour is super important, but I've had success using it in rocky road, flapjacks, granola bars and some cookies.
Homemade simple syrup
If you don't have any ready-made syrups to hand, you can make an easy alternative by gently heating an equal amount of sugar and water. Bring it to a boil until the sugar has dissolved, then leave it to cool. This creates a simple syrup that mimics the sweetness and stickiness of golden syrup quite well.
It works well as an emergency substitute in most baked goods, particularly biscuits and traybakes. It's a really useful backup when you're in a pinch!
Condensed milk
I have to admit I have only tried this in my condensed milk flapjacks so far, but condensed milk can be a great substitute for golden syrup if your recipe requires just a small amount (2-3 tablespoons). It's super sweet and sticky and makes an excellent binder.
Make sure not to get condensed milk confused with evaporated milk, as the latter is much thinner and not as sweet. I've written a whole post about this if you'd like to read more: What's The Difference Between Condensed Milk & Evaporated Milk?
Light corn syrup
If you're in the USA, corn syrup is a great replacement for golden syrup in most baking recipes. It has a neutral flavour and a thick consistency that behaves almost identically to golden syrup, making it a trusty swap in recipes where structure is important (like chewy bars and Cornflake candy).
There we have it! My 6 simple golden syrup alternatives! There is no exact perfect match for golden syrup when it comes to flavour, but if you bake regularly, it's worth experimenting- sometimes the "substitute" can end up being your new favourite ingredient!
Leave a Reply