Top Keto Corn Syrup Alternatives You Need to Try Now for Guilt-Free Sweetness!

For many bakers, corn syrup isn’t a standard pantry staple. Perhaps the ingredient's relative scarcity in today’s home kitchens can be traced to some bad publicity that surrounds the stuff. Familiarizing yourself with the best corn syrup substitutes can be helpful. For those who remain tentative, it’s worth noting that regular corn syrup-the kind you find at your grocery store in the baking section-is not the same thing as high fructose corn syrup. While both are made from corn starch, corn syrup is 100% glucose syrup, while high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been processed to convert some of that glucose into fructose.

When seeking a substitute, it’s also important to understand why recipes call for corn syrup. It's an invert sugar, which means that it prevents sugar crystals from forming. This is crucial when you're making things like caramel, fudge, or other candies that aim for a smooth final texture rather than something that is crystalized, lumpy, and grainy. “It keeps the sugar syrupy and moist,” says Alice Medrich, author of Seriously Bitter Sweet: The Ultimate Dessert Maker’s Guide to Chocolate.

When it’s not used to prevent crystallization, corn syrup can be used to lend shine and body to things like chocolate sauce or pecan pie. Luckily, for those following a ketogenic diet, there are several alternatives to traditional corn syrup that can be used in a variety of recipes.

Understanding Keto Corn Syrup

A sugar-free Keto Corn Syrup is used as a stabilizer in low-carb recipes like ice creams, cakes, pies, and a variety of other desserts. We use keto corn syrup to inhibit the formation of larger sugar crystals. It often can be used to replace high fructose corn syrup in recipes. It can be made with light corn syrup like this recipe or darker by simmering over medium heat and or using brown erythritol.

How to Make Keto Corn Syrup

Here’s a basic recipe for making your own keto corn syrup:

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Boil water in a kettle and add it to a large bowl.
Add hot water to a large bowl and mix in the sweetener with a whisk until dissolved. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
Whisk in the teaspoon of vanilla extract and then slowly sprinkle in the xanthan gum a little bit at a time while continuing to whisk.
Strain the keto corn syrup into a jar and use as needed.

Tips: Sprinkle in the xanthan gum a little at a time while whisking to avoid any clumps.

Storage: The keto corn syrup is best used right away as it may crystallize again depending on the sweetener used.

Keto Corn Syrup Alternatives

Is there any other keto corn syrup alternative? The only other alternative I can think of is using a sugar-free maple syrup. I have used Lakanto Maple Syrup I purchased on Amazon.

Sugar-Free Simple Syrup

This Sugar-free Simple Syrup comes together in just 5 minutes or less with no sugar, low or no carbs, and low or no calories! Simple Syrup (or “sugar syrup”) is a liquid sweetener that typically is used to sweeten cocktails and cold drinks. Since it's a liquid, it's easier to dissolve into cold liquids than a granulated sweetener is. This Keto Simple Syrup is made basically the same way, but even easier.

As I mentioned, typically simple syrup is used for things like alcoholic and other cold drinks. But there are so many other ways to use simple syrup.

Dessert Drizzle: Drizzle this syrup on any dessert for a little extra sweetening power.
Dress Up Fruit Salad: Drizzle a bit of syrup on top of fruit salad to add sweetness and shine.
Homemade Infusions: Make blueberry, orange, basil, rosemary infused syrups for use in cocktails or mocktails-or simply use your imagination!
Candy Fruits / Peels: Use this simple syrup to candy fruit and peels.
Jellied Beans: What a fun idea to make a different kind of “jelly” beans. Here's how to do it.

Sweetener Options for Keto Simple Syrup

Note: xylitol has some carbs and calories, so it should be used in moderation on a keto diet. For this syrup, I tried xylitol, Lakanto monk fruit blend, and a stevia blend. The first two worked out great, both in terms of taste and performance.

Xylitol: The xylitol simple syrup tasted really good, and xylitol is readily available and is one of the lower cost alternative sweeteners.
Erythritol / Monk Blend (like Lakanto): This sweetener can crystallize easily, since it's mostly erythritol. The Erythritol / Monk blend worked great. I used Lakanto, but you could use any similar blend.
Stevia Blend: Stevia will dissolve fine but again, I really didn't care for the results. I tried Stevia in the Raw and added some NuNuturals extract, but it still didn't taste good.
Allulose: Allulose dissolves really well, tastes a lot like sugar, and will not recrystallize.
Swerve: Swerve is similar to Monk / Erythritol.
Bocha Sweet: I haven't tried this sweetener.
Splenda: You can also make a simple syrup from Splenda, but I don't use this sweetener due to some health concerns.

Tips for Making Keto Simple Syrup

You can use 1 cup, 1 1/2 cups, or 2 cups of xylitol for this syrup. If you take care when preparing the syrup (follow the instructions below to prevent crystallizing), you should be fine. I like the 1:1 recipe.
Erythritol will most likely crystallize if you use more than 1/2 cup of erythritol in 1 cup of water, so you'll want to enhance the sweetness of the syrup with some additional stevia.
As I mentioned, the allulose and xylitol syrups shouldn't crystallize easily, but it's still possible. Don’t stir the mixture once it's simmering.

Basic Recipe for Keto Simple Syrup

Blend sweetener in a blender / food processor until finely powdered.
Add cream of tartar, if using.
In a small pot, combine the water and the low carb sweetener(s).
Heat over low heat and stir.
Allow the mixture come to a simmer.
Once simmering, add the optional xanthan gum, salt, and vanilla, if using.

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar.

Allulose Syrup Recipe

In a large saucepan, add water, vanilla extract, allulose and cream of tartar and combine well
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and stir
Once everything is at a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and allow it to reduce. Stir occasionally.
Allow liquid to continue simmering until the liquid has reduced by half and the syrup covers the back of a wooden spoon and is thick while mixing. The color should turn a golden yellow
At this point, taste for sweetness and add 3-4 drops of liquid sucralose or stevia if you'd like it to be sweeter. This step is completely optional
While whisking, slowly sprinkle the tara gum into the liquid and combine well. The syrup should now be very thick. The syrup will thicken as it cools so don't be deceived by how thin it is at first. If after it cools, it still isn't thick enough, reheat and add another 1/8-1/4 tsp of tara gum.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and transfer to an air tight container. Allulose acts like sugar and will caramelize so make sure you stir occasionally while simmering so it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. The longer you simmer your syrup, the darker and thicker it will become. Use the tara gum sparingly, you can always add more later but you can't take away.

Other Corn Syrup Alternatives

Agave Nectar

“If I had to make a substitution, I would probably try agave first,” says New York City-based recipe developer Janine Desiderio. “It's a bit more neutral in flavor than honey, is still a liquid at room temp, and is similar in sweetness level.” To quantify that, corn syrup is usually around 77 degrees Brix (a scale used to measure the dissolved sugar solids in a liquid and frequently used to determine the solution's level of sweetness-the higher the Brix, the sweeter the syrup). Agave rings in at 65 to 79 degrees Brix. Agave's mild flavor makes it a great equal swap-in for dishes like pie or chocolate sauce, but it won't work as well for candy-making since it has different chemical properties than corn syrup.

Brown Rice Syrup

A one-to-one substitution for corn syrup at about 78 degrees Brix, and a favorite of Epi staffer Kendra Vaculin, brown rice syrup is made by breaking down rice starches into simple sugars and boiling them into syrup. It can be used for candy-making because it prevents crystallization. While the consistency is similar to corn syrup, it has light nutty flavor (almost like toasted brown rice) that’s delicious, but may not work for all dishes.

Honey

Honey won't prevent crystallization as well as corn syrup does, so it's not the best choice if you're making candy, but it's great for other uses. You can sub in equal quantities, but at around 80 degrees Brix, honey does bring a higher rate of sweetness. It also has a distinct flavor, so try to choose a mild variety like acacia or clover, unless you specifically want to add a strong taste of honey to what you're making. “It’ll take over unless it’s a very subtle honey,” says Chocolatier Michael Recchiuti of San Francisco-based Recchiuti Confections. For recipes that wouldn’t be complemented by those honey notes, Recchiuti suggests going with one of the more neutral corn syrup alternatives.

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Golden Syrup

"I love Lyle's Golden Syrup,” says New York City-based pastry chef and cookbook author Karen DeMasco. “It's not as strong as honey," she says; and that's a good thing. Recchiuti agrees: “It’s got a little bit of a slight caramel flavor, and it’s got wonderful texture,” he says. “It won’t take away from any other subtleties of the recipe.” The British pantry staple, which is a by-product of sugar refinery, can be tricky to find in American grocery stores. If you score a canister, the syrup can be substituted one-to-one for corn syrup (though it is slightly sweeter at around 82 degrees Brix) and it happens to have many of the same chemical properties as corn syrup, so it can be used in candy-making.

Black Treacle

Black treacle, an uncrystallized syrup variety popular in Britain, is a good choice for anyone looking for a substitute for dark corn syrup. This darker counterpart to golden syrup is often used in desserts like sticky toffee pudding or simply for stirring into tea. “It’s like a different, stronger version of molasses. It’s very intense,” says Recchiuti. It’s on the higher end of the Brix scale at about 80 degrees, but it also has an inherent bitterness to balance some of that sugar. While treacle does work for candy recipes, its potent and specific taste will certainly translate into the final product, so be sure the existing flavor profile of your dish will be harmonious with those dominant brown sugar and molasses notes.

Cane Syrup

Cane syrup is made by extracting the juice from raw sugar cane stalks and boiling it down until thick. It has a robust, almost smoky flavor. It's not a great substitute to use in hard candy and caramel making, but at around 65 degrees Brix, is a worthy, flavorful replacement in baking recipes like our Brown Butter Pecan Pie With Rum.

Tapioca Syrup

Derived from the starches of the cassava plant, this sweetener can be used as another one-to-one substitute for corn syrup. Recchiuti prefers it over brown rice or agave syrups, citing its similar consistency to corn syrup and noting that it easily incorporates into recipes. He also says it has a tendency to read slightly less sweet than those other alternatives, even though it has a high Brix level of around 80 degrees. Tapioca syrup can recrystallize as it sets at room temperature, so while it’s a good choice for cakes and even ice creams, Recchiuti notes that it’s not stable enough to use in certain applications he’s tested, such as marshmallows.

Sugar-Water Solution

Standard simple syrup uses a 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar to warm water, but by increasing the sugar content to a 4:1 ratio, you can create a thicker sugar syrup that’s closer to the consistency of corn syrup. This sugar solution will indeed recrystallize, but it’s a particularly apt choice for substituting light corn syrup in baked goods. Its neutral-flavored sweetness means it can seamlessly stand in for corn syrup, rather than introducing its own additional flavor.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup has a pretty specific flavor and it's a bit thinner in consistency than corn syrup, but you can still use an equal amount in most baked goods and sauces. At around 67 degrees Brix, it's slightly less sweet, but the rich flavor will carry it through, especially when subbing it in for dark corn syrup.

Stevia

Made from the leaves of the stevia plant, stevia is a healthier sweetener that is free of calories, carbohydrates, and sugar.

It may be a particularly good choice for people with diabetes because it doesn’t increase blood sugar or insulin levels the way regular sugar or corn syrup may (5, 6).

While stevia is not a suitable substitute for corn syrup in every recipe, it may be used in certain baked goods that feature corn syrup, such as pecan pie.

Because stevia is significantly sweeter than regular sugar or corn syrup, you will likely need to use it in much smaller amounts.

However, the amount of stevia you should use in place of corn syrup can depend on many factors, including the specific recipe, the type of stevia you use, and whether the stevia is combined with other sweeteners.

Molasses

Molasses is a dark, thick syrup that is a byproduct of the sugar-making process.

It’s also rich in nutrients and may help boost your intake of several key vitamins and minerals, including manganese, copper, and magnesium (8).

Molasses can be used in place of dark corn syrup in an equal amount when making baked goods, glazes, and sauces.

Alternatively, you can combine 1 part molasses with 3 parts light corn syrup to match the color, flavor, and consistency of dark corn syrup more closely.

Keystone Pantry Corn Syrup Replacer

Looking for a healthier alternative to traditional corn syrup without sacrificing sweetness or texture? Keystone Pantry Corn Syrup Replacer is here to transform your recipes.

Corn syrup has long been a staple in candy-making, baking, and sauces. Keystone Pantry Corn Syrup Replacer is a vegan and low-sugar alternative that replicates the sweetness and texture of corn syrup without the negative health consequences.

Q: Can I use this in the same amount as corn syrup in recipes?A: Yes! Keystone Pantry Corn Syrup Replacer is designed to mimic corn syrup 1:1 in most recipes.
Q: Is this safe for diabetics?A: Absolutely.
Q: Is it suitable for baking and candy-making?A: Yes!
Q: Is this product shelf-stable?A: Yes. Store in a cool, dry place.

tags: #keto #corn #syrup #alternatives