Do you know what sugar sand (nitre)is? Do you also know that sugar sand is full of minerals and other nutrients essential to a body’s well-being?
You probably don’t know what sugar sand is, just like I didn’t until a few years ago because in the world of commercially produced maple syrup the sugar sand is carefully filtered out through multiple straining methods until the finished product is perfectly clear! The only reason to filter all the sugar sand from maple syrup is to have a more appealing product. This explains why commercial syrup producers strain their syrup so meticulously. Their profit margins depend on it!
As a home sugar-er the filtration process almost became a stumbling block to me. Because I couldn’t get a perfectly clear finished product, I started researching sugar sand!
That’s when I learned that it’s beneficial and not harmful! I learned that there is absolutely no reason for me to try and filter out the sugar sand at all! It all settles to the bottom of the jar and as we use the clear, more appealing maple syrup from the top of the jar to top our pancakes, in our coffee, and to top our yogurt parfaits. The sugar sand settles to the bottom of our jars, and we use this less appealing portion of the maple syrup in baking! When the sugar sand is mixed into the maple syrup in the rest of the jar there is no texture or taste difference. However, when the sugar sand is concentrated at the bottom of the jar it will have a slightly bitter after taste and a grittier texture. Not as gritty as the name sand might imply, but a slightly grainier texture than pure maple syrup. Not unpleasant in my opinion, just not what one expects from pure maple syrup. This texture and taste are not detectable in baked goods.
Here is one of the recipes that I have developed to help us use the less appealing portion of our home-made maple syrup.
Printing the recipe below in the recipe card is an option, or I have included my favorite way to write out recipes in a PDF, feel free to download using the button below!
8 Responses
It’s the second time I make this recipe in the last 2 weeks. Those cookies are amazing and I usually don’t like recipes that use so many ingredients, but it’s definitely worth it !
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!!
Maybe I can get some “real” maple syrup 🍁” from my 2nd cousin this summer, while visiting kin in Michigan ❤️
Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful and tasty looking cookies with me.
I wrote it down and can’t wait to make them.
Love peace and happiness prosperity blessings to you and your beautiful family ❤️💯
I love baking with pure maple syrup…I buy mine through Azure Standard…I generally use 1/2 the amount…it is so lovely!!!
Thank you so much for this recipe 💕
Can you leave the flax seed out?
You could but will then need to add more flour or oats since the flax seed is a dry ingredient.
Hi RuthAnn, this recipe looks delicious. I wonder if I can sub the maple syrup with something else since I don’t always have that ingredient.