Costco Sells Real Maple Syrup at a Budget-Friendly Price

I have been lucky enough to live in six different states throughout the Northeast, New England, Mid-Atlantic and South of the United States. All of those different homes gave me new experiences, unique cuisines to explore and ingredients to include in my repertoire. From zesty Alabama white sauce to Old Bay seasoning, the food of a city or region has a way of making a lasting impact more than just about anything else. That is certainly true for Vermont, which my family has called home for the past six years.

When you think of iconic food from the Green Mountain State, you likely think about real maple syrup. Afterall, maple is the official flavor of Vermont. Of course I had plenty of maple syrup growing up in central New York, but that sweet flavor is in just about everything here in Vermont. From baked goods like cookies and donuts to more savory applications like salad dressings or barbecue sauce, and even CBD sparkling water, we go through a lot of syrup here in Vermont. Considering it takes about 40 gallons of sap to reduce down to a single gallon, real maple syrup is pretty expensive. Luckily, Costco has an affordable solution for us maple lovers.

Real Maple Syrup

When I talk about maple syrup, I’m not talking about the sugary artificially-flavored pancake syrup you may have had as a kid. I’m talking about the naturally antioxidant-rich product that comes from slowly cooking down sap harvested from maple trees in the spring. Sugar makers drill a tap into a maple tree, which needs to be at least about 40 years old, and collect the sap in buckets or through a network of tubing sent to a larger container. Once enough sap is collected, sugar makers often use a reverse osmosis machine to start removing some of the water from the sap. Ultimately, though, the process requires boiling the sap long enough to cook out the water and thicken the liquid into a syrup.

Come spring, a lot of us Vermonters thaw out our frozen bones and head to a local sugarshack, which opens its doors so we can watch the maple-making process, try this year’s harvest and sample a wide array of products. Of course there are mounds of fluffy pancakes and crunchy waffles, but there’s also ice cream (or what Vermonters call creemees), maple candy and sugar on snow. We always buy some of the new season’s syrup to support our local sugar makers.

A Great Value

Outside of sugar season, I like to buy maple syrup from Costco. Here in Vermont we can buy Combs Family Farm Maple Syrup (elsewhere in the country you will likely have Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup). It’s $14.99 for a 1.05-liter jug of real maple syrup, which is an incredible value considering we typically spend at least twice that much elsewhere. Seriously, our everyday local grocery store sells a small 8-ounce container for $8. And Costco’s maple syrup is the same high quality we buy from our local sugarshacks. 

There are many great deals at Costco for avid home cooks—especially single ingredients like all-purpose flour, olive oil or nuts—but the value for maple syrup is one of the absolute best. That great price wouldn’t mean much if you had to use up that large quantity of maple quickly. Luckily, however, it will last a long time stored in the refrigerator (you can also transfer some to freezer-safe containers and store it in the freezer for even longer). We go through a jug of Costco maple syrup every couple of months, and we’ve never had an issue with it spoiling.

How to Use Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is ideal in a wide range of applications. It has a unique flavor that is not just sweet but also subtly toasty, warm and rich yet refreshing. We use a splash in our morning coffee, both hot and iced, or to flavor our plain yogurt. I love to mix in a teaspoon or two when I’m making balsamic vinaigrette to complement the natural sweetness of the vinegar. And it’s my go-to sweetener for granola and overnight oats. I also use it as a substitute anytime a recipe calls for honey, as I often have a hard time digesting this other natural sweetener.

Beyond these more obvious uses, I love to add maple syrup to marinades for chicken breasts or pork tenderloin. A little introduces a nice toasty sweetness and encourages browning. I also like to toss brussels sprouts with maple syrup, mustard and olive oil and roast for a delicious fall side. Maple syrup is especially tasty mixed with pungent miso and spread on a side of salmon. And it’s a perfect addition to warm cocktails.

The Bottom Line

Maple syrup is a delicious alternative to regular granulated sugar, as it has a unique flavor and the benefit of antioxidants. But it tends to be quite expensive, as it takes about 40 gallons of sap to boil down to 1 gallon of syrup. That is why buying high-quality real maple syrup from Costco is such a great value. You can get a 1.05-liter jug of maple syrup for about $15, and if it’s stored in the refrigerator, it can last for quite a long time. It’s a great price for a product that is so delicious and versatile.