National Maple Syrup Day is celebrated on December 17 each year. Pure maple syrup, made by boiling down the sap of maple trees, is one of North America's oldest and most beloved foods. It's poured over pancakes and waffles, stirred into oatmeal, baked into treats and used to glaze vegetables and meats. The day celebrates this sweet tradition and the farmers who make it.
History of National Maple Syrup Day
Indigenous peoples of northeastern North America, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, were the first to collect maple sap and boil it into syrup and sugar, long before Europeans arrived. They cut slashes in trees, collected sap in birch bark containers, and used heated stones or fires to evaporate the water.
European settlers learned these methods and began using iron kettles and later metal spouts and buckets. In the 1800s, maple sugar was an important sweetener in rural areas, and some abolitionists promoted it as an alternative to cane sugar produced by enslaved labor.
Today, maple syrup is made mainly in Quebec, which produces most of the world's supply, and in the U.S. states of Vermont, New York, Maine, Wisconsin and others. Vermont is the leading U.S. producer. Producers now use tubing systems and evaporators, but the basic process is the same: about 40 gallons of sap are boiled down to make one gallon of syrup. Who created National Maple Syrup Day is not documented.
Why National Maple Syrup Day Matters
Maple syrup connects us to Indigenous knowledge and one of the oldest food traditions in North America.
It supports family farms, called sugarbushes, especially in the Northeast and Canada.
Pure maple syrup is a natural sweetener with a complex flavor, and learning the difference between real maple syrup and pancake syrup made from corn syrup can help shoppers choose.
How to Celebrate National Maple Syrup Day
- Make pancakes: drizzle pure maple syrup on top.
- Cook with maple: glaze carrots, salmon or Brussels sprouts.
- Try maple candy: make maple taffy on snow.
- Read labels: compare pure maple syrup with pancake syrup.
- Visit a sugarhouse: plan a trip during spring sugaring season.
Celebrating at Work, School and Home
At work, a pancake breakfast with real maple syrup makes a cozy winter treat. In classrooms, students can learn how Indigenous peoples made maple sugar, calculate the sap-to-syrup ratio, or watch a video of sap being boiled. At home, families can make maple taffy by pouring hot syrup onto clean snow (with adult help), bake maple cookies or try maple in savory recipes. Real maple syrup should be refrigerated after opening.
Fun Facts About National Maple Syrup Day
- About 40 gallons of sap make one gallon of maple syrup.
- Quebec produces most of the world's maple syrup.
- Vermont is the leading U.S. producer.
National Maple Syrup Day FAQs
When is National Maple Syrup Day?
National Maple Syrup Day is celebrated on December 17 each year.
How is maple syrup made?
Sap from maple trees is collected and boiled to evaporate water until it becomes syrup.
How much sap does it take to make maple syrup?
About 40 gallons of sap make one gallon of syrup.
Who first made maple syrup?
Indigenous peoples of northeastern North America first made maple syrup and sugar.
Where is most maple syrup made?
Quebec produces most of the world's maple syrup; Vermont leads in the U.S.
Does maple syrup need to be refrigerated?
Yes, pure maple syrup should be refrigerated after opening.