Brown rice syrup is an unusual ingredient that isn’t used frequently in Western cuisine. Over the years, as the skies have opened up, opportunities for many of us to travel for holidays, business trips, and even relocate, so more and more foreign food and ingredients have made their way into the country and onto our dinner tables.
This article is all about brown rice syrup. From how to use it, to fun and easy recipes for you to try, by the time you finish reading this post, you should feel like an expert. I hope the information in this article helps you!
What is Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice syrup is a natural sweetener that has about half the sweetness of sugar. It is mildly sweet with a nutty aftertaste, and many people say that it tastes a lot like butterscotch.
It comes in a mason jar and it is usually sold in Asian shops and online, so you might struggle to find it in your local supermarket. Stores that sell vegan produce will probably stock brown rice syrup as it is a great vegan syrup with lots of uses. I must warn you that the price is a lot higher than other syrups on the market, so make sure you use it sparingly.
You won’t need to refrigerate brown rice syrup; however, refrigeration will make it last longer. You can keep an opened jar of syrup for up to a year, which is plenty of time to use up.
How Can I Use Brown Rice Syrup
If you have a jar of brown rice syrup in your pantry that needs to be used up, then the following are perfect for the job. You can use this syrup as a topping or as the sugar component in recipes. Here are some examples:
On Pancakes and Waffles
Why not slather your pancakes or waffles with this delicious syrup instead of the regular maple syrup or honey.
Ice cream dressing
Take your ice cream to the next level and pour some brown rice syrup over the top. If you are watching your sugar intake but still have a sweet tooth, brown rice syrup is the ideal option. It has a glycemic index of 98, which is higher than sugar, but it is considered to be better for you and offers more health benefits than regular table sugar.
Tea and Coffee
Have you ever tried using brown rice syrup in your tea or coffee instead of sugar? It is particularly tasty in homemade bubble teas or iced frappes. Try it out for yourself and see what you think!
Cakes and Confectionery
Brown rice syrup is particularly common in cakes and confectionery that are marketed not to contain refined sugars. You can use it instead of maple syrup in
maple cakes, cupcakes, and even banana bread.
Vegan and Gluten-Free No-Bake Items
Vegan no-bake cakes and biscuits more often than not contain brown rice syrup. Honey is not vegan, and maple sugar isn’t a healthy sugar syrup, so brown rice sugar is the perfect sweetener with just the right amount of stickiness to hold the dessert together.
Recipes

Brown Rice Syrup Toffee
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup Chopped Almonds
- Dark Chocolate
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Brown Rice Syrup
Instructions
- Line a pan with foil and lightly grease the foil. For this recipe, you should use an 8x8 pan.
- Melt 1 cup unsalted butter and 1 cup gluten-free brown rice syrup and stir frequently.
- Once the butter has melted, place a candy thermometer into the pan so that you can monitor its temperature.
- Put the mixture on high heat and stir it continuously until it reaches 270 degrees.
- Take the mixture off the heat and stir 3/4 cup chopped almonds before pouring it into the lined pan and letting it cool.
- Melt some dark chocolate and spread it over the toffee. I recommend melting about six ounces of chocolate, but you can use more if you like a thick layer on top of your toffee.
- Refrigerate and serve once the chocolate and toffee have completely cooled.

Rice Crispy Treats
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup brown rice syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 4 cups brown rice crisp cereal
Instructions
- Mix brown rice sugar and coconut oil in a pan
- Bring the mixture to a boil and constantly stir for a minute and a half.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt.
- Put the cereal into a large mixing bowl and mix well until all of the cereal is coated evenly.
- Tightly pack the rice crispy mixture into a lined tray and press until the mixture is flat.
- Refrigerate to cool and cut into wedges.
Notes

Caramel Popcorn Bites
Ingredients
- 3 bags microwave popcorn (plain)
- 1 cup brown rice syrup
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2/3 cup dairy-free butter
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Open three bags of ready-made popcorn and pour them into a bowl. Remove and dispose of un-popped kernels.
- Melt the butter and pour in the coconut sugar, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, and salt into a pan.
- Cook the mixture until it thickens and begins to bubble. This usually takes about five minutes, but you need to keep an eye on it to ensure the caramel doesn't burn.
- Add the vanilla extract into the pan before folding in the popcorn.
- Mold the popcorn into balls. You can put lollipop sticks into the balls to make them easier and less messy to eat.
- Chill and serve.
Notes
Nutritional Values
Brown rice syrup is made from brown rice, so you might presume that it is a healthy ingredient, but you would be mistaken. This highly refined and concentrated syrup is packed full of calories and carbohydrates. It will also cause your blood sugar levels to rise through the roof, so avoid using it if you suffer from diabetes and similar health conditions.
Storing Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice syrup can pretty much be forgotten about even if you have opened it as long as you store it correctly. You can store it in the pantry or in the refrigerator. If the brown rice sugar that you purchased didn’t come in a glass resealable container, then I recommend transferring it into one to help keep it nice and fresh.
Note: Brown rice syrup is much like any other sweet treat in that it attracts ants and other sugar-loving insects. You will probably find ants and other insects in brown rice syrup that haven’t been closed properly, especially if it isn’t stored in the refrigerator.
You May Also Like: Keto Maple Syrup Recipe
Final Thoughts
You certainly won’t regret investing in a bottle of brown rice syrup as it will come in handy. If you see yourself as a foodie and like to experiment with lots of different recipes, then you will come across a recipe that calls for brown rice syrup that will catch you by surprise.
If you come across brown rice syrup in your local supermarket and you don’t have any at home, then buy it! It can be hard to purchase, and you never know when you might need it. Have fun experimenting with it, and let me know what your favorite thing to make with it is!