Ingredients
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 80 g melted butter
- 180 ml Quebec maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 180 ml milk
Method
- Heat the oven to 175 °C and line a 20 cm square pan.
- Whisk flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine butter, maple syrup, egg, and milk; stir into the dry ingredients.
- Spread in the pan and bake for 20–22 minutes, until set.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g brown sugar
Conversion used: Replace 200 g brown sugar with 180 ml maple syrup; reduce milk by 60 ml and lower the oven by 15 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple reinforces gingerbread's warm spice profile and keeps the squares tender with a local, less processed sweetener.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →