Homemade Maple BBQ Sauce Recipe

69 Comments | Jill Winger | Last Updated: June 13, 2023

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Homemade BBQ sauce intimidated me for the longest time.

Crazy, I know… Especially considering how slow-rise artisan pizza and traditional mozzarella cheese hardly make me blink.

I didn’t develop a liking for BBQ sauce until later in life so I felt unqualified to make the stuff… Not to mention everyone has a vastly different idea of what homemade BBQ sauce should be.

But I love you guys, so I decided to dive into the saucy trenches just for you. And guess what I found? It’s insanely easy… As in takes-less-than-10-minutes easy. Why was I so scared of this for so long? I have no idea. But I’m not scared anymore.

A few things you should know about this homemade BBQ sauce recipe:

It uses maple syrup as the sweetener. Because, well, I love maple syrup, and thought a deviation from the normal honey BBQ sauces would be nice. (This fact is also why my recipe was featured in Sweet Maple, (aff.) a truly delicious book authored by my friend Michelle over at SoulyRested.) This wood-fired syrup is the best in this recipe. But if you only have honey, that’ll work fine. Just substitute it for the syrup 1:1. (Oh, and make sure you’re using honest-to-goodness maple syrup–not the fake substitutes. That will make a big difference.)
Most (as in 99%) of the homemade BBQ sauces I found called for ketchup as the main ingredient. That’s OK, I guess, but if you know me, then you know how stubborn I am when it comes to making stuff from scratch. Therefore, I just had to figure out how to make it with tomato sauce/paste, instead of ketchup.
Everyone has an opinion of what constitutes the ‘perfect’ sauce. So, please, please, please taste-test this as you make it and adjust as needed. You can easily add more vinegar or molasses or whatever if you think it needs to be tangier or sweeter or whatever.

Enough of the details, onto the recipe!

2 cups tomato sauce (or one 14.5 oz can)
1 can (6 oz) of tomato paste
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (how to make your own)
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use this one)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional, but nice if you’re wanting the smokey flavor)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional– use only if you want a kick)

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Continue to mix and simmer for 10-15 minutes so all the ingredients can meld together.

Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to several weeks. You can also freeze it for longer storage.

How to Use Your Maple BBQ Sauce:

Mix into hamburger patty meat before you shape it
Pour it over the top of chicken breasts, legs, or thighs, then bake.
Use it as a glaze or mix-in for your homemade meatloaf
Use it as a sauce for homemade BBQ pizza
Serve it alongside, or on top of, pulled pork sandwiches

Homemade Maple BBQ Sauce Recipe

Author: The Prairie Homestead
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Yield: 3.5 cups 1x
Category: Condiment

Ingredients

2 cups tomato sauce (or one 14.5 oz can)
1 can (6 oz) of tomato paste
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use this salt.)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1–2 teaspoons liquid smoke (optional, but nice if you’re wanting the smokey flavor)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional– use only if you want a kick)

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Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Continue to mix and simmer for 10-15 minutes so all the ingredients can meld together.
Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to several weeks. You can also freeze it for longer storage.

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Reader Interactions

69 Comments

Heidi says
June 1, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Thank you so much! I’ve wanted to make BBQ sauce for so long, but didn’t see the point if I’m starting with ketchup, anyway. I will definitely be trying this! I’m curious if you can actually taste the maple in it. Also, do you know how to/have you ever made tomato paste? I would love to get to the point where I don’t even buy things like that from the store…I’m assuming, though, that it would take a lot of tomatoes to boil down to a worthwhile amount of paste
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- Jill Winger says
  June 5, 2016 at 4:36 pm
  No, you can’t taste much maple in it. I haven’t made my own tomato paste, mostly b/c it takes SO long to make and I’d rather just make sauce. 🙂
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  - Erin says
    February 1, 2019 at 5:09 pm
    Hi can you recommend a way to alter it so I can can it in mason jars?
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    - Debbie says
      August 21, 2019 at 10:22 pm
      Erin, I was wondering myself if it could be canned. Might make a batch to try first and then pursue the canning if I enjoy it.
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      - James P Chipman says
        May 3, 2020 at 5:56 am
        I just cook mine and put it in prepared mason jars. Leave it to cool on the counter til you hear the lid pop and your done.
- Elizabeth L. Johnson says
  November 3, 2017 at 10:19 am
  Me, too, Heidi; about getting to where you can make so much at home that I don’t need to go to the grocery store. Except I can’t raise a beef, or hog on a very steep mountain side, where me and my husband live, here in far north California (soon to be the state of Jefferson). But, we can take a deer now and then when needed, for meat and also fish in nearby Lake Shasta. Anyway, I’ve looked at my pantry, considering what we regularly consume, and said, “I can grow that in the garden, or orchard.” I can grow green beans, corn, tomatoes, do paste, and can it. I would make Jill’s BBQ sauce and can it, too. I’ve been canning excess home made soups. Why not? And replace the Campbell’s with msg, sugar, fructose, etc. in it. Over a dollar a can! I can “can” boughten bacon…the good stuff from the grocer that has no nitrates and nitrites. I’m looking forward to following Jill’s homemaking example to us full-time homemakers.
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- Nicole says
  May 3, 2020 at 9:25 am
  If you make your own tomato sauce or just stock up on an organic tomato sauce it doesn’t take too long to boil that down and reduce it, and you’ll have paste!
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Sara says
June 2, 2016 at 7:31 am
I like BBQ sauce but I’ve never made it for fear of all the ingredients and huge variety in recipes. I’ll have to give this one a go, thanks for sharing!
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- Amanda says
  June 23, 2021 at 12:48 pm
  I just tried this recipe. I think it is a very good base. My only complaint is that I find the molasses is a bit of a bully when it comes to flavour so I would add maple syrup for both parts and just a tiny amount of molasses. (molasses is so nice for the colour)
  I got wild and fried some onions in bacon grease to maybe get that bacon flavour. Once cooled I will go through it with the immersion blender to get the tiny onion bits. That should thicken a little more. I would say also that you could add more maple syrup to get the flavour but you would maybe have to add more paste or cook longer.
  If it’s already made and you want more maple flavour I would try adding maple sugar flakes. ?
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Karla Kimball says
June 8, 2016 at 9:03 am
Jill ~ this is Karla, from Idaho 🙂
Is this the same BBQ sauce recipe from what you sent me a couple years ago for Christmas?
OMG!! If it is, I will never ever ever use another BBQ sauce!! Of course, I will likely use my own fresh honey in place of maple syrup but I’m sure it will be just as awesome. Hope you and the fam are doing well…and you really do need to get into beekeeping! Plan a trip to Boise….we’d love to see you all.
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- Jill Winger says
  June 9, 2016 at 4:10 pm
  Hey lady! Hmmm… no, this is a different BBQ sauce recipe (I actually forgot about that one, haha!) but hopefully you’ll still like it, and your gorgeous honey would be FABULOUS here!
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  - Elizabeth L. Johnson says
    November 3, 2017 at 10:22 am
    Karla speaks of using honey. I heard recently that heating honey destroys nutrients and enzymes? but, how about the sweetness?
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    - Marie says
      August 21, 2019 at 3:16 pm
      I like to add some citrus in mine. I cheat right now and add frozen orange concentrate. But fresh oj and some zest at then end of cooking would be heavenly.
      reply to comment
Bethany says
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Sourdough Rye Bread Recipe [hearty + rustic]Pickled Radishes - Super Simple Recipe Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER Maple Sugar Cookies Recipe
June 8, 2016 at 4:51 pm
I’m super excited to see a BBQ sauce recipe that is truly from scratch. It drives me crazy that so many of them start off with ketchup. If I have to go to the store to buy ketchup, why don’t I just buy the BBQ sauce?? I’ll most likely be using my own honey instead of the maple syrup – the real stuff is pretty pricy here in the midwest – but the recipe sounds great. Thanks for all the awesome tips & recipes you give us!!
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- Jill Winger says
  June 9, 2016 at 4:08 pm
  Honey would be a great substitute, I think! Enjoy Bethany!
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Kathy Wells says
June 8, 2016 at 5:16 pm
This sounds delicious! I’ll be making it since I am growing a boatload of tomatoes this year, and plan on making a lot of sauce. BBQ sauce is a staple here, so if I make homemade, we’ll be sure to always have some on hand. Thanks so much for the recipe!
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- Jill Winger says
  June 9, 2016 at 4:07 pm
  You’re very welcome Kathy!
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Ann-Marie Hunter says
June 10, 2016 at 8:21 am
Firstly, I love the fact that there’s no ketchup in the recipe! Secondly, I think I’ll use some of my last season frozen tomatoes to make tomato sauce. And thirdly, the real reason I’m commenting is because I want to say hello to my fellow beekeepers! So sweet that we have that connection across borders! I’ll be using my own bees’ honey, too. ?
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- Jill Winger says
  June 14, 2016 at 4:07 am
  Love that you’re adding homegrown honey. Yum!
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Christine Frye says
June 10, 2016 at 9:47 am
Does anyone know if this recipe can be safely pressure-canned for long storage? Does it change the taste much?
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- Gillian says
  August 28, 2016 at 7:17 pm
  yes, I would like to know as well. 🙂
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  - Jessica says
    August 8, 2020 at 7:35 pm
    Made this as a single batch and my kiddos loved it so much I was thinking of multiplying the recipe and water canning it. Has anyone had luck? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Mari says
June 10, 2016 at 11:10 am
Recently I made pulled pork in my new slow cooker for the first time using its recipe that was included in the slow cooker. The recipe was to pour 2 18ozs of BBQ sauce over 3 to 4 pounds of pork butt. I had hesitated to use bottled BBQ, but it being my first pulled pork, I had to try and see the results. I am most interested in making my own BBQ sauce, but would I need to double the recipe for the sauce to cover the entire pork? Or is there another way to cook the pork butt before adding the BBQ sauce for pulled pork?
Mari
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- Jill Winger says
  June 14, 2016 at 4:06 am
  Hi Mari,
  Here’s how I do my pork butt/shoulder: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/06/slow-cooker-pulled-pork-recipe.html
  And then I like to just add the sauce in once it’s shredded. You can absolutely cook it in the sauce, too, but we just prefer ours added afterwards. Hope that helps!
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Ali says
June 15, 2016 at 12:52 pm
Have you found a clean worcestershire sauce to use? I have been trying to eliminate using it as I haven’t been able to find one without junk in its ingredients. So frustrating because it definitely has a flavor that you would miss in most things that call for it. For example mine has corn syrup, caramel color, natural flavorings (from soy), and xanthan gum. Anyone make their own worcestershire or know of one without these ingredients?
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Kendrick says
November 19, 2016 at 1:48 pm
Great recipe Jill,
It looks delicious and so easy to make.
I think it will taste amazing.
I am going to try and make it tomorrow.
Thank You!
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- Jill Winger says
  November 21, 2016 at 8:55 pm
  Enjoy!
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Paula S. says
November 24, 2016 at 6:49 am
I just got on line and down loaded 3 ketchup recipes to make at home. No need to use store bought.
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Bethany says
December 7, 2016 at 8:08 am
Hi, Ali! My husband is a Worcesterschire sauce fanatic (I think I could wear it as a perfume and he would love it!) I followed this W. Sauce recipe from Food Renegade exactly and it functioned fairly well in recipes. I did find that the flavor improved as it aged/fermented in the refrigerator. http://www.foodrenegade.com/homemade-worcesterschire-sauce/
Also used this W. sauce recipe in my own recipe for Meatloaf Scramble (found here on my food blog at http://www.aspoonfullofyum.com/meatloaf-scramble/ and it worked well. I need to make a new batch now!
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- Jill Winger says
  December 7, 2016 at 9:29 am
  Ha! W. sauce as perfume— the mental image made me giggle. 🙂 Thanks for the recipes!
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Briana says
December 29, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Trying this out tonight. Added cinnamon, used Montreal Steak Spice and a bit of adobo sauce for flavour. A little extra molasses too. Looking good so far. I this this would be good with sautéed minced garlic and onions to start things off. Tastes a bit too tomatoey as written, but I am hoping it will come together with more time to simmer. Thanks for the recipe!
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- Jill Winger says
  January 3, 2017 at 10:12 am
  Hope it turns out perfect for you!
  reply to comment
  See Also
  The best simple, quick, & easy homemade hot fudge sauce recipe
Carol C says
January 25, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Can you safely use the water bath canning method with this BBQ sauce.
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- Jill Winger says
  January 27, 2017 at 2:47 pm
  This recipe isn’t written for canning. However, here’s a recipe that is: https://www.freshpreserving.com/barbecue-sauce—ball-recipes-br1138.html
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- Kim E says
  November 20, 2017 at 10:38 am
  Did you try canning this BBQ sauce? How did it turn out?
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Jennifer says
February 15, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Homemade Sauces!!!!! My mom loves making different type of sauces, but I never tried. I think I will make this and surprise her for Valentines Day! Homemade BBQ sauce stored in Infinity Jars (which mom uses too) will definitely make a perfect valentine gift. https://infinityjars.com/collections/screw-top-jars
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Kyla says
February 22, 2017 at 9:56 am
This is honestly the best BBQ sauce I’ve ever tasted. I can keep it in the house. Thanks so much for sharing. It’s a staple for us!
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- Jill Winger says
  March 5, 2017 at 10:50 am
  Yay!! Glad you are enjoying it!
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Julie says
March 22, 2017 at 8:47 am
Thank you for this recipe. I just finished making it. It tastes awesome. I was looking for a recipe that I could use my homemade maple syrup in. This last batch of syrup has a smoky flavor so I don’t want to use it on pancakes, but putting it in BBQ sauce was perfect. I added just a touch of honey at the end and it perfect.
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chris farcia says
April 22, 2017 at 12:43 pm
being in Vermont with a never ending supply of maple syrup cant wait to twist this up
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- Jill Winger says
  April 25, 2017 at 12:01 pm
  I may be slightly jealous of your never-ending syrup supply!
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Melissa Taylor says
October 25, 2017 at 6:57 am
This sounds great for gift giving! Have you canned it?
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Daryle in VT says
November 1, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Hi Jill,
You have a good BBQ sauce! The real trick is understanding that BBQ sauce is not cooking sauce, but a finishing sauce. It is to be used in the last ten to fifteen minutes of cooking to add a glaze of flavor to what ever is on the grill.
I’ve been making Green Mountain Barbecue Glaze for nearly 20 years. It seems to be remarkably similar to your fine sauce. Of course, there is only so much one can do to make BBQ sauce!
Mine starts out with two (2) # 10 cans of Heinz ketchup … a quart of Vermont maple syrup … an entire bottle of Lea & Perrin’s Worcestershire sauce … plus a few other things, including a six-pack of Harpoon India Pale Ale. I heat the goods to only 185 degrees F., just to blend … wouldn’t want to blow up the ale.
Then it’s bottled and processed in a boiling water bath to finish the cooking.
I use some myself and give away the rest. No one has ever refused a second bottle.
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- Jacquie Robichaud says
  August 20, 2020 at 1:53 pm
  Have you ever tested the ph of this sauce to know if it is safe? I would love to make it but a little worried.
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Sabreena says
November 1, 2017 at 1:42 pm
I make my own ketchup so I’m not seeing what you have against that. It tastes so much better than store bought and is so much better for you. I would love to see the recipe with that.
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DeAnna says
November 3, 2017 at 9:12 am
My husband made this BBQ sauce last night.He ended up doubling the maple syrup, and adding a Tbls. of brown sugar.(we like sweet bbq) It was great. just have to let it simmer for a while.
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deb says
March 4, 2018 at 1:15 pm
I have some homemade maple syrup that is cooked down to almost candy. I want to use 1/2 cup of that instead.
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Susan says
March 15, 2018 at 12:37 pm
I will try it and use honey instead of molasses. Molasses is so bad for you.
For a healthy sauce use organic maple syrup only, and make sure the tomatoes sauce and paste are organic and no sugar added. I’ll let you know how it works out. Doctors orders no processed foods or sugars. But how can you do summer without bbq sauce.
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- GrillEver says
  February 17, 2020 at 11:28 am
  Thank you so much for this quick recipe. In fact i was looking for such an easy recipe. My family loves to eat pizza. It’s essential to make pizza. It’s a lot of trouble to always buy BBQ sauce from the store.Thanks so much for getting me out of this problem. Now i am looking for a recipe so that i can use my homemade maple syrup in.
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  - Kayla- Prairie Homestead Assistant says
    February 17, 2020 at 2:21 pm
    So glad you like this recipe! 🙂
    reply to comment
Anna says
May 11, 2018 at 6:04 am
Great recipe Jill,
This looks delicious. Yummy. My mouth starts to water now. Going to try this at weekend for my husband and friends to “taste” this. Nice job!
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Jane says
May 17, 2018 at 9:31 pm
Can we make this “spicy” sauce by adding more chili? What do you recommend? I will try this out. One with original recipe, and one with some new ingredients. Then I will give you reviews.
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Mark says
May 26, 2018 at 4:12 pm
oh man!!!!! This is GOOD!!!!!! I doubled the molasses, only because I like molasses! lol! I can’t wait to get it on some ribs!
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Ann says
July 4, 2018 at 10:06 am
Looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe
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Johny says
October 6, 2018 at 3:26 am
So look great! I like BBQ
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Paul says
August 28, 2019 at 5:45 am
Everything has to be from scratch! No ketchup! What’s the first ingredient on the list? Canned tomato sauce. How disappointing.
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- Ed Matthews says
  November 8, 2019 at 10:30 pm
  One thing about using ketchup is to use the right brand. You need to use HUNTS….not Heinz . Hunts has NO added preservatives. Hunts is 100% pure maters. I use 2 cups in my recipe. I read a comment above asking whether one could taste the Maple and the lady said “No” ! So why use it? Not saying its not good the way she prepare’s it. What does Tomato Sauce have in it? I don’t use T-paste either. BTW, a little brown sugar and honey wouldn’t hurt either, no salt..use Anchovies, Tamarind Paste, one whole onion chopped and sauteed. My stuff takes about 2 1/2 hrs. to cook (simmer) and then pureed .
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tausili logoleo says
December 28, 2019 at 12:32 am
Looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
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Varun Sharma says
April 23, 2020 at 1:14 am
Very good. Just the right amount of heat. My whole family loved it. This will be my new Barbecue sauce recipe.
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- Kayla- Prairie Homestead Assistant says
  April 27, 2020 at 1:24 pm
  So glad to hear that!
  reply to comment
Anna B says
April 26, 2020 at 3:21 pm
I love how quickly this came together! My husband has to be careful about how much sugar and salt he eats and this was great and customizable on both. I used 1.5 tsp liquid smoke, Hot Hungarian Paprika omitting the cayenne and added about a tbsp of butter to finish at the end and wow it came out tasty. I made it using the sauté function in my instant pot and added a frozen quart size container of shredded pork I’d big batch cooked previously. The whole thing was done in an hour with only about 10 minutes of hands on time, awesome for those days when your kids are swinging from the ceiling fans 😉 My 2 year old devoured it and wanted to eat the sauce on its own. Thanks for the great recipe!!
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- Kayla- Prairie Homestead Assistant says
  April 27, 2020 at 1:09 pm
  That’s awesome! So glad you found this recipe helpful!
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kiyomikhan says
October 8, 2020 at 8:46 pm
use to flat-top gas grills to cook the dish whatever you want, To own a flat top grill visit https://flattopgrillzz.com
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kiyomikhan says
October 8, 2020 at 8:52 pm
use flat top gas grills to cook the dish whatever you want. To own a flat top grill visit https://flattopgrillzz.com
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Matt H says
March 18, 2021 at 3:30 pm
I made this sauce with a few small modifications. My father-in-law makes maple syrup so I decided to use some of that syrup in this sauce. I added 1/2 cup syrup instead of 1/4 b/c I really wanted that sweetness to come through. I used regular salt at 1/2 teaspoon but I also added a 1/2 teaspoon of siracha salt I have on hand. This combinations balances the sweet and adds a little heat on the backside. I love that this recipe uses tomato sauce/paste combo instead of ketchup. I always feel it’s cheating to use a ketchup base, though I do see the appeal for some home cooks. I put this on smoked ribs that I made while at the cabin boiling sap with the family. I can’t wait until I can cook with this again (I’m thinking burgers)!
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Devit Clark says
April 28, 2021 at 8:14 am
wow, what a great food idea. I am really glad to you find your blog get the good and healthy idea food . Thanks
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Lori j Mobley says
May 14, 2021 at 9:18 am
This was really good with my chicken!! Also, I love that it gave me another use for my dehydrated tomato flakes! (I used them to make the tomato paste) Thanks for another great recipe Jill!!
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Donna Marie says
July 6, 2022 at 8:35 am
This looks like a great recipe .. I abhor liquid smoke but a bit of smoked paprika usually does the same job. I’ll have to try the recipe with paprika.
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Charleen Nelin says
June 18, 2023 at 1:22 pm
I’m surprised that you didn’t use your dehydrated tomatoes to make your sauce and paste.
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