Homemade Balsamic Glaze Recipe
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This Homemade Balsamic Glaze recipe is easy to make with just two ingredients. Delicious on meats, vegetables, pasta, fruits, and desserts! This makes the best balsamic glaze!
There are so many recipes that I mention using balsamic glaze which usually leads to questions: what is it? where do you get it? what does it taste like? So, I thought it was past high time for me to share my own super simple recipe for homemade balsamic glaze that is a must-have in my kitchen!
The best part?
It takes two ingredients (and you probably already have them on hand!) and takes about 15 minutes to make!
How awesome is that?
Table of Contents
How to Make Balsamic Glaze Recipe
What is Balsamic Glaze?
Balsamic glaze is the result of the blend of balsamic vinegar and a sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar, that has been cooked down until it forms into this amazingly scrumptious thick, syrupy concoction.
You can of course purchase balsamic glaze from the grocery store. It is usually sold alongside the balsamic vinegar and it is generally in a little squeeze bottle. There are numerous brands available to choose from, but once I started making my own, I never looked back!
Remember how I said that my homemade balsamic glaze is made with just two ingredients? Well, sometimes for the fun of it, just take a look at the lengthy ingredient list on the bottle at the stores. There are definitely more than two! 🙂
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
Balsamic Vinegar
Start with a good balsamic vinegar.
Traditional balsamic vinegar is made in the Modena and neighboring Reggio Emilia regions in Italy and will be marked on the bottles. Again, there are so many options available at the grocery store and in a huge range of prices. Buy the one in the price range that is best for you.
Sweetener
Use your favorite type of sweetener of the three choices.
- Honey – Adds a hint of honey flavor based on the flavor of the honey used. I love to use local honey whenever possible.
- Maple syrup – Adds a slight maple-flavored richness to the balsamic glaze
- Brown sugar – Adds a richer, molasses flavor to the balsamic glaze.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the balsamic vinegar and sweetener. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey (or sweetener of choice) to a small non-reactive pot set on a cooktop over medium heat.
Simmer. Once it begins to bubble (but not boil!), reduce the heat and let it simmer until it has reduced by half and easily coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
Cool the balsamic glaze. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. Pour it into a glass bottle and store it in the refrigerator to use. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but we generally go through it fairly quickly.
You can size the recipe based on what you need – double it if you want to make enough to use in numerous recipes or halve it if you just want to make a little bit to serve over a salad.
Non-Reactive vs Reactive Cookware
Non-reactive cookware is made of stainless steel, glass, enamelware, or ceramic coated. Use it when cooking with acidic items such as vinegar, lemon juice, or tomatoes.
Reactive cookware is made of iron, copper, and non-stainless steel.
Some Favorite Recipes Using Balsamic Glaze
- Drizzled Over Caprese Salad
- With Roasted Vegetables
- Grilled Chicken and Peach Salad
- Watermelon and Feta Appetizer Bites
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Spooned over fresh fruit, especially strawberries. It brings out the sweetness!
Storage Tips
To store. Pour cooled balsamic glaze into an airtight glass jar (such as a Mason jar) or a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Other Favorite Balsamic Recipes
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
White Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
Yes. This recipe can easily be halved if you are making a small amount or increased by double (or more) if you want to make a larger batch to use and share with friends! It makes a wonderful gift!
The sweetener used can make the final balsamic glaze sweeter or less sweet. I recommend that you try the recipe as written with your sweetener of choice for the first time and then determine if you would like to reduce the sweetness in the future. Then adjust accordingly.
Here’s my Homemade Balsamic Glaze recipe. I hope you make it soon! Let me know what you love it on the most!
Homemade Balsamic Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey, or maple syrup or brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat the balsamic vinegar and sweetener. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey (or sweetener of choice) to a small non-reactive pot set on a cooktop over medium heat.
- Simmer. Once it begins to bubble (but not boil!), reduce the heat and let it simmer until it has reduced by half and easily coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
- Cool the balsamic glaze. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hi All and Robyn,
1st time checking out your site, lots of wonderful things here. Just thought I would throw in here that, I make this every 6 months or so, and even though it is not “your” recipe, it is still the same process and ingredients. Yours is done by measurements, and mine is just, well that should be enough, taste and decide process. Anyways, thanks for the actual measurements. I have made mine for about 20 years now. I always store it in a glass bottle, but it resides on the shelf in the pantry, with the other sauces. Having had a restaurant (many years ago) we made this for our kitchen. It stores with no problems out of the fridge for at least 6 months. I usually make about 16 ounces finished size at a time, so that is how I have gauged our use. Yes, sometimes, I make it more often, but that is about the average. I usually use the brown sugar, not sure why I never tried the honey, but our bees made a surplus this last year, so that is on the agenda now, thank you. The Creamy Steak Fettuccine on Delish is what brought me to your page for your balsamic reduction. I decided I would see what other people did for that.
Hi Debbie,
Welcome to Add a Pinch! Thank you for letting us know how you bottle and store your balsamic glaze. I hope you find many more recipes here that you will enjoy making! xo
This was great! Keep in the frig and use all the time. Your recipes are well written which I appreciate.
Thank you so much, Carrie!
Hi, Robyn.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made a batch of this balsamic glaze a couple of weeks ago to drizzle over baked salmon; fantastic! Last night, I used it on a green salad with tomato and cucumber and it was the bomb! I am making a double batch today to make sure I have enough on hand 🙂
Hi Kate,
Love how you used this glaze on such different recipes. I always like to keep some on hand in my refrigerator since there are so many uses for this. Thanks!
I made a Caprese chicken lasagna and it called for balsamic glaze and I didn’t have any and couldn’t find it at the store near my house so I use your recipe and it was amazing on my lasagna thank you very much for sharing
Would like to know which brand of balsamic vinegar used.Was it the thin stuff on the grocery shelf or the thick balsamic vinegar. Hoping it’s the thin since the other is about $30 a bottle.
Delicious! Right after I made it for the first time, I ordered a cute little jar to make more and store. I see you say that you keep yours on the fridge. When I did that, mine got very, very thick. Does this happen to yours?? Is keeping it on the shelf an option, or do I need to keep it on the fridge?
Thanks!
Steph
Hi Stephanie,
I’m so glad you love this balsamic glaze! I think it is just magical! I do store mine in the refrigerator. I know that the high acidity and sugar should prevent bacteria growth, but I’m always conservative on food safety. 🙂
Hi, I made this divine thing 😋 and it’s was liked by everyone. How long can we store it in the refrigerator?
Try it on crispy deep fried brussel sprouts. You will he amazed!
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I tried it using the honey and it was very good. The half cup actually reduced to a quarter cup which was just enough.
Thanks Linda! xo
How long do you believe this will last in storage??
Awesome quick and simple !