This deliciously creamy Cinnamon Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is so easy to make and takes less than 5 minutes to whip up! Tangy, sweet, and packed with flavor, this dressing is perfect for salads, pastas, or even marinades! (vegan & gluten-free)
Absolutely in love with this Cinnamon Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette! It’s completely dairy free, deliciously creamy, and perfectly balanced between tangy and sweet from the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. It’s packed with flavor from the garlic, herbs and cinnamon and my favorite part is that you hardly need to use any because it’s so flavorful, which means less calories!
The Best Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette
I also love this homemade Cinnamon Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette because it’s super versatile. You can drizzle it over something sweet like a spinach and fruit salad, or something savory like a quinoa bowl with sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts and rotisserie chicken. We love it on salads, pasta, or even as a marinade for meats. Seriously I can’t think of anything at the moment that this dressing wouldn’t taste good on haha. Okay, maybe not ice cream 🙂
But in all seriousness.
My dreams are made of this stuff…
I mean, just look at that yummy goodness drizzled all over this Blackberry Mango Chicken Salad! (Recipe Coming Soon)
Oh, and did I mention that this dressing is ridiculously easy to make? It takes less than 5 minutes to whip up in a blender, and only a handful of ingredients! I store it in my fridge for a few weeks, or freeze leftovers if I know I won’t be using it. Then just pull it out and let it thaw on the counter for an hour or two before using again!
Tips for making Cinnamon Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Use high quality olive oil. I especially love Carapelli EVOO.
- Use good-quality aged balsamic vinegar. Make sure it contains no added sugars! You want pure vinegar (thin), not the thick syrupy balsamic reductions.
- Use real, 100% pure maple syrup. This is NOT the cheap syrup you buy for pancakes (Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth, Aunt Jemima, etc.) although you can usually find it next to these items in grocery stores.
- Fresh herbs – yes, I know it’s a little more pricy and a hassle chopping it up, but it’s SO worth it. Trust me.
My Favorite Salad Dressings
Looking for other awesome salad dressings or marinades? Check out these!
- Strawberry Poppyseed Dressing
- Best Greek Salad Dressing
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing with Honey from my friend Tania at Cooking For My Soul
So without further ado, here is my absolute favorite balsamic vinaigrette.
PrintCinnamon Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
This deliciously creamy Cinnamon Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette is so easy to make and takes less than 5 minutes to whip up! Tangy, sweet, and packed with flavor, this dressing is perfect for salads, pastas, or even marinades! (gluten free & vegan)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
- 2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients (except the fresh herbs) in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until the ingredients until emulsified and creamy.
- Pour the vinaigrette into a mason jar (or whatever container you are going to store/serve it in), add the fresh herbs and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks or freeze.
Notes
- To thaw frozen dressing, just place it on the counter at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving. If needed you can microwave in 10 second intervals (stirring in-between) till just thawed.
Keywords: dressing, salad dressing, balsamic vinaigrette, maple balsamic vinaigrette, cinnamon maple balsamic vinaigrette
Love this sweet and tangy flavor! Such a delicious dressing to have on hand. They’re so much better than store bought! This is definitely going on the to-make list!
★★★★★
Aren’t homemade dressings the best?! This is definitely one of my new favorites, hope you enjoy!
This looks great! Isn’t it amazing what a difference a great salad dressing can make? I never buy dressing anymore! Why bother when you can make your own so easily! Can’t wait to try out this new recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks! It’s so yummy and we put it on EVERYTHING haha. Hope you like it as much as we do!
How delicious! I loveee maple syrup in my dressings!! What a great idea to add cinnamon! This recipe is definitely a dressing I will be adding to my list!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Thanks! The cinnamon and maple go together perfectly in this dressing! Hope you enjoy!
Oh, the addition of cinnamon in your maple viniagrette sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing the tips in balsamic vinegar, I learn something new every day!
★★★★★
You’re welcome! Hope you guys like it as much as we do!
This sounds great and Carapelli is my favorite olive oil too ?. I cant wait to see your salad recipe posted because I want to make it for a BBQ we have coming up soon!
I just LOVE it on the Blackberry Mango Chicken Salad I posted last week. So good. Hope you liked it!