How to Make Your Own Performance Gels
March 6, 2026 — 8 min read
Commercial gels run $2-4 per serving. The ingredient lists are long, full of stuff you can't pronounce, and half the time they don't even taste good.
Here's the thing: the ingredients that actually matter for performance are simple. Fast-acting carbs and sodium. That's it.
Using honey and maple syrup as a base, I've created two flavors I actually look forward to eating mid-run: Butterscotch and Sweet Cream.
Both use natural dual-source carbs (glucose + fructose), both have sodium for absorption, and both cost about 30 cents per serving to make.
Here's how to make them.
Why this works
This isn't a "health food alternative" to real fuel. It is real fuel.
Maple syrup is mostly sucrose, which breaks down into glucose and fructose — dual-source carbs by default. Honey is a natural glucose-fructose blend.
Sea salt provides the sodium your gut needs to actually absorb those carbs. We covered why that matters here: Sodium Isn't Just for Cramps
The only trade-off versus commercial gels is convenience. But the performance is the same — and the cost is about 90% less.
What you need
The ingredient list is short:
- Maple syrup (dark and/or light)
- Honey
- Sea salt
- Vanilla extract (for Sweet Cream only)
For equipment:
- A small saucepan
- A measuring cup
- Reusable food pouches
That's it. You can make a batch in under 10 minutes.
Recipe 1: Butterscotch
Butterscotch
Makes ~4 servings (½ cup total)INGREDIENTS
- • ¼ cup maple syrup (dark)
- • ¼ cup maple syrup (light)
- • 1 tsp honey
- • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- 1.Combine both maple syrups in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 2.Pour into a measuring cup. Stir in the honey and salt while it's still warm.
- 3.Let it cool, then transfer to a reusable pouch.
CARBS/SERVING
~27g
SODIUM/SERVING
~100-150mg
Recipe 2: Sweet Cream
Sweet Cream
Makes ~4 servings (½ cup total)INGREDIENTS
- • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp maple syrup (dark)
- • 2 tbsp honey
- • 1 tsp vanilla extract
- • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- 1.Simmer the maple syrup in a small saucepan for about 3-4 minutes.
- 2.Pour into a measuring cup. Immediately stir in the honey and salt.
- 3.Let it cool for a few minutes. Don't add the vanilla while it's piping hot. Once cooled a bit, stir in the vanilla.
- 4.Transfer to a reusable pouch.
CARBS/SERVING
~29g
SODIUM/SERVING
~100-150mg
The vanilla takes the bite out of the honey and makes this one smoother.
Storage and usage
Make the batch the night before your long run. It takes 10 minutes.
You can keep it at room temp or in the fridge.
One reusable pouch fits the whole ½ cup batch. That's 4 servings in one container.
During your workout, squeeze out roughly ¼ of the pouch every 20 minutes. Chase with a sip of water or electrolyte drink.
If you need more than 4 servings, just double the recipe.
The math
Say you're doing a 20-mile long run. That's roughly 3 hours. Taking a gel every 20 minutes, you need about 9 gels.
At $2-4 per gel, that's around $20-35 for one run.
Make it at home? Maybe $2-3 for the same fueling.
Now multiply that across an entire training block — long runs every weekend for 16 weeks, plus race day. The savings add up fast.
And you're not sacrificing performance. Maple syrup and honey are legitimate dual-source carbs with the sodium your gut needs.
Or let us make them for you
These recipes are exactly what we're building with Pulse.
Same ingredients: honey, maple syrup, sea salt. No maltodextrin. No artificial sweeteners. No preservatives.
We're not doing single-serve packets either.
Pulse comes in multi-serving pouches — less waste, lower cost per serving.
If you love the DIY route, keep at it! But if you'd rather skip the prep, we've got you.
SECURE YOUR SUPPLY.
Initial production is strictly limited. Join the waitlist to secure your first-round allocation.
Frequently asked questions
Bring it home
You don't need a chemistry degree or a $4 gel to fuel properly.
Maple syrup. Honey. Salt. That's the formula.
Make a batch the night before, squeeze it out every 20 minutes, and stop overpaying for fancy packaging.