Homemade Pancake Syrup

I’m sharing one of the secret tricks I learned in culinary school: the most amazing homemade pancake syrup. It’s like butter and maple syrup all wrapped up in one, but better, with a velvety texture that you’ll dream about for days.

What is pancake syrup?

Liquid gold! It could be maple syrup, corn syrup, or some other molasses based concoction that’s poured over pancakes, flapjacks, or waffles.

The funny thing about syrup is that people can be very attached to the kind they ate as youngsters. Pancake syrup is definitely one of the things that reminds us of being a little kid at the breakfast table. Some folks swear by the squeeze bottle, while others sneak the Grade A maple syrup into restaurants for their breakfasts.

No matter what your preference, I promise you this recipe is the best of both worlds.

How do you make Homemade Pancake Syrup?

First, you cook maple syrup and sugar together. The sugar will melt into the maple syrup and as it boils, it will look sort of thready.

Next, add the butter, the water, and the salt. At this point, the syrup should resemble a caramel sauce.

But here’s where it gets fabulous! While it’s still hot, pour the sauce into a frothy beaten egg. This adds some richness to the syrup, and it’s the crucial ingredient. Now you’re ready to pour!

Is pancake syrup gluten-free?

This recipe is gluten-free, but I can’t absolutely guarantee that all pancake syrup is made without gluten. Some store-bought brands use wheat protein, and other recipes call for flour, believe it or not.

How to make homemade pancake syrup without maple syrup:

Here, I’ll show you how to make pancake syrup from brown sugar, in case you’re out of maple syrup. The cider vinegar (or cream of tartar) keeps the syrup from crystallizing, in case you’re wondering why it’s in there.

I use a little bit of maple extract to make syrup, but you can omit that ingredient if you don’t have it.

• 1 cup water
• 2 cups brown sugar, packed
• ½ teaspoon cider vinegar (or ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoon maple extract

1. In a nonstick pot, over medium heat, stir together water and brown sugar.
2. Bring to a simmer and stir in vinegar and salt.
3. Bring to a very light boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes or until the syrup coats the back of the spoon. (Be careful not to burn.)
4. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in butter.
5. When butter has melted, stir in vanilla extract and maple extract.
6. Let syrup cool slightly, which will allow it to thicken up even more.
7. Store in the fridge. To warm up, use a microwave, or gently reheat on the stove.

How to make syrup with honey:

This syrupy take on honey butter is a great variation, especially if you have a big jar of honey in your pantry. A little bit of spice warms things up.

• 2 sticks butter
• 6-8 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg

1. Melt butter in a pot on the stove.
2. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
3. Add honey, milk and spices.

How to make syrup thicker:

Don’t chuck out the whole pot! If your pancake syrup is too thin, simply simmer things a bit longer—it should thicken up nicely.

Homemade Pancake Syrup

By Meggan Hill

I’m sharing one of the secret tricks I learned in culinary school: the most amazing homemade pancake syrup. It’s like butter and maple syrup all wrapped up in one, but better, with a velvety texture that you’ll dream about for days.

Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 13 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Calories 300

5 from 2 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter (¾ stick) cut into pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1 large egg

Instructions 

• In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine maple syrup and sugar. Bring to boil and, stirring constantly, cook until the sauce spins short, wispy threads, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in butter, water, and salt until the sauce is thick and creamy. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk egg until light and frothy. Slowly whisk in hot maple mixture until smooth.
• Wash and dry pan thoroughly, removing any sugar crystals. Return sauce to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sauce simmers and thickens.
• Serve immediately or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat over low heat. If the sauce separates, remove from heat and stir in a little hot water.

Notes

This syrup can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 1gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 165mgPotassium: 136mgSugar: 43gVitamin A: 395IUCalcium: 67mgIron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill

Meggan Hill

Website | + posts

Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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