Homemade Pancake Syrup Recipe

I’m sharing Homemade Pancake Syrup made from pantry staples to rescue last-minute pancake plans and featuring a clever twist you probably didn’t see coming.

I never plan pancake mornings but when I do I want something quick that actually tastes real. That’s why I started messing with a tiny stash of light brown sugar and pure vanilla extract to make syrup instead of running to the store.

If you ever wake up and decide last-minute, this little trick shows How To Make Pancake Syrup At Home without sounding like a kitchen nerd. I will warn you though, once you try this Homemade Pancake Syrup you might start skipping the bottle, it’s simple, a bit sticky and somehow better than I expected, even when I mess up sometimes it’s still great.

Ingredients

• Brown sugar: Mostly carbs and simple sugars, adds molasses sweetness, little fiber or protein.
• Unsalted butter: Saturated fat heavy, gives rich mouthfeel and gloss, a bit calorie dense.
• Water: No calories, thins the syrup, essential for dissolving sugar and cooking.
• Light corn syrup: Adds smooth sweetness, helps prevent crystals, mostly carbs, kinda unnecessary sometimes.
• Vanilla extract: Tiny calories, big aroma, adds warm sweet notes and masks raw sugar edges.
• Fine sea salt: Just a pinch balances sweetness, enhances flavor, contains minute minerals not protein.
• Maple extract: Concentrated maple flavor without sugar, adds depth, use to taste, optional boost.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup (optional, helps prevent crystallizing)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt or a pinch
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract or more to taste (optional)

How to Make this

1. In a medium saucepan put 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup if you have it; stir to combine.

2. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into pieces and warm over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts.

3. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower heat and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s slightly thickened; watch it so it doesn’t scorch.

4. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt (or a pinch) and 1/2 teaspoon maple extract or more to taste.

5. Taste and adjust vanilla or maple extract if you want a stronger flavor.

6. Let the syrup cool a bit off the heat — it will thicken as it cools — then pour into a heatproof jar or bottle.

7. If any foam forms on top you can skim it off for a glossy finish, but it’s fine to leave it if you’re in a rush.

8. Store in the refrigerator up to about 2 weeks. Reheat gently in the microwave for 10 to 30 seconds or warm in a small saucepan with a splash of water before serving.

9. If the syrup gets grainy or crystallizes, reheat it with a little water and stir until smooth. If it’s too thin, simmer a little longer next time to reduce it more.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium saucepan (2 to 3 quart) for cooking the syrup
2. Measuring cups and teaspoons (1 cup, 1 tbsp, 1 tsp)
3. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon for stirring
4. Small whisk to smooth and check the sugar dissolves
5. Candy or instant read thermometer (optional but helpful)
6. Heatproof jar or bottle with lid for storing the syrup
7. Fine mesh skimmer or regular spoon to skim any foam
8. Funnel or small ladle for easy pouring into the jar

FAQ

Homemade Pancake Syrup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Light brown sugar: swap with dark brown sugar for a richer molasses note, or make your own by mixing 3/4 cup granulated sugar + 2 tbsp molasses
• Unsalted butter: use the same amount of salted butter but skip or cut back the added salt, or sub 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable) if you need a dairy free option
• Light corn syrup: replace with 1 tbsp honey, light maple syrup, or golden syrup; these help slow crystallizing but will change the flavor a bit and make the syrup slightly thinner
• Maple extract: leave it out and stir in 1 tsp real maple syrup or up the vanilla to 1 1/2 tsp, or use 1/2 tsp imitation maple if thats what you have

Pro Tips

1) Use a heavy bottom saucepan and cook on medium low, watch it close, sugar burns fast. Once it hits a gentle boil try swirling the pan instead of stirring like crazy, and if you see tiny crystals on the sides wet a pastry brush and wash them down. Those little crystals are the usual reason syrup goes grainy, dont let them stick.

2) For extra glossy, silky syrup add the butter off the heat at the end, it gives a nicer sheen than cooking it the whole time. If you want to avoid crystallizing for good add 1 tbsp light corn syrup or a pinch of cream of tartar when you start. Taste as you go, maple extract can be intense so add slowly, its easier to add more than to fix too much.

3) Want deeper flavor: swap half the water for 1 or 2 tbsp real maple syrup, or use dark brown sugar instead of light for more molasses notes. If you like a nuttier note, brown the butter slightly first but dont let it burn.

4) Storage and fixes: cool, strain if you want a spotless look, and keep in a sterilized jar in the fridge up to 2 weeks. If it crystallizes, gently reheat with a splash of water and stir until smooth, or add a teaspoon corn syrup while reheating to rescue it.