Make this simple pancake syrup with just 5 basic ingredients and in under 10 minutes! A thick, sweet, beautifully golden syrup that lasts for months in the fridge is cost-effective and great tasting!

Dark thick pancake syrup in a small clear glass pitcher.

This sweet, sugary syrup brings a beautiful golden finish to so many treats and it smells just like your childhood. You know the best part of the pancakes was soaking up all of that liquid sweetness! This recipe makes a versatile syrup that will bring those memories to life in a way that works just as well for your breakfast buttermilk pancakes as it does to top off desserts!

Table of Contents hide
  1. About this homemade pancake syrup
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. How to make it
  4. What to use it on
  5. How to make this syrup your own
  6. Storage & Reheating
  7. More irresistible pancake toppings
  8. Get the Recipe: Homemade Pancake Syrup

About this homemade pancake syrup

  • Better than store-bought: This recipe for pancake syrup tastes so much better than any store-bought version, as homemade recipes usually do! Homemade caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, and gingerbread coffee syrup are all proof of that!
  • Easy to make: It’s also so easy to make with just a few basic pantry ingredients, which means you can say goodbye to buying a bottle ever again. Or at the very least, know you have options!
  • Budget-friendly substitute for pure maple syrup: Pure maple syrup is wonderful, but it’s also super pricey and not in everyone’s budget. So, if maple syrup isn’t something you normally buy, or you’ve run out, homemade pancake syrup is the best substitute. Its cheaper ingredients and long shelf life make it easy to always have batch of pancake syrup in your fridge. You’ll be totally fine with people overdoing it because it’s so easy and cheap to make, unlike maple syrup where you’re making sure no one is over-pouring that bottle you paid more than you wanted to for! Tell me I’m not the only one who has not-so-subtly urged their children to “be careful, it comes out fast!”
Syrup being poured on a stack of pancakes.

Ingredient notes

  • Water – The water is used to help melt the sugars and bring them to a boil to help caramelize them.
  • Brown Sugar – Adds a darker color and a deeper flavor with a hint of molasses. For a darker syrup, use dark brown sugar.
  • Granulated Sugar – Regular white sugar caramelizes well and when melted and boiled down, it results in a beautiful light golden color.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract – Vanilla is added for flavor. You can also use maple extract if you have it for a more maple-centric flavor. Whether you opt to go with maple or vanilla, you can’t go wrong.
  • Light Corn Syrup – Adds a thick consistency, flavor, and sheen. It also helps to prevent crystallization and keeps this pancake syrup nice and syrupy.
Overhead view of ingredients needed for recipe.

How to make it

Mix: Stir the water, sugars, and vanilla together in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Boil: Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 6-8 minutes or until it starts to thicken (it will thicken a lot once it cools).

Cool: Stir in the corn syrup, then let the mixture cool for 15-20 minutes or until you are ready to serve it.

Store: Pour remaining syrup into a jar. Once completely cooled, cover and store.

White saucepan with pancake syrup, not yet cooked.
Pancake syrup, mid-cooking, in a white saucepan.

What to use it on

Drizzle it on top of your blueberry baked oatmeal, swirl it in your yogurt, or pour it all over your ricotta pancakes, strawberry cream cheese French toast, and fried apples for a little something special!

How to make this syrup your own

  • Add salt: Add a pinch of salt to help balance out the sugars.
  • Make it maple: Use maple extract to get a more maple syrup vibe.
  • Add butter: Melt butter into the syrup mixture as it boils on the stove for an added buttery taste.
  • Add orange: Add some orange zest into your syrup for a subtle hint of citrus. Then pour it over these orange buttermilk pancakes.

Storage & Reheating

  • To store: Keep homemade syrup in an airtight jar, sealed with a lid, in the fridge for up to 3 months.
  • To re-warm: Take portion desired out of jar, place in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 20 seconds at a time. You can also reheat over low heat on the stovetop in a small saucepan.
Overhead view of pancake syrup in a small clear glass jar.

More irresistible pancake toppings

Dark thick pancake syrup in a small clear glass pitcher.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Pancake Syrup

Make this simple pancake syrup with just 5 basic ingredients and in under 10 minutes! A thick, sweet, beautifully golden syrup that lasts for months in the fridge is cost-effective and great tasting!
4.63 from 8 rating
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 16 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 66kcal
Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or maple extract
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup

Instructions

  • Stir the water, sugars and vanilla together in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring mixture to a boil, and boil for 6-8 minutes or until it starts to thicken (it will thicken a lot once it cools).
  • Stir in the corn syrup, then let mixture cool for 15-20 minutes or until you are ready to serve it.

Notes

  • Makes about 1 cup of syrup.
  • This syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Serving: 1tablespoon, Calories: 66kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 6mg, Potassium: 10mg, Sugar: 17g, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg