I would think most will agree when I say the best compliment to a stack of pancakes is a heaping helping of syrup. And sure, it’s easy to simply go down to the corner store or supermarket to buy a bottle of syrup off the shelf (and sometimes, when pressed for time, that’s all you can do). The problem with the store-bought syrups is that they’re all choke-full of unhealthy ingredients (namely high-fructose corn syrup) and additives/preservatives. The thing about it is, it’s so remarkably easy to make your own Homemade Pancake Syrup at home with ingredients that can be found in your cupboard right now. In this post, I’m going to show you how.
Key Ingredients for Homemade Pancake Syrup
This recipe for Homemade Pancake Syrup is made using some of your standard ingredients: White Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar and Water. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of Honey, Ground Cinnamon and Maple Extract.
- Honey: The added honey accomplishes a couple things that takes this Homemade Pancake Syrup to another level. For one, Honey is a natural emulsifer that helps to really thicken the syrup. This is a huge plus because often, you’ll see recipes that only call for the use of sugars. In this case, the honey will help the syrup thicken faster than it would without the honey, which is especially nice if you’re not a fan of thin/runny syrup. Also, the honey contributes to a deeper / more complex flavor that you won’t find in typical store-bought syrup, which is a nice perk if you want to impress your guests with syrup that features a taste they’ve never had before.
- Cinnamon: As a self-proclaimed cinnamon fiend, I’m of the opinion that cinnamon makes almost anything taste better. By testing this recipe with the addition of cinnamon, it helps to round out this easy Homemade Pancake Syrup by enhancing the natural sweetness of the sugars & honey. Besides providing subtle warmth / spiciness to the syrup, cinnamon also gives the syrup an appealing scent that can be best description as woody yet slightly citrus-y. Not to mention, cinnamon is also consider an antioxidant, which helps anti-inflammation benefits inside the body. That being said, despite all of these perks with cinnamon, it is very much an optional ingredient in this recipe, as the syrup wil taste just as good without it.
- Maple Extract: People typically associate food such as Pancakes not only with the use of syrup, but specifically the use of maple syrup. Pancakes just don’t taste quite the same with syrup when it is missing that maple flavor. Unfortunately, since I don’t have access to a Maple Tree in my backyrad to extract the sap from it, I opted to use the next ebst thing I can find for this Homemade Pancake Syrup recipe, which is Maple Extract. As the name implies, the maple extract provides the syrup with an intense, carmelized flavor akin to the sap from a maple tree, but also with the benefit of not adding additonal sugar or too much extra liquid to the syrup.
And that’s all there is to it! Ever since I started making my own Homemade Pancake Syrup from scratch at home, I find that I only sparingly buy the syrup at the store, especially because homemade syrup has a surprisingly long shelf-life (which I will discuss in more detail further down). By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this syrup yourself and you’ll have your family & friends begging to make it all the time!
Tips for Making this Recipe
Syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. You have to be extremely careful when you’re preparing Homemade Pancake Syrup. The reason why is because with all of the sugar you’re using, if you cook it for too long, the sugar will have a tendency to solidify and crystallize. When it comes to syrup, you only want to cook it just long enough to ensure all of the ingredients are fully dissolved and most of the excess water has evaporated. Once you finally remove it from the heat and allow it to rest at room temperature, as the mixture cools, it will continue to get thicker until it achieves the syrup-y consistency (same goes if you refrigerate it).
Sterilize containers. This is perhaps the most important tip of them all. While there are many downsides to buying and consuming store-bought syrup, I would say the biggest upside with them is that they contain additives/preservatives that makes them shelf-stable for quite a long time. Unfortunately, you don’t get that same benefit with any kind of food that is homemade. This also means that homemade food is more prone to microbial growth if it is not stored properly. That’s why, for this Homemade Pancake Syrup, it is imperative that you clean and sterilize the storage container you’ll be using. The container should also come with an airtight lid or top to prevent the intrusion of airborne particles.
Add acidid ingredients to prevent crystallization. This is very much an optional step, and it’s one that I often skip. That being said, if this is your first time ever making Homemade Pancake Syrup from scratch, another safeguard that is commonly used by a lot of cooks is to add just a small amount of an acidic ingredient. What the acidic ingredient does is help to break down the sucrose that’s found in the sugar into more minute compounds (such as fructose or glucose). When it happens, the sugar molecues are much slower to crystallize when you heat them up. Some of the acidic ingredients that are commonly used for this include cream of tartar and even lemon juice.
Enhance with salt. This is also very much optional, and I didn’t include it in my recipe (because the syrup tastes plenty good without it). However, believe it or not, salt can really help to improve this Homemade Pancake Syrup should you choose to add it, as it does a couple of things. For one, the sale really helps to balance out the sweetness of the sugars and honey, which allows for the more caramel and maple-like flavor to stand out. That being said, in addition to tempering some of the overwhelming sweetness, the salt also helps to intensify the aroma of the syrup. But to be clear, with any salt you add, a little goes a long way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute the Maple Extract with Vanilla Extract?
While you will lose out on that maple flavor by opting not to use maple extract, the Homemade Pancake Syrup will taste plenty good if you just use vanilla extract instead.
Can I add Butter to this recipe?
While you certainly can add butter to this Homemade Pancake Syrup recipe, the biggest risk with doing so is that the butterfat will have a tendency to separate from the syrup once it cools. That said, the butter does make for a richer tasting syrup by providing a nutty, creamy flavor profile.
Can I freeze this Homemade Pancake Syrup? And if so, for how long?
You certainly can! Homemade Pancake Syrups happens to be one of those foods that can be stored for a long time. For this recipe, the syrup will remain fresh if stored in the freeze inside an airtight container for at least 6 months. While the syrup may still be perfectly fine to consume beyond 6 months, it may start to use some of its texture and flavor. That being said, I would advise that you dispose of the syrup entirely once it has been frozen for longer than 12 months, as it may no longer be safe to consume at that point.
Can I store this Homemade Pancake Syrup at room temperature? And if so, for how long?
For this Homemade Pancake Syrup recipe, I do not recommend storing it at room temperature. While it is fine to warm in the microwave and sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours, leaving the syrup out for an extended period of time will leave the syrup prone to microbial growth (such as mold). It is best that the syrup be stored in the refrigerator once you’re finished consuming it, assuming there is any left over.
How long can I store this Homemade Pancake Syrup in the refrigerator?
As mentioned above, this happens to be one of the many foods you can make from scratch that has a relatively extended shelf-life beyond a few days. For this Homemade Pancake Syrup recipe, you can store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 30 days (or 1 month) as long as it is kept in a sterilized and airtight container. After 30 days (or 1 month) has passed, I would advise that you dispose of the syrup as it may no longer be safe to consume.
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Easy Homemade Pancake Syrup
Equipment
- 1 3qt Saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- 1 Airtight Container (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Cold Water
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 1 TSP Maple Extract
- 1 TSP Ground Cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- To 3qt saucepan, add sugars, honey, water and cinnamon, then whisk together until completely dissolved and well combined.
- Warm saucepan on medium heat until mixture is boiling briskly.
- Once mixture is boiling, continue warming on medium heat while stirring briskly for 3-5 minutes***.
- Remove syrup from heat and allow to cool slightly for 2-3 minutes.
- Add maple extract to syrup and stir until well combined.
- Allow syrup to cool for additional 15 minutes before serving or storing in refrigerator.