Pancake Syrup

This homemade pancake syrup is perfect for pancakes or waffles. It’s quick and easy to make and kids love it!

For us, Sunday morning is all about homemade pancakes! Things move at a more leisurely pace on the weekends so I have more time to make big stack of pancakes for us to enjoy for breakfast.

This post contains affiliate links. 

We love real maple syrup, but sometimes, it’s nice to switch it up a little bit with different pancake toppings. 

Get our FREE
e-cookbook

I want it!

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

This homemade pancake syrup recipe is beyond easy with only three ingredients and takes about 12 minutes total time to make. You can whip up a batch while the pancakes are cooking on the griddle!

The flavor is different than a pure maple syrup or a bottled syrup (like one from Pearl Milling Company). It’s a sugary sweetness that will satisfy your appetite and your sweet tooth. 

Why You’ll Love This Pancake Syrup

• Sweet, buttery and rich flavor 
• Easy recipe to make in 12 minutes
• Only 3 simple ingredients
• Perfect topping for your morning pancakes, French Toast or waffles
• Makes about 2 cups so you’ll have lots to use for your family’s breakfast
• Great to use if you run out of maple syrup at home
• Makes about 2 cups of homemade breakfast syrup

Ingredients

• White sugar
• Evaporated milk – I buy this in cans in the baking aisle at the grocery store.
• Salted butter – I like to use salted butter because it helps to balance out the sweetness.

How to Make Homemade Pancake Syrup

• Step One: In a small saucepan, add sugar and evaporated milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. 
• Step Two: Add butter and stir until melted. Continue stirring while the mixture is boiling for approximately one minute.
• Step Three: Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. It should be a caramel color.
• Step Four: Serve over hot pancakes or waffles with a pat of butter.

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan
• Measuring cups
• Wooden spoon
• Syrup dispenser (if you want to get fancy)

What to Serve with DIY Pancake Syrup

• Cinnamon Banana Pancakes
• Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes
• Homemade Pancakes
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Buttermilk Pancakes

Variations and Substitutions

• To make the syrup more smooth, add extra butter.
• To make the syrup less thick, add extra evaporated milk.
• Use unsalted butter if that’s all you have on hand. Add a bit of salt to the mixture to balance the sweetness.
• Add maple flavoring like maple extract to give it a more maple syrup-like flavor.
• You could also try adding vanilla extract or other different extracts to change the flavor profile.

How to Store

You can refrigerate any leftover syrup in an airtight container for up to one month. 

How to Reheat 

Reheat the leftover pancake syrup in the microwave for about one minute. You can also reheat it on the stove in a saucepan. 

Note: when reheating the consistency may have changed a bit due to the sugar crystallizing from it sitting out.

Can You Freeze?

I don’t recommend freezing because of the evaporated milk in the recipe separating as it’s frozen. For best results, make it and enjoy it fresh!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Make sure the stovetop is not too hot. You don’t want it to cook too quickly where the milk can boil over and the sugar burns on the bottom of the saucepan.
• The longer the sauce sits, the thicker it will get over time. If you would like to thin it out, you can reheat it in the microwave for about 1 minute.
• Make sure you stir the mixture constantly while it’s on the stove. 
• Let it cool about 5 minutes before serving so it has a chance to thicken and cool down. 

Should I eat this Pancake Syrup Hot or Cold? 

This syrup is best served when it’s hot for optimal flavor and consistency.

Pancake Toppings

Other pancake toppings you could try:

• Stabilized whipped cream
• Fresh fruit
• Strawberry sauce
• Lemon sauce
• Caramel sauce
• Hot fudge sauce
• Butterscotch sauce
• Nutella
• Jam
• Dulce de leche

Breakfast Recipes to Serve with Homemade Syrup Recipe

• Banana Bread Breakfast Casserole
• Baked French Toast
• French Toast Cups
• Belgian Waffles
• Mini Pancakes

You’ll also like these Chocolate Waffles and Country Gravy.

Follow me on Instagram @simplystacieblog, Facebook at Simply Stacie or Pinterest at @simplystacie and let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.

If you make the recipe, rate it on the recipe card below and tag me on Instagram and use #simplystacie. I like sharing the photos on my Instagram stories!