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 more leisurely on the weekends, so I have more time to make a big stack of pancakes for us to enjoy for breakfast.

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

This homemade pancake syrup recipe is beyond easy. It has only three ingredients and takes about 12 minutes to make. You can whip up a batch while the pancakes cook on the griddle!

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

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 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

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• 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 balance the sweetness.

How to Make Homemade Pancake Syrup

Follow along to learn how to make homemade pancake syrup.

• Step One: Add sugar and evaporated milk to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the 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.

What to Serve with It

• 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.
• If you have only unsalted butter on hand, add a bit of salt to balance the sweetness.
• Add maple flavoring like maple extract to give it a more maple syrup-like flavor.
• You could add vanilla or other 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: The consistency may have changed slightly when reheating due to the sugar crystallizing from sitting out.

Can You Freeze?

I don’t recommend freezing this recipe because the evaporated milk will separate when 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 and the sugar burns on the bottom of the saucepan.
• The longer the sauce sits, the thicker it will become. 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 for about 5 minutes before serving so it can thicken and cool down. 

Should I Eat It 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

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

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

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