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This Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup is perfect for more than just pancakes! It’s an easy way to flavor your waffles, french toast, and so much more. Best of all, it’s done in less than a half hour.
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My family loves breakfast food. I mean, they really love it. You would think they just had the best meal they have ever had if breakfast is on the table!
Personally, I can take it or leave it. Still, I’m always willing to try new recipes for them and maybe for me. I want to like breakfast! Really! 🤷🏽♀️
This Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup was a definite win for my family and me. They loved it, but I enjoyed it too. I think more pancake, waffle, or french toast breakfasts are on the menu for me in the future! 😍
Homemade syrup like this is quick and easy to make. A few times, I’ve run out of pancake syrup and had to make my own. The great thing is, with Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup, you can easily make new flavors just by switching the extract flavor! We’re partial to vanilla and maple! Lemon is a fun flavor too!
My quest to like breakfast food continues! If I share a recipe like this one, you KNOW it’s good! Enjoy!
Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup: Ingredients & Substitutions
For this Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup recipe, you will need …
Ingredients
- cornstarch, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar – these ingredients together form a thick syrupy substance with a consistency close to what you’re used to! The cornstarch is especially important.
- vanilla extract – to give your syrup that vanilla flavor, of course!
How to make Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup
First, boil your ingredients. Bring your water, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil over medium-high heat (use a saucepan). Whisk it to dissolve all the ingredients together.
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Next, add your vanilla extract. Is your mixture boiling? Good, because now you’ll want to bring the heat down to medium-low! Stir in your vanilla extract and simmer it all for 3 minutes.
Finally, enjoy your syrup! Remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to cool before using it. If it seems too thick to use, don’t worry … it’ll thicken as it cools down!
Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup: FAQs
Just 25 minutes. 10 for prep, 15 for cooking. It’ll make you wonder why you went to the store to get syrup!
About 1 to 1.5 cups!
The most common cause of sugar crystals in syrup is overcooking! While longer cooking times will get you a thicker texture, it also gives the sugar a chance to clump back up into crystals. Limit your cooking time, y’all!!
If that doesn’t help, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of butter, which will give the syrup a thicker, creamier taste. Yum! Or I’ve also heard of adding 1/4 teaspoon of citrus juice, like lemon or orange juice. That’ll also affect the flavor a bit but in a super delicious zesty way!
Besides vanilla, you can also sprinkle in some cinnamon to make this homemade syrup a little richer! As mentioned above, you can also try adding in some lemon or orange extract for a citrusy zest, too.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Homemade Vanilla Pancake Syrup
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water, both sugars, and cornstarch to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk to dissolve sugars and cornstarch.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the vanilla extract. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before use.
Notes
- Want a more traditional maple flavor? Use maple extract!
- Besides vanilla, you can also sprinkle in some cinnamon to make this homemade syrup a little richer! You can also try adding in some lemon or orange extract for a citrusy zest, too.
- The syrup will thicken as it cools. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within a few days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published on February 4, 2014. Updated on January 11, 2023.
I found another recipe my kids will love. Thank you for your very nice article.
Tastes EXACTLY like store bought pancake syrup! Will def make again and may try flavour variations! Soooo easy and yummy.