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Brown sugar and butter simmer together and create a caramel toffee flavored homemade syrup like nothing you’ve ever tasted.

This sauce is no substitute for maple syrup, brown sugar and butter homemade syrup is awesome all by itself.

brown sugar syrup with butter

I drizzled this syrup over some Banana Nut Oatmeal last week and my boys liked it so much, they requested it on their oatmeal again the very next morning. I couldn’t resist making a batch of our favorite waffles for the last of the syrup.

This syrup is on par with our family’s beloved Waffle Sauce; it’s an entirely different kind of deliciousness and I already love it. If you enjoy homemade sauces and syrups as much as we do, you’ll want to try this awesome Buttermilk Syrup too, for another terrific homemade syrup option.

Creamy, rich, peanut butter syrup makes a fantastic topping for your favorite stack of homemade pancakes or waffles.

When my friend Rebecca told me about her recipe for Brown Sugar Butter Pancake and Waffle Syrup, I was immediately taken back to childhood when my mom used to make a simple sugar homemade syrup for our pancakes. This version, oh Mom forgive me, this version puts that one to shame times about 1000.

This is one instance where butter not only makes it better, but it transforms the recipe into something that will take your breath away with its deliciousness.

Your kitchen will smell amazing and you might even be left without words to describe it.

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homemade syrup with brown sugar and butter

How To Make Homemade Syrup

  1. Combine the sugar and water in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat to medium and allow the mixture to boil for 4 minutes.
  2. Add the butter and stir until the butter has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the extract if desired.
  3. Let the syrup cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a pitcher or jar for storage. Serve immediately or store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a month.
homemade syrup in pan on stove - starting to bubble and boil
homemade syrup in pan on stove - thick and almost ready to serve

Homemade Syrup

This syrup will keep nicely in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks. (This is in theory though – as ours has honestly never lasted that long.) I typically make a double recipe and stash some at the back of the fridge to use next time we’re making pancakes or waffles.

To reheat, remove the lid and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between until hot. Or place on a folded washcloth in a pan of water, bring to a simmer and using a hot pad, swirl the jar every so often until the syrup has warmed.

homemade syrup in white pitcher next to stack of pancakes

For over 20 years now, I’ve held fast to our family’s favorite pancake recipe. And, yes, I still think that recipe is truly the best ever classic pancake recipe, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty more awesome pancakes to enjoy.

Fluffy, slightly tangy, Buttermilk Pancakes are a great addition to your weekend brunch. This recipe reminds me of our favorite diner here in Columbus and I have been making these pancakes more often than any others this year.

Banana Pancakes filled with irresistible bits of sweet coconut and chewy pecans have been my middle son’s favorite for a while now. If your household is anything like mine, you’ll need to hide a few bananas from the rest of the family now to let them ripen for a pancake breakfast this weekend.

I know–light and fluffy aren’t two words you’d typically think of to describe Whole Wheat Pancakes, which have a reputation for being dense and chewy. Light and fluffy is, however, the perfect way to describe these Whole Wheat Pancakes.

4.83 from 189 votes

Brown Sugar Butter Syrup

Avatar photoMary Younkin
Brown sugar and butter simmer together and create a caramel toffee flavored homemade syrup like nothing you've ever tasted.
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup butter
  • Optional: ¼ teaspoon vanilla or maple extract

Instructions 

  • Combine the sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat to medium and allow the mixture to boil for 4 minutes.
  • Add the butter and stir until the butter has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the extract if desired.
  • Let the syrup cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a pitcher or jar for storage. Serve immediately or store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Notes

To reheat, remove the lid and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring in between until hot. Or place on a folded washcloth in a pan of water, bring to a simmer and using a hot pad, swirl the jar every so often until the syrup has warmed.

Nutrition

Calories: 207 kcal | Carbohydrates: 36 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Cholesterol: 20 mg | Sodium: 79 mg | Potassium: 49 mg | Sugar: 36 g | Vitamin A: 236 IU | Calcium: 33 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

{originally published 1/18/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/24/22}

homemade syrup with brown sugar and butter

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Rating




514 Comments

  1. Cherie says:

    Can I use 2# of hard brown sugar and double the recipe?

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      This recipe doubles nicely.

  2. Bahar Feda says:

    Hi, so I was making the recipe and it hasn’t thickened like I had hoped. Would you have any tips?

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      If you’ve simmered it as directed, it should thicken even more as it cools.

  3. CJ Bernard says:

    I used this recipe and the pancakes wouldn’t even cook. Now I have to eat disgusting pancakes.

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m sorry, what? This isn’t a pancake recipe, my friend. This is syrup for pancakes.

    2. Mike McKinney says:

      Ha!! Hahahahahahahaha!! Ha! Hahahaha!! Good one!!5 stars

  4. Isabelle says:

    this is DELICIOUS. makes me feel like I’m having a hot buttered rum on my pancake?! so easy to follow and turned out velvety and scrumptious5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      oooh! Love that description. I’m glad you’re enjoying the syrup.

  5. Ellie says:

    This syrup is tastes amazing! Is there a way to get it thicker for the future?5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Keeping in mind that it will thicken even more as it cools, you can simmer a bit longer for a thicker result.

  6. Lena Green says:

    Tried this easy recipe and the whole family loves it. ❤️ It’s delicious and buttery. So much better than the store bought,without all the additives. Served it over Banana Nut pancakes.Thanks for sharing. 🥞 😋❤️5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like the syrup!

  7. Kaitlyn Flores says:

    I will be trying maple extract next time because I think it’ll be way better that way, but it was already really good!
    And if you’re worried, it’s not thickening it’s probably because it is a little bit of time to cool down. I put mine on ice to cool down faster and as soon as it was thick, I served5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m glad you like the syrup. It’s great with a tiny splash of maple extract too, but we prefer the brown sugar flavor ourselves.

  8. Sheela T says:

    i liked it .so I made it for few days . taste good .
    thanks 😊4 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m glad the syrup is a win for you!

  9. Emily says:

    I realized we were out of maple syrup AFTER I had already made French toast 😒 I searched for syrup recipes and settled on this quick and easy one. My kids said it was the best French toast they had ever had, largely because of the syrup! My 5-yr old said it tasted beautiful at least 5 times. Definitely a winner!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Awe! I love this, Emily. I’m thrilled they liked the syrup so much.

  10. Tony Mc says:

    Very tasty… added a splash of bourbon to it cooked another 2 min and wow! Thanks for the great recipe!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I bet that was delicious!

  11. ... says:

    How do I contain it4 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      Contain it? Like for storage? It will be fine in any covered container in the fridge. I typically just pour it into a jar.

  12. Pam says:

    I had Pumpkin Brioche bread I wanted to make french toast out of. Half way through making the french toast I realized I didn’t have any syrup. I remembered my mom making syrup out of brown sugar so I googled it. I found this recipe and picked it because it was simple and took literally 5 minutes. I followed the steps exactly and it was thick and yummy! The syrup was SO MUCH BETTER than store bought! I will probably never buy syrup again.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you love it! (and fun fact, we made a batch this weekend as well, to go with our pancakes!)

  13. Deborah Bender says:

    This is delicious syrup ! We always liked the buttery fake syrups lol this is so much better and I know exactly what’s in it ! Recipe worked out perfectly! I added the maple extract and I’ll tell you !!! It’s Delicious!! I won’t be buying the fake stuff anymore, I can make it at home and it’s sooo much better! Thank you5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m thrilled it’s a hit!

  14. Cindy ONeal says:

    I made it with my homemade brown sugar, that I use black strap molasses for. This was the best ever syrup!!!

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like it!

  15. Shelly says:

    We love it! one question what can I do to make a little less sweet?5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      well, since it’s a syrup, I’ve never tried something like that. In theory you could reduce the sugar a bit, but I can’t speak to the resulting consistency. Maybe just use a bit less syrup? Sorry I’m not more helpful here.

  16. PJB says:

    This recipe was a life saver when ran out of syrup. Very creative. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m glad you’re enjoying the syrup!

  17. Gail King says:

    This is a wonderful syrup! This is was we made when I was a child, but we had white sugar, vanilla, and margarine. I found this recipe and made it exactly as written…WOW! thank you for bringing back memories of when times were simple and meals were simple, but homemade.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like it!

  18. Tricia Jackson says:

    This was honestly very good! No reason to buy store syrup ever again imo!! Everyone loved it!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you love it!

  19. Sarah says:

    Very yummy. I ballparked this using the ratios and recipe as guidance as I only wanted enough syrup for one serving but it still turned out very good. Thank you! Our syrup is always expired before we finish, and this recipe might just replace buying new bottles.5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like the syrup!

  20. Jennifer Uccardi says:

    Just made this, it was amazing. Thank you so much!5 stars

    1. Mary Younkin says:

      I’m so glad you like the syrup!