Homemade Pancake Syrup and The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

We love pancakes around here. I'll even make them for dinner from time to time. In the fall, it's pumpkin pancakes. I've made zucchini pancakes, cinnamon pancakes, and our favorite banana pancakes, but this basic buttermilk pancake is a standard. Change 'em up by adding diced apples, blueberries, or chocolate chips. And, yes, serve up a stack for dinner.

Top off you pancakes with homemade syrup. This recipe was handed down to me by my parents. I believe it may have originally come from the book, The Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn. Dad still makes this syrup after over 20 years. While I'd prefer natural maple syrup, it's out of my budget and I have no interest in the high fructose corn syrup and artificial coloring/flavoring filled store bought syrups.syrups. Blech. It's easy to make up a batch of this syrup with leftovers so you don't have to make it every time you have pancakes, but it's so simple to make and if you get it mixed up and cooking on the stove while you cook up the pancakes, you'll have a nice, hot batch ready when your pancakes are done cooking.

Homemade Pancake Syrup

• 3 cups sugar (cane or brown both work. Brown sugar adds a deeper flavor)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water
• 3 Tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp natural vanilla

Mix all ingredients together in a medium pan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Remove from heat and let set.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp melted butter
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients and mix until lumps are gone. Heat butter or oil in a skillet. Drop 1/4 cup batter into skillet and cook until bubbly. Flip, cooking until brown on other side.

Serve hot with slabs of butter and homemade syrup.