This Homemade Buttermilk Syrup is creamy and rich with a deep sweet caramel flavor. It only takes a few minutes to make and is perfect on waffles, pancakes, or french toast.
Looking for even more syrup recipes? You can also try our Coconut Buttermilk Syrup, Pumpkin Spice Syrup, or this Apple Cider Syrup.
Easy Buttermilk Syrup Recipe
If you’re looking for pancake syrup that is a bit like caramel sauce but not quite as sweet, this homemade buttermilk syrup recipe is just the thing. It only has a few ingredients and is delicious on absolutely everything.
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As the syrup cooks, the sugars begin to caramelize and combine with the tangy buttermilk which gives it the most perfectly balanced flavor. I especially love to serve it with a classic French Toast Bake, Coconut French Toast, German Pancakes, and Pumpkin Stuffed French Toast.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Salted Butter – you can use regular unsalted butter but just add a little salt to the recipe.
- Sugar – you will need white granulated sugar to make this syrup.
- Corn Syrup – this helps ensure that the syrup doesn’t crystallize.
- Buttermilk – any kind of cultured buttermilk will work great.
- Baking Soda – this helps the buttermilk syrup stay nice and creamy.
- Vanilla Extract – pure vanilla extract has the very best flavor.
How to Make Buttermilk Syrup
- Boil the mixture. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, buttermilk, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil while stirring. Boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until the mixture starts to caramelize.
- Add the baking soda. Whisk in the baking soda and vanilla and stir until combined. Take the syrup off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve or store. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
The buttermilk you buy from the grocery store is cultured buttermilk. Cultured buttermilk tastes sour and is much thicker. It almost has the consistency of cream, just a little more frothy. It’s made from lower-fat milk and is soured by adding lactic acid bacteria or culture like yogurt. This type of buttermilk is referred to as cultured buttermilk.
Buttermilk is the byproduct of cream after butter is made.
I grew up on a farm and milked cows so we had a lot of fresh milk around. We constantly had buttermilk and were always coming up with ways to use it.
After you milk a cow, the milk you have leftover is body temperature–the cow’s body temperature. When the milk is refrigerated, the milk fat rises to the top of the container that is cream. In the stores, it would be considered heavy whipping cream. The cream is what produces butter and buttermilk.
If you were to whip that cream, it would get really fluffy and in just a few minutes, it would turn into a cream that would be perfect to add to the top of a pie or cake. If you continue to whip the cream, it would turn into butter. After about 15 minutes of whipping cream you would have a big glob of yellowish colored butter and the by-product of the butter is buttermilk.
Real buttermilk is actually a little watery looking. It’s a little tart but smells much sweeter than store-bought buttermilk. It’s perfect to use to make this buttermilk syrup or even buttermilk pancakes.
Tips for Making Buttermilk Syrup
- Add the buttermilk to a cold pan, and heat with the butter. If you add cold buttermilk to hot butter, you risk curdling the buttermilk.
- Boil the syrup just until it turns a slightly darker color. If you don’t cook it long enough, it will separate when it’s cold.
- Buttermilk syrup will keep in the fridge for about 4 weeks.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator- buttermilk syrup needs to be stored in the fridge. It’s best if you store it in a jar or airtight container. It will stay good for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
- Reheat- Add it to a saucepan and heat until warm.
- Freeze- Buttermilk syrup is best if it’s not frozen. It separates and becomes a little gritty. This syrup is best stored in the fridge.
Homemade Buttermilk Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, buttermilk, sugar, and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil while stirring and boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until the mixture starts to caramelize.
- Take the syrup off the heat and whisk in the baking soda and vanilla. Stir, then let it cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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We’ve been making this Homemade Buttermilk Syrup Recipe for decades. It’s creamy and rich and has a deep sweet caramel flavor. It only takes a few minutes to make and is perfect on waffles, pancakes, or french toast.
I can’t eat waffles or French toast without this syrup! It is SO good!!! I’ve even dipped apple slices in it.
Great recipe loved it!!
Best recipe I’ve ever tried!!!!!
Thanks, Jen! That’s great to hear!
Do you use light or dark corn syrup?