21 Maple Syrup Alternatives for Pancakes

Alternatives for syrup on pancakes, both sweet and savory substitutions

Maybe you are on a special diet and are wondering what the best alternatives for syrup on pancakes are. Maybe you just forgot to pick some up from the grocery store. Maybe you are bored and are looking to switch things up a bit. Whatever it is, I have the list just for you of substitutions for maple syrup from sweet to savory suggestions, and if you want some extra inspiration in case you are an experimenter like me, there are also some bonus tips at the end, too.

Sweet substitutions

Fruit

Bananas, apples, oranges, pears, blueberries, you name it. Any kind of fresh fruit sliced or diced is really good in the place of syrup. It’s as healthy of an option as you can get, especially if you are trying to watch your blood sugar.

Canned Fruit

If you don’t have fresh fruit, check the pantry to see if you have some cans of fruit. Pop it open, warm it up, drain it, dump it on. Can it be any easier than that?

Note: If you are planning to use the syrup in the can, too, check an make sure that it doesn’t have added sugar or that it is in it’s own fruit juice.

Frozen Fruit

Maybe your freezer has what you need. A little bit of frozen fruit melted in a pan can satisfy that sweet craving. Try this simple syrup recipe or keep it on hand for next time.

1/2 c Frozen Blueberries (or any other fruit)

1/2 c Water

2 T Honey (any sweetener – white sugar, brown sugar, etc..)

1t Vanilla Extract (or maple extract)

Instructions:

1. Dump all ingredients into a pan over medium heat.
2. Put the lid on.
3. Stir occasionally.
4. Once it starts to boil, pop or mash the blueberries with a fork to let out the juice.
5. Let it boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Turn down the heat to low if it starts to boil over.
6. Serve on top of warm and buttery pancakes.

Jelly, Jams, and Marmalade

Anything that you would put on toast can top pancakes.

Fruit Butters

Think fall. You smell apple butter simmering with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the slow cooker. Why not add it to your fluffy pancakes?

Whipped cream

Straight out of the can, who wouldn’t be enticed by some extra creamy fluff covering their plate. If you want the good stuff for your feast, try whipping the cream yourself. You could even get raw cream from a health foods store to make it even better.

Nutella

For all you mild chocolate lovers, try some Nutella. It may not have a ton of chocolate in it, but the little bit that it does with the hazelnut, is a pretty good addition to the breakfast table. If you really want some chocolate, try….

Chocolate Chips

Put them in the batter. Sprinkle them on top. Melt them down for a chocolate syrup and drizzle on top of other toppings like fruit for different flavors.

Molasses

It may be a little strong if you pour it on like traditional maple syrup, but a little bit can be a great alternative if you are looking to try something new. It will definitely add a rich flavor. You could always try some light molasses, too.

Honey

This is the twin to syrup and a good natural sweetener. This sweet goodness is just as good if not better than pure maple syrup. If you happen to buy raw honey, you get extra health benefits, too!

Honey Butter Spread

My brothers and I were convinced we made this recipe up….until we saw a similar idea in a cookbook. Sad day, but it still is delicious. Plus, it is a really easy recipe to whip up on the spot.

1T Butter

1T Honey

a sprinkle of cinnamon

Instructions:

• Stir it.
• Serve it.

Told you it was super simple!

Agave Syrup

There is definitely a health craze on this one. It just might be the most convenient maple syrup replacement as a natural sweetener since it is sweeter than honey.

Pie Filling

Don’t know what to do with that leftover filling? Why not put in on top of pancakes?

Ice Cream

Hands down, the best option! Your children will go for it any day, won’t you?

Savory Substitutions.

Peanut butter 

At our house, we can’t serve pancakes without peanut butter. We have gotten so used to spreading some PB even when we do have syrup. Not only does it add a little protein to your breakfast, you almost always have it on hand and it has less sugar making it a healthy maple syrup alternative.

Almond Butter

Another great option and a twin to PB is almond butter. It is creamy and nutty. Some say it is even a healthier alternative than peanut butter. Either way, it is perfect if you are looking for a more savory topping.

Butter

What? How is butter a great substitute? If you get high quality butter like Braum’s Sweet Cream Butter and slather a bunch on while your pancakes are still hot, it is so delicious! Unsalted is okay, but a good salted or sweet cream is the best butter for pancakes.

Vegemite

This is an Aussie thing. Some people like it. Some people don’t.

Cream Cheese

What woman wouldn’t want to at least try it?

Cheese

Another savory option is cheese. Put it on while the pancakes are hot and watch it melt. Who needs pancake syrup?

Bonus Tips!

Make a Syrup

If you are looking to fancy up those pancakes, try making your own syrup. The possibilities are endless! You could make fruit syrups, or melt some chocolate chips with a cup of maple syrup. Why not experiment with a brown sugar syrup?

Cook Pancakes in Cast Iron

This isn’t exactly a replacement for syrup, but if you are on a diet and what to cut the sugar, but still add something to your pancakes then you should try this. There is something about making things in cast iron that add a delicious flavor. You can fry your pancakes on the stove top in a cast iron skillet, or if you are busy, you can also pour all the batter into your cast iron and bake it. That way you don’t have to stand and flip them, and can go do something else instead. Either way, cast iron is the best pan for pancakes!

Was there anything I left out? Maybe there is a substitution that you like to use that I have not heard of. If so, let me know. I’m always looking to try new things.

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