This recipe for butter pecan syrup with cornbread pancakes comes to you via a request from my friend Shawn. He's been asking me to post a recipe for butter pecan syrup, and today I finally did! This one's for you, Shawn.
These have to be some of the best pancakes I have ever eaten. Seriously. One of my biggest complaints when it comes to pancakes is that they soak up too much syrup and become soggy. These don't. They are dense, and that helps prevent them from becoming syrup-logged. I appreciate that. Our peanut butter pancakes are like that also.
Despite the fact that these cornbread pancakes contain no buttermilk, they are still very fluffy inside. I am sure you will enjoy them!
🥣 Equipment
- Medium saucepan.
- Large bowl.
- Medium bowl.
- Griddle (not necessary if using a skillet).
- Medium non-stick skillet (not necessary if using a griddle).
🧾 Ingredients
Pancakes
- All-purpose flour (1¼ cups).
- Cornmeal (¾ cup). The cornmeal gives these pancakes their distinctive flavor.
- Granulated sugar (¼ cup).
- Baking powder (2 teaspoons). Necessary for rise.
- Salt (½ teaspoon). Enhances flavor.
- Large egg (1), beaten. Necessary for structure and rise.
- Milk (1⅓ cup). I tested this recipe with whole milk, but reduced fat, lactose-free or nut milk should work as well.
- Vegetable oil (¼ cup). Any neutral-flavored oil like safflower or canola oil will work as a substitute. You can also substitute unflavored (refined) liquefied coconut oil.
Butter Pecan Syrup
- Granulated sugar (2 cups).
- Water (1 cup).
- Chopped pecans (½ cup).
- Butter pecan or maple extract (1 teaspoon). I used maple.
- Salted butter (¼ cup).
📝 Instructions
Pancakes
Step 1. In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Step 2. In a separate medium bowl, combine wet ingredients: egg, milk and vegetable oil.
Step 3. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix. Leave any lumps.
Step 4. Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add pancake batter ¼ to ⅓ cup at a time, depending on how large you want your pancakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until batter bubbles and bubbles begin to burst. Flip pancakes and cook on other side for 1-2 minutes. You may need to lower heat to low to keep your pancakes from burning. When pancakes are done, remove to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep them warm. Prepare syrup.
I think the hardest part about making these pancakes is refraining from trying to get all the lumps out of the batter. You really do want to mix your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients until just combined. You'll have lumps, but please resist the urge to keep stirring until they're gone. Trust me. Otherwise you'll end up with dense pancakes. Not the light and fluffy ones that we all know and love. Don't worry about the lumps. It all works out. I promise.
Looking for more information about making pancakes? Visit our complete guide for making homemade pancakes from scratch, including detailed ingredient information, step-by-step instructions and more!
Butter Pecan Syrup
Now the syrup couldn't be easier. The one piece of advice that I have to offer with that is to make sure you keep stirring while you're dissolving your sugar in the water. Burnt sugar is not a good thing. Believe me. Been there, done that. Just keep stirring and you'll be fine. Once the mixture is boiling, give a few more stirs, then just lower heat to low, add pecans and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the butter and extract. Easy peezy.
Step 1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, boil water and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
Step 2. Add pecans. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in extract and butter.
I skimmed the pecans off the top and reserved them in a small bowl. Then I poured the syrup into a small carafe for easier pouring. The pecans can be spooned onto the pancakes separately. Serve with warm pancakes.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend freezing them right away. Once the pancakes are completely cool, insert a piece a wax paper between each pancakes and place them in a sealed freezer bag marked with the date. They will keep in the freezer for up to two months. Reheat them in the toaster or oven.
You can refrigerate any leftover syrup for up to two weeks. Allow it to cool completely, then place it in a lidded mason jar, leaving a 1-inch gap at the top for expansion. You can also freeze it in the same jar. It will keep in your freezer for up to a year. Thaw it in the refrigerator and once opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator and used within two weeks as noted above.
🔖 Related Recipes
Loved these pancakes? There's more where that came from.
Plus a few more syrup recipes to make and enjoy. 🙂
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📖 Recipe
Butter Pecan Syrup with Cornbread Pancakes
Ingredients
Pancakes
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1⅓ cups milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Butter Pecan Syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon butter pecan or maple extract I used maple
- ¼ cup salted butter
Instructions
Pancakes
- In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine wet ingredients: egg, milk and vegetable oil.
- Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. Whisk together until just combined. Do not overmix. Leave any lumps.
- Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add pancake batter ¼ to ⅓ cup at a time, depending on how large you want your pancakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until batter bubbles and bubbles begin to burst. Flip pancakes and cook on other side for 1-2 minutes. You may need to lower heat to low to keep your pancakes from burning. When pancakes are done, remove to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep them warm. Prepare syrup.
Butter Pecan Syrup
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, boil water and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
- Add pecans. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in extract and butter.I skimmed the pecans off the top and reserved them in a small bowl. Then I poured the syrup into a small carafe for easier pouring. The pecans can be spooned onto the pancakes separately. Serve with warm pancakes.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional information provided is for one serving and is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nicole says
Hey there, Sandra! Even though I am not a fan of pancakes I have to say these look really delicious. I also like the way you photographed them; I've seen so many straight-on, towering pancake stacks that it's really refreshing to see them from a different angle. Well done! 🙂
Sandra says
Thanks, Nicole! That means a lot coming from you because your photos are outstanding. I was really just winging it, but I'm glad that I've accidentally managed to accomplish something worth mentioning. Thanks so much!
Kennedy Cole| KCole's Creative Corner says
MMM! I'm drooling over these, Sandra! Here in the South, we love our cornbread, and I can only imagine how wonderful those pancakes are! Oh, and butter pecan ice cream is a favorite of mine, so that syrup is one that I would pour over anything! 😀 Thanks for sharing the deliciousness!
Sandra says
Thanks, Kennedy! Happy to oblige. 🙂