You can make a quick maple-flavored pancake syrup at home without simmering tree sap for half a day or paying bottled-syrup prices for something that tastes suspiciously like sweetened regret. This simple stovetop version uses pantry sugars plus maple extract for a rich, breakfast-ready syrup that pours beautifully over pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
It also gives you control over the thickness. Cook it a little less for an easy-pouring table syrup or let it reduce a bit longer if you like it thicker and clingier. If you enjoy homemade breakfast staples, pair it with MYO Breakfast Sausage – Country or Maple or keep another sweet topper on hand with this Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Maple Syrup
This syrup is fast, inexpensive, and built from ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. The brown sugar adds a deeper flavor than plain simple syrup, the cornstarch gives it a syrupy body, and the maple extract brings in that familiar breakfast-house maple note.
It is not true boiled maple sap, and it does not pretend to be. What it does do very well is save money, taste good on a stack of hot pancakes, and spare you from paying premium prices for a bottle that disappears by next Saturday.
Ingredients for MYO Maple Syrup
You only need four basic ingredients for the syrup, plus one optional add-in if you want a buttery diner-style finish.
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon maple extract
- 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
The cornstarch amount is tiny, but it matters. It helps the syrup hold a smoother, lightly thickened texture without needing a long reduction.
How to Make MYO Maple Syrup
Start with cold water so the sugars and cornstarch dissolve evenly instead of clumping. Once it comes to a boil, resist the urge to stir it constantly. Too much agitation encourages sugar crystals, which is a rude little surprise in pancake syrup.
- In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch.
- Add the cold water and stir just until the sugars dissolve.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Cook until the syrup reaches the thickness you prefer.
- Stir in the maple extract. If you want a butter-enriched syrup, add the butter at the same time.
- Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and bottle the syrup.
Tips for the Best Maple Syrup
Use cold water first. That gives the sugars and cornstarch a chance to dissolve before the pan heats up.
Do not over-stir once it boils. Occasional stirring is enough. Constant stirring can encourage crystallization, especially around the sides of the pan.
Remember that hot syrup looks thinner than cooled syrup. If you cook it until it seems quite thick in the pan, it may set up more than you expect after cooling.
Bottle it while it is still hot. A clean glass jar or syrup bottle works well, and a narrow funnel saves your countertop from looking like a sticky crime scene.
Easy Variations
Butter maple syrup: Stir in 2 tablespoons butter with the maple extract for a richer finish.
Thicker syrup: Let it boil a little longer before adding the extract, then simmer as directed.
Thinner pouring syrup: Stop cooking a bit earlier. The syrup will still thicken slightly as it cools.
If you like making your own flavored staples, you might also want to keep MYO Flavored Syrups or MYO Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup in your back pocket for dessert night.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this homemade maple syrup warm over pancakes, waffles, French toast, biscuits, or sausage patties. It also works as a sweet drizzle over oatmeal or stirred into a little melted butter for a quick glaze on baked sweet potatoes or carrots.
Storage and Shelf Life
Let the syrup cool, then refrigerate it in a clean airtight bottle or jar. A refrigerator should stay at 40 F or below for safe storage, according to the USDA refrigeration guidance.
Refrigerator: Use within 60 days. That is the intended storage window for this recipe.
Freezer: For best quality, freeze in small airtight portions and use within 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Watch for spoilage: If the syrup turns cloudy, develops off smells, ferments, or shows mold, discard it.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: MYO Maple Syrup
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Water |
– |
1 C. |
$0.01 |
|
Granulated sugar |
$2.98 |
1/2 C. |
$0.16 |
|
Brown sugar |
$2.24 |
1 C. |
$0.54 |
|
Cornstarch |
$1.92 |
1/8 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Maple extract |
$2.34 |
1 T. |
$1.17 |
|
Butter |
$2.98 |
2 T. |
$0.19 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$2.08 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$0.13 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
- Granulated Sugar, 4 lb
- Light Brown Sugar, 32 oz
- Corn Starch, 16 oz
- Maple Extract, 2 fl oz
- Unsalted Butter, 1 lb
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about MYO Maple Syrup
You can, but expect a deeper molasses flavor and a darker color. If that is what you have, use it in a straight 1:1 swap, just know the syrup will taste a little less like classic pancake syrup and a little more robust.
Too much stirring is usually the culprit. Once the sugars dissolve and the syrup reaches a boil, stir only occasionally and avoid scraping dried sugar from the side of the pan back into the syrup, because those crystals can start a chain reaction.
Take it off when it is just a little thinner than you want to serve it. Hot syrup always looks looser in the pan, then thickens more as it cools, so if you wait until it looks perfect on the stove you may end up with something closer to glaze.
Yes, but the texture will be a bit lighter and thinner unless you reduce it longer. That tiny 1/8 teaspoon helps the syrup body up quickly, which is handy when you want pourable syrup instead of babysitting a saucepan all morning.
Butter gives the syrup a richer, rounder finish and a diner-style flavor. Stir in the full 2 tablespoons with the maple extract so it melts in smoothly instead of separating later.
Plan on about 1 cup of finished syrup, depending on how long you cook it. That works out to roughly 16 tablespoons, so you will usually get 8 servings if you use 2 tablespoons per serving or 16 smaller servings at 1 tablespoon each.
Absolutely. Double every ingredient and use a larger saucepan so the syrup has room to boil without climbing the sides. The cooking time may run a little longer because there is more liquid to reduce.
A clean glass jar or syrup bottle with a tight-fitting lid works best. Glass does not hold odors, it is easy to sanitize, and it lets you rewarm a small portion gently if the syrup thickens too much in the refrigerator.
Warm only what you need. Microwave it in short 10 to 15 second bursts or set the jar in warm water until it loosens up, because hard boiling it again can change the texture and push it thicker than you wanted.
Try it on waffles, French toast, biscuits, oatmeal, or breakfast sausage. It also works as a quick sweet glaze when you brush a little over roasted carrots or sweet potatoes right before serving.
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Did you make this recipe? Tell us how you served it or whether you went classic maple or butter-maple in the comments below.
🖨️ Print-Friendly MYO Maple Syrup
MYO Maple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon maple extract
- 2 tablespoons butter optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.
- Add the cold water and stir until the sugars dissolve.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Cook until the syrup reaches your preferred thickness.
- Stir in the maple extract and butter, if using.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and bottle.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Prep and cook times are estimated from the stated stovetop steps.
Avoid over-stirring during boiling to help prevent sugar crystallization.
Refrigerate leftovers and use within 60 days.
when you say “seal” what kind of sealing are we doing?
if i where to put this in a jar, can i water bath it?
can not wait to try this!! i am so tired of paying the price for pure maple syrup
Can not wait to try.
love the real stuff… can you taste any real difference?
the added bonus when you first make is that it is nice and hot!!! if you search long and hard and are willing to pay, maple “extract” is available, too!
i buy a bottle of mapeline. 1 c water 2 c sugar and 1/2 tsp mapeline, the recipe is on the bottle. My kids don’t know what store bought maple syrup tastes like.
I let the Amish neighbors tap our trees and get a share of the syrup.