When you hear Buttermilk Syrup, you still probably think about maple syrup. This syrup is amazing because it can be used similar to a maple syrup on breakfast recipes from pancakes to waffles to crepes, but it’s also my go-to caramel sauce for desserts like ice cream and cheesecake and makes an incredible gift, all wrapped up in a cute mason jar. The flavor is incredibly well rounded and it lends itself well to so many different uses. It’s also a great use for leftover buttermilk, if you bought a container for a single recipe (like my Buttermilk Ranch Dressing) and now don’t know what to do with the rest! Once you learn how easy this is to make, it will become a household staple!
Ingredient and Equipment List
- Buttermilk – I don’t recommend buttermilk substitutes in this recipe, and I haven’t tried it with powdered buttermilk. I like to use real buttermilk, though low or full fat is just fine.
- Butter – I use real, salted, butter. If you use unsalted butter, you’ll want to add a little extra salt to the sauce to balance out the flavor.
- Sugar – Use regular white granulated sugar.
- Corn Syrup – Corn syrup is an important ingredient because it prevents the sauce from crystallizing.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda is important because it reacts with the acidic ingredients and helps with the sauce’s texture.
- Vanilla – Vanilla adds flavor to the finished caramel sauce.
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk, butter, sugar, corn syrup, and baking soda in a large pot.
- Heat and stir to combine all ingredients and then bring to a low simmer.
- Continue to simmer until the mixture turns deep golden in color.
- Let cool to warm and stir to smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. You can heat in the microwave to warm up.
Your sauce will probably start to get a little grainy and crystallize before it goes bad. Eat up up in 3-4 days for best results.
No, this recipe is not designed for canning. If you gift it in a mason jar, make sure the recipient knows to just keep it in the fridge. TIP: Sometimes after this sauce sits unused for a day or two, it will get a little crystallized (but still tastes amazing!) Testers have found adding an extra tablespoon or so of corn syrup helps with this. If you plan to gift this buttermilk caramel, you may want to try that.
Buttermilk Syrup
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 8 Tablespoons 1 stick real butter
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a LARGE pot. Like one you'd make soup in. Yes, you'll have way more pot than ingredients but this will boil all over your newly-cleaned stove if you put it in a smaller saucepan.
- Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low (as long as it's still bubbling, you're okay). Cook, stirring very frequently, for 8-9 minutes. You're basically making candy here and candy-making requires constant vigilance.
- When it's done, it should take on a golden-brown color. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
- There will be foam on top. As it cools a little, just keep stirring and the foam will subside.
Questions & Reviews
Hands down the hit of our homemade ice cream extravaganza at work. An easy and straight forward recipe. Thanks.
I have fallen in love with your site. i am a mother of all daughters so there is always something being cooked and tried here at my house. the only thing i would like to see added to your site (unless i just haven’t found the spot to do it) is a way to mark certain recipies or like a “recipe box” some way to keep them marked.
YUM! I love this syrup! It’s the best I’ve ever had.
I get so many comments / requests for this recipe! It makes an ordinary waffle something amazing. I don’t think I’ve had a better syrup. We stock buttermilk powder in our pantry; love having everything I need for this on hand.
Oh how I love this! It is so good!!! I’ve had it on your puffed French toast and ice cream and just plain eating it out of the bowl. So evil….
think I’m gonna make this to go with the red, white & blue pancakes I plan to make my family for Monday – who cares if I’ll likely be the only one eating it – that just means MORE FOR ME!!!!! *happy dance*
I just made this recipe after searching the Internet for a quick-and-easy caramel recipe. I used honey instead of corn syrup, since I’ve never had a need for the latter. After reading of the possibility of it being too thin, I also cheated a bit and mixed one or two tablespoons of cornstarch in. I don’t like such “tricks,” but it turned out wonderfully. I realize, however, my shortsightedness: I don’t have in the house anything on which to put the sauce!
that would be my issue, but i am a MAJOR caramel fan and eat it from the spoon every time the fridge is opened like they were talking about earlier lol.
if you don’t have buttermilk, you can use 1 t. vinegar and regular milk. I’ve been making it for years and don’t ever buy the buttermilk anymore.
One comment, one question.
1. I stirred this the entire time and got no foam, just a wonderfully delicious syrup and I’m dying to let it cool so I can have it on ice cream :).
2. Is there a way I could convert this somehow to be the caramel topping on the faux twix recipe?
Sara- that was a recipe that I photographed for our cook book and it got pulled at the last minute! But no fear- it is sure to show up either on the blog or in another book soon!