Vanilla Butter Syrup Recipe (Dutch Honey) (2024)

Dutch Honey Syrup is a family tradition on my maternal side. An easy homemade syrup recipe, that we’ve always referred to as Dutch Honey, but is more commonly called Vanilla Butter Syrup, blonde butter syrup, vanilla butter syrup, buttermilk syrup, cream syrup and sometimes just vanilla syrup.

Vanilla Butter Syrup Recipe (Dutch Honey) (1)

It’s funny because it doesn’t contain honey or buttermilk… it also almost the same as maple cream, but no maple.

The only thing I can tell you with 100% certainty is that you and your family will soon start to crave it. It is that good. It is an an easy sweet syrup for fluffy pancakes, waffles, French toast, German pancakes, biscuits or even vanilla ice cream! I also use it as a simple syrup between cake layers or for poke cakes.

While I generally reserve it for special occassions, it is a great option when real maple syrup isn’t available (or you just ran out!) for your favorite pancakes.

Vanilla Butter Syrup Recipe (Dutch Honey) (2)

What You’ll Need

Basic ingredients combine to make the ultimate of sweet sauces.

  • White sugar– We use white in our version, but another fun variation is to use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar and get molasses undertones.
  • Heavy cream- On the actual handwritten recipe card, it states to use table cream. Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (there is a slight difference in fat content) can be used.
  • Salted butter – Salt in this case helps brighten the other flavors. If using unsalted butter, add just a dash of coarse Kosher salt.
  • Vanilla extract– Provides flavor. The higher quality the extract, the more robust flavor. If you want a really intense, next level vanilla flavor, try using vanilla bean paste.
  • Baking Soda– This is something I’ve started to add over the years, but isn’t in the original recipe. The reaction between the acid and the baking soda creates tiny air pockets resulting in asoft velvety syrup that won’t get too dense when cooled. A small quality won’t impact the flavor.

Some recipes use light corn syrup, but ours just melts white sugar.

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How to Make Vanilla Butter Syrup

Making this sauce is super easy! You can make it ahead of time and it is also freezer friendly.

  1. Use a heavy bottom saucepan for best consistent and controlled heat. Combine the sugar, cream, butter and vanilla extract.
  2. Heat to medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Using a wooden spoon prevents sticking. Keep an eye on it- dairy and sugar based sauces have the tendency to boil over fast if not kept at a low, steady heat. Heat until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Reduce a simmer and continue to stir until it thickens, 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken further when cool, so just make sure it coats the back of your wooden spoon.
  4. Right before removing from the heat, stir in the baking soda, making sure it incorporates well.
  5. Pour hot syrup over your favorite sweet breakfast foods.
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Storage

Vanilla butter syrup can be served warm right off the stove or made ahead. Store any syrup you intend to eat that week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature to serve.

It can also be frozen in an airtight container, jarred or canned. Although I am not an expert canning, so I will not pretend to give you those instructions. Here is a great tutorial.

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Variations

Combine with fresh fruits or use any extract in place of vanilla to give it your own edge. Almond extract, lemon or even maple extract make for fun customizations.

A couple of my other favorite homemade syrup recipes are Homemade Blueberry Syrup, Apple Cider and also Cranberry Syrup.

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What to Serve with Vanilla Butter Syrup

  • Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
  • English Scones
  • Classic Waffles with 13 Variations
  • Raspberry White Chocolate Pancakes
  • Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes

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Vanilla Butter Syrup Recipe (Dutch Honey) (10)

Dutch Honey Syrup (Vanilla Butter Syrup Recipe)

4.27 from 110 votes

Dutch Honey Syrup Recipe is an easy homemade syrup for pancakes, waffles, French toast, biscuits or even vanilla ice cream!

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 12

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  • In a heavy bottom saucepan, combine the sugar, cream, butter and vanilla extract.

  • Heat to a low boil, stirring with a wooden spoon.

  • Reduce to simmer and continue to stir until it thickens (about 5-10 minutes). Right before removing from the heat, stir in the baking soda until dissolved.

  • Serve immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate.

  • Did you try it? Let us know how it went in the comments section or star ratings!

Video

Notes

It will stay refrigerated for about a week. It also freezes well.

Nutrition

Calories: 201 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Fat: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 47 mg, Sodium: 8 mg, Potassium: 14 mg, Sugar: 16 g, Vitamin A: 530 IU, Vitamin C: 0.1 mg, Calcium: 15 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 201

Course: Breakfast, Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cream syrup, dutch honey, homemade syrup, vanilla syrup

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

Vanilla Butter Syrup Recipe (Dutch Honey) (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade honey syrup last? ›

Add the honey and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey is dissolved. Allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

How to store dutch honey? ›

Store honey at room temperature to deter crystallization. Crystallization occurs most rapidly at cool temperatures (40º – 57ºF) therefore honey should never be stored in the refrigerator. 2. Prevent absorption of moisture in the air by tightly closing containers during storage.

Can I use vanilla syrup instead of extract? ›

Vanilla coffee syrup – Use as a 1:1 substitute for vanilla extract. Vanilla coffee creamer – Use as a 1:1 substitute or double the amount of coffee creamer as extract. Spices, espresso powder – Feel free to think outside of the box and go with a completely different flavor than vanilla.

Should you refrigerate homemade syrup? ›

Refrigerating simple syrup extends its shelf life and slows the future growth of bacteria. You can keep it at room temperature, but it will go bad much faster. If you plan use up it up within a few days, it can be stored at room temperature. Otherwise I highly recommend storing it in the fridge or freezer.

How do you keep homemade syrup from hardening? ›

Any sugar crystals remaining in the syrup can cause others to crystallize. Adding a little corn syrup or an acid such as citrus juice will help to prevent this.

What's the difference between French vanilla syrup and vanilla syrup? ›

How is vanilla syrup different from French vanilla syrup? Vanilla syrup is a sweet syrup infused with vanilla flavor, while French vanilla syrup is a sweet syrup with a richer and creamier flavor profile, often reminiscent of French vanilla ice cream or custard.

Is pure vanilla extract the same as vanilla syrup? ›

While you can use vanilla extract while making vanilla syrup, vanilla extract and vanilla syrup are not the same things. Vanilla syrup is a sweet simple syrup infused with vanilla flavor. Vanilla extract is a concentrated flavoring agent that is made when vanilla pods are soaked in an alcohol mixture.

What is in French vanilla syrup? ›

Pure Cane Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Sodium Benzoate (To Preserve Freshness), Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (To Preserve Freshness), Caramel Color.

What happens if you don't use vanilla extract? ›

If you don't have any on hand, you can almost always omit the vanilla without impacting the final texture of your baked goods; although the rich flavor extract—or any form of vanilla—brings will certainly be altered. Just remember one thing: flavor comes first.

Can I use cinnamon instead of vanilla extract? ›

Another flavor-changing option would be to simply trade the vanilla for a warming spice like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom. Of course, you will not typically want to swap one-for-one. If your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon vanilla, consider adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of spice in it's place.

What to use if there is no vanilla? ›

8 substitutes for vanilla extract
  1. Vanilla paste. Vanilla paste — also called vanilla bean paste — is a mix of vanilla extract, vanilla beans, and sugar. ...
  2. Vanilla powder. ...
  3. Vanilla sugar. ...
  4. Almond extract. ...
  5. Maple syrup. ...
  6. Honey. ...
  7. Bourbon, brandy, rum, or vanilla liqueur. ...
  8. Vanilla flavored plant-based milk.
Nov 12, 2021

What is the shelf life of homemade syrup? ›

Most homemade simple syrups are good for one to six months, depending on how much sugar is in them, explains Tales of the co*cktail: simple syrup made with a one-to-one ratio of sugar to water is usually good for about a month, while rich simple syrup, made with a two-to-one ratio of sugar to water, should be good for ...

Does honey flavored syrup go bad? ›

It will go bad eventually. You can prolong the shelf life by keeping it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. How long does honey syrup last? It will keep in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, for about a month.

How do you preserve homemade simple syrup? ›

Simple syrup can be preserved for months by adding 1 ounce of sodium benzoate with ¼ ounce of citric acid, per gallon of simple syrup. Each ingredient must be added separately and stirred into the syrup separately and thoroughly.

How long is homemade honey good for? ›

Natural, properly preserved honey will not expire. In fact, archeologists found honey thousands of years old in ancient Egyptian tombs, and it was still good! While most of us don't need to worry about honey that old, their discovery proves that if properly contained, real honey can last for a very, very long time.

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