The Easy Way To Add Even More Sweet Maple Flavor To Pancakes

What's better than freshly made malted pancakes on a leisurely weekend morning? Why, pancakes drizzled with real-deal maple syrup, of course. If you're a fan of the flavor combination, there's an easy way you can turn up the volume of maple to an even more pronounced degree with a few strategic additions long before you drop pancake batter onto the griddle.

Consider adding maple syrup directly into your pancake batter before cooking or look for maple extract the next time you're browsing supermarket aisles for replacement vanilla. The elevated batter hack doesn't only apply to pancakes, either: Boost any batter you mix to make waffles and muffins with an added tablespoon of maple syrup, then taste your creations as you go. Batch pancakes to sample the result of the maple syrup inclusion and adjust for sweetness by adding another tablespoon of maple syrup to the batter to suit your palate's preferences. 

For even more maple goodness added to your plate of pancakes, whip maple extract with fresh cream to top stacks, sprinkle cinnamon powder and homemade maple sugar on top of pancakes, and finish each dish with nuts that have been roasted with maple syrup for a presentation that can't be matched when it comes to presenting the taste of fall in a single dish. 

If your cupboards are running low, use molasses, instead, and swirl the ingredient into your pancake batter before ladling it onto a hot surface. Though the sweetness isn't exactly on par with maple syrup, the two share similar flavor profiles and textural consistencies, offering earthy, caramel-like sweetness to breakfast and brunch menus. 

To get even more creative with your pancake batter, mirror the rich, caramel-like taste of maple syrup with combinations of vanilla and butterscotch. Use extracts poured directly into your batter and add strategic drizzles of caramel and honey on top of hot stacks to serve a breakfast that is tough to beat when it comes to satisfying sweetness.