Cracker Barrel is a popular family restaurant chain known for its country-style home cooking and hospitality. The restaurants are decorated with antiques and artifacts to give off that old country store vibe. One of the highlights of dining at Cracker Barrel is indulging in their delicious breakfast offerings like pancakes, waffles, and French toast. Naturally, these items are served with a generous pour of syrup to satisfy that sweet tooth in the morning. But what exactly is the syrup that Cracker Barrel provides with their famous breakfast entrees? Let’s take a closer look at the type of syrup used at this classic American eatery.
Maple Syrup
One of the most quintessential breakfast syrups is maple syrup. This amber-colored syrup comes from the sap of maple trees and offers a distinctive sweet, earthy flavor. Maple syrup is produced by boiling down maple sap to remove excess water, resulting in a syrupy concentrate. This all-natural syrup has been produced for centuries, originally by Native Americans, and is now a beloved pancake topper across North America. Given Cracker Barrel’s classic Americana vibe, you might assume they use 100% pure maple syrup. However, that is not the case.
Corn Syrup
While Cracker Barrel does offer real maple syrup as an option on their breakfast menu, their standard syrup provided with meals is actually corn syrup based. Corn syrup is a processed sweetener made from corn starch. The starch goes through enzymatic and chemical processes to break it down into glucose. This thick, gooey syrup is extremely sweet but lacks the complex flavors of maple syrup. Corn syrup is cheaper to produce than maple syrup, which is why many large-scale restaurants use it as their default pancake syrup.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Specifically, the type of corn syrup used at Cracker Barrel is high fructose corn syrup. This variation of corn syrup goes through an additional process to convert some of its glucose into fructose, resulting in a sweeter formulation. High fructose corn syrup emerged in the 1960s as an inexpensive sweetener used extensively in processed foods and beverages. While pure maple syrup contains just one ingredient – maple sap – high fructose corn syrup is highly processed. It lacks any real maple flavor, instead providing cloying sweetness to foods.
Cracker Barrel Syrup Nutrition
Here is a nutritional comparison of Cracker Barrel’s standard syrup versus pure maple syrup:
| Syrup Type | Calories per 1/4 Cup | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Cracker Barrel Syrup | 220 | 56g |
| Pure Maple Syrup | 180 | 44g |
As you can see, the high fructose corn syrup-based Cracker Barrel syrup has significantly more calories and sugar than real maple syrup. Maple syrup has minerals like calcium, potassium, and manganese, while corn syrup is purely sugars without added nutritional value.
Why Cracker Barrel Uses Corn Syrup
Cracker Barrel opts to use corn syrup-based pancake syrup because it is extremely cheap compared to 100% maple syrup. Maple syrup is tapped directly from trees and boiled down into syrup, making it far more labor intensive than highly processed corn syrup. This authentic production process makes maple syrup expensive, especially for large chain restaurants looking to cut costs. Corn syrup also has an extremely long shelf life, unlike natural maple syrup. This allows Cracker Barrel to buy huge quantities of corn syrup syrup and store it for extended periods without it spoiling. Though it may lack the delightful maple flavor, corn syrup is the most economical choice for large-scale eateries.
Customer Reactions
Many Cracker Barrel patrons are disappointed to find out the syrup served with breakfast is not real maple syrup. Customers assume an establishement promoting old-fashioned country cooking would use wholesome ingredients like maple syrup rather than processed corn syrup. The company receives complaints about the syrup not tasting like maple and being overly sweet. However, long-time Cracker Barrel diners have grown accustomed to the taste of the high fructose corn syrup they provide. Some even come to prefer it over natural maple syrup due to the extra sugary sweetness they’ve come to expect at Cracker Barrel.
How to Get Maple Syrup at Cracker Barrel
While high fructose corn syrup remains the default syrup at Cracker Barrel, they do offer real maple syrup as an alternative option. If you request maple syrup for your pancakes or French toast, the server will bring out individual containers of 100% maple syrup. There is typically an upcharge of $1-2 to substitute real maple syrup. Many customers say it’s worth the small fee to be able to enjoy the authentic maple flavor. Cracker Barrel also sells bottles of pure maple syrup in their gift shop that you can pour on top of your breakfast items. So while you’ll have to ask for it, it is possible to enjoy real maple syrup at Cracker Barrel if you’re willing to pay extra.
Cracker Barrel Syrup vs Competitors
Cracker Barrel is far from the only restaurant chain to rely on corn syrup instead of maple syrup. Many diners and family restaurants make this swap to cut costs. Here is a comparison of the standard breakfast syrups at popular chains:
| Restaurant | Default Syrup Type |
|---|---|
| Cracker Barrel | High fructose corn syrup |
| Waffle House | Corn syrup |
| IHOP | Pancake syrup (corn syrup-based) |
| Denny’s | Corn syrup |
As you can see, corn syrup and its variations are the industry standard when it comes to pancake syrup in diners and casual breakfast spots. Certain higher-end restaurants like brunch cafes will serve real maple syrup with their breakfast dishes. But the majority of big breakfast chains opt for cheap high fructose corn syrup instead of pricier maple syrup.
Other Cracker Barrel Breakfast Syrups
While high fructose corn syrup syrup is the default, Cracker Barrel does offer other flavored pancake syrup options beyond basic maple. These allow customers to get even more creative with their breakfast dishes:
- Blueberry pancake syrup – Made with a blueberry juice concentrate for a sweet fruit flavor.
- Strawberry pancake syrup – Strawberry puree gives this syrup a bright pink hue and sweet berry taste.
- Raspberry pancake syrup – Tart raspberry syrup swirled into the pancake syrup.
- Cherry pancake syrup – Made with cherry juice for a tasty twist.
- Boysenberry pancake syrup – Deep reddish-purple syrup with juicy boysenberry flavor.
- Peach pancake syrup – A summer classic replicating sweet, juicy peaches.
Kids and adults alike will enjoy drizzling these fruity, flavored pancake syrups over their morning stack at Cracker Barrel. It adds an extra pop of flavor beyond traditional maple.
Making Your Own Maple Syrup
After learning that Cracker Barrel uses corn syrup instead of real maple syrup, you may be inspired to start making your own maple syrup at home. Though it requires some effort, the heavenly taste of homemade maple syrup is worth it. Here is an overview of the maple syrup production process:
1. Tap Maple Trees
The first step is tapping maple trees to harvest the sap. Sugar maple, red maple, and black maple trees all produce sap suitable for syrup. Tap the trees in late winter or early spring when sap flow is highest. Use a drill to bore holes into the trunk then insert a spout or tube to direct the dripping sap into a bucket.
2. Boil the Sap
Next, collect the sap and pour it into a large pot, pan, or evaporator to boil. Bring the sap to a boil over high heat. As the water evaporates, continue adding more sap to the pot. Boil for long periods, checking frequently, until the sap reaches the desired syrup consistency.
3. Filter and Finish the Syrup
Once boiled down into syrup, filter out any impurities. Grade the syrup based on color and richness. Syrup can be used immediately or canned in sterilized bottles. Store in the refrigerator for everyday use or freeze for long-term storage.
4. Enjoy Your Maple Syrup
Finally, drizzle your homemade maple syrup over pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, and more. Any dish calling for syrup gets an upgrade with this tree-tapped treat. Nothing compares to the incredible flavor of real maple syrup straight from your own kitchen.
Conclusion
While Cracker Barrel relies on cheap high fructose corn syrup as their standard pancake syrup, customers can still opt for the real stuff. If you request maple syrup with your breakfast, they will bring you the goodies for a small upcharge. You can also purchase maple syrup bottles in their stores to pour on yourself. Though corn syrup may be cost-effective for a large chain, many Cracker Barrel visitors crave the true maple flavor. The rich complexity of maple syrup is hard to replicate with processed corn syrup. Luckily, it’s possible to enjoy both classic country cooking and authentic maple syrup at Cracker Barrel – you just need to ask for it.
