Waffles are a delicious breakfast food that can be enjoyed with a variety of sweet toppings and syrups. Choosing the right syrup to pair with waffles can accentuate the flavors and make for a more satisfying breakfast experience. So what syrup goes best with waffles? There are a few front-running options, including maple syrup, fruit syrups, flavored syrups, and homemade syrups. Each type of syrup provides its own unique flavors that complement waffles in different ways.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is the most traditional and popular syrup paired with waffles. Maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees and undergoes a boiling process to turn the sap into a thick, sweet syrup. Pure maple syrup has a rich, complex flavor with notes of caramel and vanilla. The flavors are robust but not overpowering, making it an ideal match for waffles. Maple syrup soaks nicely into waffle pockets, adding sweetness without overpowering the waffle’s flavor. The flavor profile of maple goes well with both sweet and savory waffle toppings like fruit, nuts, or bacon. Maple syrup is a versatile, classic choice that is readily available and easy to use.
Grades of Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is graded based on color and flavor:
| Grade | Color | Flavor |
|---|---|---|
| Grade A Light Amber | Light golden color | Mild maple flavor |
| Grade A Medium Amber | Slightly darker color | Richer maple flavor |
| Grade A Dark Amber | Very dark color | Robust maple flavor |
The darker grades of maple syrup have bolder maple flavors, while lighter grades are more delicate. Any grade of pure maple syrup can pair deliciously with waffles, so choose based on personal taste preference.
Maple Syrup Varieties
There are a few specialty varieties of maple syrup to consider:
– Maple butter: Made by whipping maple syrup to make a thick, spreadable butter. The texture is smooth and creamy.
– Maple cream: Maple syrup with extra maple flavor and thickened texture almost like soft cream.
– Maple flakes: Maple syrup dehydrated into crunchy flakes that can add texture.
– Bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup: Maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels for a hint of whiskey flavor.
– Cinnamon maple syrup: Maple syrup with cinnamon flavor added.
These varieties can add extra dimensions of flavor and texture to waffles.
Fruit Syrups
Fruit syrups are a nice way to add sweetness and fruit flavor to waffles. Popular options include:
– Strawberry syrup
– Blueberry syrup
– Raspberry syrup
– Cherry syrup
– Boysenberry syrup
Fruit syrups are made from concentrated fruit juice, water, and sweeteners cooked down to a syrupy consistency. The fruit flavor pairs wonderfully with the cakey texture of waffles. Fruit syrups also complement fresh fruit toppings like sliced strawberries or blueberries. The sweet fruity flavor balances nicely with the waffle’s fluffiness.
Making Homemade Fruit Syrup
It’s easy to make your own homemade fruit syrup:
1. Gather fruit juice, like strawberry, blueberry, or cherry juice.
2. Mix 1 cup fruit juice with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Let boil for 10-15 minutes until thickened to a syrupy consistency.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. Store homemade syrup in the refrigerator.
Making your own allows you to control the ingredients and customize the flavors.
Flavored Syrups
Beyond fruit flavors, all kinds of flavored syrups pair nicely with waffles depending on your taste preferences. Some popular options include:
Sweet Flavored Syrups
– Caramel syrup
– Butter pecan syrup
– Vanilla syrup
– Cinnamon roll syrup
– Coconut syrup
– Honey syrup
– Dulce de leche syrup
These sweet flavors accentuate the natural sweetness of waffles. The flavors come through strongly and add new dimensions to the waffle experience.
Savory Flavored Syrups
Waffles can also pair well with savory flavored syrups:
– Bacon syrup
– Sausage syrup
– Hot sauce syrup
– Steak sauce syrup
– BBQ sauce syrup
The savory and salty flavors provide an unexpected but delicious contrast to fluffy sweet waffles. They work especially well with chicken and waffles.
Unique Flavored Syrups
Adventurous eaters can also try unique flavored syrups like:
– Rose syrup
– Lavender syrup
– Earl grey tea syrup
– Matcha syrup
– Coffee syrup
These flavors add an aromatic, sophisticated quality to waffles. Floral rose or lavender syrups for example provide a light, perfumed note that plays nicely off the dense waffle texture.
The options are endless when it comes to flavored syrup creativity.
Homemade Syrups
For the ultimate control over ingredients and flavors, making your own homemade syrup is easy and fun. Here are some ideas:
Simple Syrup
– Combine equal parts sugar and water.
– Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.
– Remove from heat and stir in your choice of flavorings like vanilla, almond, or lemon.
Berry Syrup
– Cook down fresh or frozen berries with a bit of water.
– Once berries soften, mash them and continue cooking until thickened to a syrup consistency.
– Strain out seeds if desired.
Spiced Syrup
– Simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and orange peel in water for 15 minutes.
– Discard spices and stir in sugar until dissolved.
Coffee Syrup
– Brew very strong coffee.
– For every 1 cup coffee, add 1/2 cup sugar until dissolved.
Homemade syrups allow you to create customized flavors. Get creative and try out unique flavor combinations!
Factors in Choosing Syrup
When deciding what syrup to pair with waffles, here are some factors to consider:
Intended use
– Eating waffles plain? Choose a flavorful syrup like maple or fruit syrup to add sweetness.
– Adding fruit topping? Opt for lighter syrups like simple syrup so as not to overpower the fruit.
– Adding whipped cream? Maple or flavored syrups pair well and won’t make things too soggy.
Flavor and sweetness preference
– Prefer robust, pronounced flavors? Choose rich maple syrup or strongly flavored fruit or flavored syrups.
– Like things more mildly sweet? Light amber maple or delicate fruit syrups will suit your needs.
– Want an extra sweet kick? Caramel or vanilla syrups amp up the sweetness.
Dietary needs
– Vegan? Stick to fruit or homemade syrups without honey.
– Avoiding refined sugar? Use 100% pure maple syrup.
– Diabetic? Look for low glycemic index options like fruit syrups.
Convenience
– Short on time? Keep easy store-bought maple and fruit syrups on hand.
– Want to customize flavors? Make homemade syrups on a lazy Sunday.
– Like variety? Have a selection of different flavored syrups to please any palate.
Think about these factors to choose the ideal syrups for the occasion.
Pairing Syrups with Waffle Toppings
The syrup you choose can be tailored to complement whatever toppings you’ll be adding to your waffles:
Fresh Fruit Toppings
– Strawberries: Strawberry, maple, or simple syrup
– Blueberries: Blueberry, maple, or vanilla syrup
– Bananas: Caramel or maple syrup
– Peaches: Peach or maple syrup
– Apples: Cinnamon syrup
Fruit syrups complement the natural flavors of the fresh fruit.
Sweet Toppings
– Whipped cream: Maple, caramel, or vanilla syrup
– Ice cream: Caramel, chocolate, or butterscotch syrup
– Sprinkles: Maple, fruit, or butter pecan syrup
Pair sweet toppings with equally sweet syrups to satisfy that sweet tooth.
Savory Toppings
– Bacon: Maple or bacon syrup
– Sausage: Maple or sausage syrup
– Fried chicken: Hot sauce, BBQ sauce, or maple syrup
Let savory syrups enhance the umami, salty flavors of meat toppings.
Nut Toppings
– Pecans or walnuts: Maple or butter pecan syrup
– Almonds: Vanilla almond or maple syrup
– Peanut butter: Maple peanut butter or chocolate syrup
Complement the nutty crunch with maple syrup or flavors like vanilla, butter pecan, or chocolate.
Think about all the components together when deciding on syrup, so the flavors will harmonize.
Best Practices for Syrup with Waffles
To get the ideal syrup experience with waffles, follow these best practices:
– Warm your syrup – Cold syrup can make waffles soggy. Gently heat syrup for better absorption.
– Use a syrup pitcher – Pour into a pitcher before bringing to the table for easy, mess-free pouring.
– Wait until waffles are cooked – Pour syrup over cooked waffles so it doesn’t burn.
– Add whipped cream first – Top waffles with whipped cream before syrup so the syrup doesn’t make the cream soggy.
– Drizzle sparingly – Use a light hand when drizzling syrup over each bite to prevent saturating.
– Shake off excess – Gently shake waffles over the plate to remove excess syrup pooling in pockets before eating.
– Have extras on hand – Provide extra warm syrup for topping up as you eat.
– Store in fridge – Keep leftover syrup covered in the fridge to enjoy next time.
Follow these tips and your waffles will have ideal syrup distribution and absorption every time!
Creative Syrup Presentation Ideas
Take your waffle syrup presentation up a notch with these fun serving ideas:
– Shot glasses – Pour syrup into small shot glasses for dipping each bite.
– Squeeze bottles – Use plastic condiment bottles so guests can draw designs.
– Infused jars – Infuse fruit or herbs in maple syrup stored in glass jars.
– Flavored shakers – Make your own themed sprinkles to shake over like cinnamon toast crunch.
– Painter’s palettes – Arrange multiple syrups on a pallete for mixing and matching flavors.
– Syrup flights – Offer tasting size portions of different syrups in a flight.
– Syrup trio – Display three complementary syrups in a tiered stand.
With creative presentation, syrup can be fun for both kids and adults!
Conclusion
Maple, fruit, flavored, and homemade syrup all have a place when it comes to topping waffles. Maple syrup is the classic choice with its balanced sweet flavor and velvety texture. Fruit syrups allow you to enjoy delicious fruity flavor on top of your waffles. For pure flavors, get creative with flavored syrups ranging from sweet to savory. And homemade syrup lets you fully customize the ingredients and flavors. Consider your tastes, toppings, and occasions when deciding which syrup to use. Drizzle your syrup gently over cooked waffles, add sides of warm syrup for topping up, and get creative with syrup presentation ideas. With the right syrup choice, you can take your waffles to a whole new level of deliciousness.
