Easy Delicious Homemade Pancake Syrup

I got this recipe from my sister and we've been making it for probably two decades so I'm not sure what has taken me so long to share it. But better late than never.

It's incredibly easy to make and most everyone in our extended family prefers it to maple syrup.

Wondering how to use it? It's a great maple syrup substitute over a variety of breakfast items. We love it over buttermilk pancakes, French toast, Belgian waffles, crepes, and it even makes a delicious bread pudding or cake topping.

You can have it ready in under 15 minutes! Plus it's adaptable to other flavors.

It makes a delicious coconut syrup or almond syrup using coconut extract or almond extract in place of vanilla extract. Or you can add 1 tsp ground cinnamon along with the vanilla for cinnamon flavored syrup.

Make it this weekend paired with your favorite comforting breakfast. Just be warned once everyone tries it it may likely become a requested staple topping for nearly every breakfast!

Like this Winter version? Also try my go-to classic fruit salad recipe filled with summer fruit.

Winter Fruit Salad Recipe

Typically we think of fruit salads as a summer side dish but there's still an abundance of fruit in season during winter so why not take advantage of that and make a healthy winter fruit salad?

I first shared this recipe eight years ago and we've made it several times each year since. It's so good it almost passes as a tempting dessert!

This is a great dish to add to a holiday menu because there are often lots of heavy sides served but this is a light, refreshing and nutritious option to help balance those out a bit.

You'll find this inviting fruit salad is so easy to make and it adds so much festive natural color to your table.

Just keep in mind the most important thing about a fruit salad is the quality of the fruit. You want the fruit to have a sweet ripe flavor and firm enough texture that it won't get mushy.

From there the honey and lemon will just balance and highlight all of it's natural, fresh fruity goodness.

Favorite M&M Cookie Recipe

These are my favorite cookie from childhood that always satisfies those cookie cravings!

They can be made with regular-sized M&M's or mini M&M's, milk chocolate or dark chocolate flavor, and the great part is that you can use any color. It's fun to switch the M&M's out with different colors to complement the latest holiday.

You'll love that they're perfectly sweet, deliciously buttery, generously sized, and have the perfect texture. Truly a highlight of any celebration or weekend!

This is a cookie that checks all the boxes. Temptingly tasty, fun, and festive. Plus, they're easy to make!

What's not to love?

Refreshing Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits

These simple yogurt parfaits are the perfect way to start any day. They are fresh and fruity, sweet and tangy, and you'll love the hints of spice in the granola.

And who can resist all that pretty layering?

There's a nice blend of textural contrast in them between the juicy sauce and blueberries, the thick and creamy yogurt, and the crisp granola. It's a highlight of a parfait.

Try them soon while sweet summer blueberries are in season!

The Best Pink Drink Recipe!

My kids' latest obsession this year is Starbucks pink drink. And I love it too, but not the price tag. So naturally I set out to make it at home, and after several different attempts, we've come up with one we like even better than the Starbucks version! Copycat recipes for the win!

It's ready in minutes and is truly one of the most refreshing things to enjoy on a hot day.

You only need a handful of ingredients, and you'll love that they are things you can always keep on hand for when those cravings strike.

Try this and you'll see that it's definitely a staple summer recipe that people of all ages will love!

Fluffy Homemade Marshmallows

Making marshmallows from scratch is actually much easier than you may think, with a rather simple and straightforward method. It just requires a few handy kitchen tools to make them right (such as a candy thermometer and a high speed stand mixer).

They truly are the best marshmallows you’ll ever eat (we've already made 5 batches for the holidays)! And they don’t require any fancy ingredients just some candy staples.

For a streamlined process just be sure to have everything measured and tools ready before you begin to make things easier (such as lining and greasing the pan because this sticky mixture likes to begin to set quickly). Also read over the entire recipe before you start (as should be done with any recipe).

These also make for a delicious Christmas gift, paired with a jar of this homemade hot chocolate mix of course! The two combined makes the tastiest cup of hot cocoa ever!

Classic Ginger Molasses Cookies

So what's the difference between molasses cookies and gingersnaps? While both have similar flavors molasses cookies are soft, moist and chewy while gingersnaps are crisp, snappier and drier. Personally I prefer the first because of those tempting textural attributes.

These are a popular Christmas cookie that has stood the test of time and for good reason. They are a great tradition with their festive spiced flavors, a pretty sparkly finish, plus they are fun and easy to make.

These old fashioned treats have a very robust, inviting flavor that you'll crave time and time again! Truly a holiday staple.

Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

So what makes this dessert so special? It tastes like a classic cheesecake meets a warmly spiced pumpkin pie both blended into one irresistible and ultra decadent dessert.

In other words move over pumpkin pie, there's a new competitor at the holiday table that's sure to get rave reviews!

And after many years of making this dessert I've perfected it!

Plus it's actually easier to make than you'd think. Just follow this simple guide and the step-by-step photos while keeping to the tips, such as drying the pumpkin, using a water bath and softening the cream cheese well for a lump-free cheesecake.

Then the hardest part is waiting for it to set in the fridge, patience pays off once you're savoring every last bite.

Serve well chilled and top it to your hearts content.

What is Flan?

Flan is a European and Latin dessert made up of a caramel topping and custard base that's made with milk, eggs and sweetener (which may already be included in the milk). It is usually baked in a water bath for the best texture, and after baking it is chilled then later inverted onto a platter.

This version is Flan de Queso - Cream Cheese Flan. It is easily my favorite! Traditional Spanish flan is so tasty but then when you add some rich and tangy cream cheese it becomes just that much better.

Here I've included step by step photos. This is especially helpful with the caramel step, be careful that you don't burn it. And that you work carefully and quickly.

Other than that this homemade flan is a breeze to make! And who doesn't love a recipe that only requires 6 ingredients?

What does it taste like?

Flan has a rich, toasted sugar caramel flavor from the topping and the base tastes very milky, perfectly sweet and lightly eggy. It is similar to creme brulee or panna cotta in taste, but texturally the three are quite different.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Haven't we all loved frosted sugar cookies as long as we can remember? People of all ages can never resist these things.

They are the perfect thing to make for a party or even a birthday. Or really just any day of the year because they are always a highlight to what could have otherwise been a bland an boring day (just plan on sharing, they're dangerously addictive!).

Here you get sugar cookies with a melt-in-your-mouth Lofthouse style texture, in super easy to make bar form! No chilling, no cutting and no shaping here. Just mix, spread and bake.

All the deliciousness of sugar cookies, without all the extra work!

I shared a recipe many years back for these, but I've realized over the years I wasn't using enough butter. More butter equals more flavor, more moisture and an even more tender cookie bar (along with a little bit of cornstarch).

Sure the recipe says it makes 24 bars but I would definitely plan on 2 per person, these are simply too tempting!