Pancake Syrups, Ranked

The syrup question has a real answer. Not all syrups are equal, the differences aren't subtle, and a few of them aren't worth putting on a pancake at all.

Here's an honest ranking.

The maple syrup grades explained first

The US and Canada aligned their grading systems in 2015. Everything is Grade A now, which sounds like a marketing move (it is, partly), but the subgrades within Grade A describe real flavor differences based on light transmittance through the syrup. The USDA issued the new international standards in 2015 following a petition from industry groups who wanted consistency across states and between the two countries.

Grade A Golden/Delicate is the lightest, palest maple syrup. Made from sap harvested earliest in the season when trees are coldest. The flavor is mild, floral, almost vanilla-forward. It's the most expensive grade because it comes from the shortest window of the season. On pancakes, it disappears into the butter. If you want to taste maple, this grade is too subtle. Good for baking where you want sweetness without maple dominating. Bad for stacks.

Grade A Amber/Rich is what most people mean when they say "maple syrup." The most widely sold grade. Made mid-season. It has a clear maple flavor, some caramel notes, and enough body to stand on its own. This is the standard for classic buttermilk pancakes and blueberry pancakes where you want maple present but not overwhelming.

Grade A Dark/Robust is the best grade for pancakes. Made from late-season sap when the sugar content has changed and the flavor has deepened. According to the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association, the darker color comes from increased Maillard-type reactions in the sap as the season progresses and microorganism activity increases in the trees. The result is a richer, more complex syrup with caramel, woody, and slightly bittersweet notes. Research has identified over 200 organic chemical compounds in maple syrup including vanillin, pyrazines (the roasted-nutty compounds also found in coffee and peanuts), and unique maple furanones. Dark/Robust has higher concentrations of these phenolic compounds than lighter grades. It holds its own on buckwheat pancakes and cornmeal johnnycakes without getting lost.

Grade A Very Dark/Strong is the final-run syrup of the season, nearly molasses-like in its intensity. Most production goes into commercial food flavoring rather than table use. Some people love it, and the flavor is bold enough that a small amount goes a long way. Try it once. You'll know immediately whether it's for you.

The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Grade A standards match the US system exactly since the 2015 harmonization. Canadian maple syrup is subject to rigorous provincial inspection; Quebec, which produces roughly 70% of the world's maple syrup, has especially strict grading enforcement.

Syrup comparison table

All values from USDA FoodData Central, per 2-tablespoon serving (except sorghum, which is per 1 tablespoon due to density).

Honey: clover vs buckwheat

Honey is underrated on pancakes. Most people default to it only when maple syrup runs out, which is the wrong order of preference.

Clover honey (the clear, mild variety that fills most grocery store shelves) works best on delicately flavored pancakes where you want sweetness without a strong secondary flavor: lemon ricotta pancakes, cottage cheese pancakes, and thin crepes. It's cleaner than maple syrup and doesn't compete with subtle flavors.

Buckwheat honey is a different animal entirely. It's dark, almost opaque, with a strong malty-earthy flavor that most people either love or find overwhelming. Harold McGee notes in On Food and Cooking (2004) that honey flavor comes primarily from aromatic compounds that vary by plant source. Buckwheat honey's characteristic intensity comes from phenolic compounds including p-hydroxybenzoic acid and syringic acid, which are nearly absent in clover honey. Buckwheat honey on buckwheat pancakes is intentional doubling of flavor: the earthiness of the grain and the earthiness of the honey reinforce each other. It's a strong choice that rewards the people who try it.

Sorghum syrup: the most underused option

Sorghum syrup has a regional following in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the wider American South that it doesn't have elsewhere, and the rest of the country is missing out.

It's made by pressing juice from sorghum cane and boiling it down, similar to how sugarcane becomes molasses. But sorghum syrup isn't molasses. It has a tangier, less bitter flavor with more complexity than molasses and less raw sweetness than maple syrup. At 61 calories per tablespoon (vs 52 for maple syrup per tablespoon), it's also slightly lighter.

On cornmeal johnnycakes, sorghum syrup is the traditional pairing in Appalachian cooking. The tangy syrup against the coarse cornmeal base works better than maple syrup because it doesn't overwhelm the grain's own flavor. Try it on any corn-based pancake.

Agave: not worth it

Agave nectar markets itself on a low glycemic index (GI 15 to 19 vs maple syrup's 54). The low GI is real. Agave is 85 to 90% fructose, and fructose is metabolized differently than glucose, producing a lower blood sugar spike.

The problem: fructose at high doses is metabolized in the liver and associated with fat accumulation in ways that glucose isn't. The scientific consensus on whether dietary fructose (in realistic amounts) is actually worse than sucrose is still developing, but the case that agave is "healthier" than maple syrup is thin. The flavor argument is even weaker: agave has almost no flavor beyond generic sweetness. It adds nothing to a pancake that cheaper corn syrup doesn't also add (or fail to add). There's no reason to choose it over maple syrup for either health or flavor.

Fake pancake syrup: read the label

"Pancake syrup" (Log Cabin, Mrs. Butterworth's, Aunt Jemima, now Pearl Milling Company) contains no maple syrup. The label says so in small print. The main ingredients are high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup, caramel color, artificial and natural flavors, and various preservatives.

This isn't a moral judgment. Corn syrup-based pancake syrups are cheap, stable, and taste the way millions of people expect pancakes to taste because that's what they grew up eating. But they're flavored sugar water with maple essence. They have more sugar per serving than real maple syrup (27g vs 24g per 2 tbsp) and zero of the flavor complexity.

If you enjoy them, enjoy them. But know what you're buying.

The ranking

1. Grade A Dark/Robust maple syrup. Best flavor for the widest range of pancakes. 2. Buckwheat honey (on buckwheat or cornmeal pancakes specifically). 3. Grade A Amber/Rich maple syrup. The standard for good reason. 4. Sorghum syrup (on corn-based pancakes). Underused and worth seeking out. 5. Clover honey. Clean and versatile. 6. Grade A Golden/Delicate maple syrup. Good syrup, wrong application at the table. 7. Grade A Very Dark/Strong maple syrup. Niche. Use sparingly. 8. Agave. No flavor, questionable health halo. Skip it. 9. Fake pancake syrup. Fine if that's what you grew up with. Not a step forward.