This Keto Sugar Free Buttermilk Syrup is a buttery, salty-sweet breakfast syrup. Also known as golden syrup, it’s great on pancakes, waffles, French toast, crepes, German pancakes, Dutch babies, and probably a million more breakfast foods! This low carb high fat ketogenic version will knock your socks off!
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Whether you call it buttermilk syrup or golden syrup, if you’ve had this buttery salty sweet liquid drizzled on pancakes or waffles before, you know that it’s not keto or sugar free. Not in its original form, at least.
Lucky for you (and for me, ahem), I’ve finally crafted the perfect keto sugar free buttermilk syrup. Forget that liquid sugar maple syrup stuff.
What is Buttermilk Syrup?
Buttermilk syrup is a unique breakfast condiment. It’s a lot like maple syrup in that it is full of sugar. But a huge portion of it is also butter and buttermilk.
Buttermilk syrup was apparently first created by a Utah restaurant called Magleby’s, which is no longer in business. But its legacy lives on in buttermilk pancake syrup!
If you haven’t tried buttermilk syrup before, you need to give this keto recipe version a try! If you’re like me and love a salty-sweet combination (oh, kettle corn, how I miss thee!), this will be right up your alley.
In order to make this sugar free, I used stevia (or granulated erythritol) instead of sugar. I also switched the buttermilk to heavy whipping cream and water because of the carbs in buttermilk.
I changed some ratios around, and voila!–the best darn low carb keto sugar free buttermilk syrup you’ve ever tasted! You’ll love this low carb buttermilk pancake syrup on these egg fast waffles!
Serving Suggestion for Keto Sugar Free Buttermilk Syrup
If you need a recipe to try with this syrup, you’ll most definitely want to try it with my keto German Pancakes. This was one of the first recipes I had to turn keto because my family LOVES German pancakes so much. It’s one way I can actually get my kids to eat eggs!
As a special treat, I would also suggest plopping a few blueberries on your pancakes after drizzling a good helping of the keto buttermilk syrup on top. Blueberries are a very low carb fruit. So yummy!
Want to branch out? Try some of these other keto pancake topping ideas!
Stevia vs. Erythritol in Homemade Keto Syrup Recipe
I chose to make this recipe with both stevia and erythritol so that you could decide for yourself which one you’d like to use. Everyone seems to have their own favorite keto sweetener. I’ve seen plenty of arguments on this point!
Personally, I am still trying to decide. A few months ago I would have told you that stevia’s aftertaste was too much for me and erythritol was the best.
The longer I use stevia, the less I notice an aftertaste, and the more I prefer it. It’s cheaper, too, because it’s so much sweeter than sugar that you use a lot less. Which means I save money, but also save space in my pantry!
What are Stevia and Erythritol Made Of?
Stevia is also a less processed, more natural sweetener, derived from the stevia plant. The least processed form of stevia is simply made by drying stevia leaves and pulverizing them. Insects don’t like stevia, so no pesticides are necessary.
The powdered form of stevia is more processed, but not nearly as much as erythritol.
Erythritol is made from (generally) GMO corn. That bothers me. I’m avoiding corn and all other grains and corn-derived vegetable oil, but not corn-derived sweeteners?
Corn is a grain! Generally a no-no on the keto diet. Erythritol also has a strange aftertaste that is said to be a cooling effect.
For a discussion of honey on keto and an amazing creme brulee, go here.
Which Keto Sweetener?
I’ll probably try to transition completely to stevia eventually. I would LOVE to grow my own stevia and dry it like I do with my herbs.
However, I do think erythritol is a great sweetener for beginners because it is immediately more like sugar, meaning until you get used to other more natural sweeteners, this one really has a very close taste to sugar. And the ratio of sugar to erythritol is 1:1, which makes learning the keto diet easier.
I seem to be the only one in my family bothered by the aftertaste of stevia, so it shouldn’t be too hard to switch our family! Actually, my kids don’t notice a difference between any of the keto sweeteners and sugar, so I’m the last one needing to be convinced!
More awesome keto breakfast recipes!
And Monkfruit?
If you’re wondering why I haven’t talked about monkfruit, the reason is simple: it’s much, much more expensive. Hopefully in a few more years as farmers catch up with the demand, we can start using it more!
It’s another grain free sugar alternative that doesn’t have an aftertaste or cooling effect. It’s delicious! I do use it in a few recipes that call for small amounts, like my keto German Pancake. Which, by the way, is amazing drizzled with this keto buttermilk syrup!
Crystallization of the Syrup
Another issue that you may have with erythritol is crystallization. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest, and I kind of like that crunchy dried glaze texture. Though, for some people this might be the deciding factor between stevia and erythritol or other ketogenic sweeteners.
This syrup will definitely crystallize if you use erythritol. There’s an easy fix; microwave your syrup for about 30 seconds or heat it back up on the stove and then stir until the crystals are dissolved into the syrup.
With the stevia, you shouldn’t have any crystallization and your syrup will be smoother.
If you’re wondering how my kids liked it, they didn’t. They LOVED it.
Related: Easy Chia Flax Noatmeal Creme Brulee in Instant Pot
It’s been a long time since I’ve made buttermilk syrup because after doing so much research on keto and the effects of sugar, my mindset has shifted to the point that I sort of cringe when I see liquid sugar being poured over my kids’ food. Especially at breakfast! What is wrong with us humans?!
Even before I ever heard of the keto diet and I still thought fat was bad, I made regular buttermilk syrup just to lower the sugar ratio in my kids’ breakfasts! If they were getting more fats, at least they were getting less sugar. Now I know better, that fat is not the enemy!
Keto Syrup Recipe Notes
Use either the stevia or erythritol to sweeten this syrup based on your preference. See above section.
If you’ve never made buttermilk syrup before, it’s super fun. Two ingredients are vinegar and baking soda, so I’ll let you guess why. I definitely recommend doing it with kids.
Because of the fun foaming reaction, you’ll need to choose a pan with high sides and plenty of room for your syrup to expand, to avoid having your pancake syrup from spilling over when it expands.
Want to know a secret? This syrup is so amazing, it can double as a keto glaze! Seriously, pretty awesome! That was a happy lightbulb moment for me.
If you want to try it out as a glaze, use my Keto Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Danish and skip the glaze instructions for the danishes, using this syrup instead. Yum!
Keto Sugar Free Buttermilk Syrup
You'll love the salty-sweet taste combination in this super easy Keto Sugar Free Buttermilk Syrup! Try your keto pancake syrup on your favorite keto pancakes, keto waffles, keto french toast, or my keto German Pancake recipe!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, grass-fed if possible
- 5 tablespoons stevia or ⅔ cup granulated erythritol
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream, pasture-raised if possible
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a large, high-sided pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Be sure your pan is large enough to accomodate the syrup as it will foam up when baking soda is added.
- Add water and either stevia or erythritol. Whisk until the sweetener is completely dissolved.
- Whisk in cream, vinegar, and salt.
- Bring to a boil while gently stirring.
- Remove from heat and gently whisk in vanilla and baking soda. The syrup will begin to foam up at this point.
- When the foam has receded carefully pour the syrup into a syrup pitcher and serve! Enjoy!
Notes
If you use erythritol in this pancake syrup recipe, it will crystallize after cooling. Just reheat and stir till the sweetener is dissolved into the syrup again and serve!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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It's Just - Xanthan Gum, 8oz, Keto Baking, Non-GMO, Thickener for Sauces, Soups, Dressings, Packaging in USA
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Pyure Organic All-Purpose Blend Stevia Sweetener, 16 oz
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Presto 07061 22-inch Electric Griddle With Removable Handles
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Erythritol Granules (2.5lbs) by Anthony's, Non-GMO, Natural Sweetener, Keto & Paleo Friendly
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Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Raw - 32 Fl. Oz / 946ml
-
Sherpa Pink Himalayan Salt, 2lbs Extra-Fine Grain
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 2.5 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 137Total Fat: 15gSodium: 46mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Pin this low carb syrup recipe now!
Whether you call it buttermilk syrup or golden syrup, if you’ve had this delicious syrup before, you know how amazing the taste is on pancakes or waffles! Buttery, salty, sweet keto pancake syrup. Now you can have it on a ketogenic diet! Keto Sugar Free Buttermilk Syrup is not to be missed!
My syrup was runny. It foamed a tad bit but nothing like you described it would do. What can I do now to thicken it up?
Hi Jenni! Luckily that’s a super easy fix. Just simmer it longer till some of the moisture evaporates. If you’re used to regular, non-keto buttermilk syrup, this is a bit of a difference. With non-keto buttermilk syrup, you’re usually done after letting it foam. With this syrup, you can simmer it longer till you get the thickness you prefer! Thanks for stopping by! ❤️
How long will this keep in the refrigerator? Thanks!
Hi Jenna! Great question. I would say about a week, but ours is usually gone much quicker than that! Thanks for stopping by. :)
No Apple Cider Vinegar, Can I use White Distilled Vinegar?
Thanks,
Becky
Absolutely! I’m sure whatever vinegar you have would work for the baking soda/vinegar reaction. I normally try to stick to ingredients that are not grain-derived on Keen for Keto, for my gluten-free peeps (white vinegar can be made from several types of grains, including those with gluten). But it works as a sub if you can have it! Thanks for stopping by, Becky!
I use monkfruit sparingly.. I’m spoiled now…can’t use anything else! I will enjoy this syrup on my waffles…thanks!
Haha, I totally get it! When Costco had an amazing sale a while back, we bought BOXES of the stuff. :) I hope you love the syrup!
Can I use xylitol?
I actually haven’t tried this with xylitol yet! If I do, I’ll change the recipe to add that option. If you try it that way, let me know how it works for you!
I love your creative writing! I’m new to Keto and am thoroughly enjoying all the recipes. I’m glad I found you on Pinterest!
That’s so wonderful, Sharon! I’ll do my best to not let you down and keep the recipes coming. :) Thank you so much for your thoughtful compliments. You’ve really made my day! Thanks for stopping by!
Hi. I’m the only one that does keto in my house. I was wondering if I can make a smaller portion. Thank you.
Absolutely! You can half it or even quarter it. Hope you love it!
Awesome post! I really learned a lot from this article. Thank you so much for posting!
You’re welcome!
Hi.
My syrup was thick and nice, but I put It in the fridge and It became solid. I melted It and it’s not thick anymore, more like a butter melted texture. I did something wrong?
Hm. Did you use the microwave to melt it? That generally doesn’t work for me when fats separate in a recipe. I would try scooping it out into a pan and melting it on the stovetop. You could also add a tad bit more baking soda, since the foam makes it thicker, too (not too much, or it will taste salty!) and whisk while you heat it. Or simmer it for a while to boil out some of the water content.
Serving size?
About 2.5 tablespoons.
Magleby’s is still opened here in St George. I’ve made Buttermilk Syrup all the time prior to going Keto. Thanks for the recipe!
How cool is that! I’ve never actually been there, but apparently that’s where this syrup originates. I can’t do pancakes without buttermilk syrup. You’re so welcome. Thanks for stopping by!
I have a simple syrup by “Skinny Syrups” that I’d like to use. I’ve read that Sucralose should not be heated. Do you think it would be okay to follow the recipe without the sugar substitute and instead, stir in my syrup at the end once the mixture has cooled a bit?
I really have no idea! I don’t ever use sucralose. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Did you try the skinny syrup? I use that on my pancakes and chaffles now. Would like to try this. I substitute it into a lot of my recipes already in cold fat bombs and such.
Yes! That’s a great option, too. Enjoy!
This was wonderful! I hate using store bought sugar free syrups because sucralose seems to stall me. I did use monkfruit to sweeten it but only 1/3 cup because I find it sweeter than sugar. I used maple extract instead of vanilla to make it like regular syrup. So good and with the butter, I didn’t need to add more to the pancakes.
[…] Keto Buttermilk Syrup […]
I wonder f this recipe would work with almond milk or soy protein milk? Or half and half even? Looks really good!
Thanks
It definitely wouldn’t be as thick and rich, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work! If you try it, let me know!
You are a magician! This syrup is one of my favorites from my college days… I have missed it and I cannot wait to try this keto version! Thank you so much. Your website is my fav, for sure.
Hey thanks! That’s so kind of you to say. Buttermilk syrup really just takes breakfast up a notch, doesn’t it?
Hello, I followed the instructions closely, but it came out bitter. I’m not sure where I went wrong.
Hm…I’m not sure then, if you followed the directions. Are you new to keto? Often the sugar free keto-approved sweeteners can have a bitter taste if your taste buds aren’t used to low carb yet. Everyone’s taste buds are different, but a lot of people say stevia has a bitter aftertaste. If you have that issue, I’d try erythritol instead.
There are still multiple locations plus their catering 😉
Oh, that’s neat! I’ll have to check one out the next time I’m in Utah.
Hello, I am wondering if I can use Splenda instead of Stevia. Stevia gives me a migraine and I also have a lot of Splenda on hand.
I haven’t tried it with Splenda yet, but you definitely could try it. This recipe is pretty forgiving with substitutions.
Fay said, “Stevia gives me a migraine …”
Agreed. If my reading in the comments sections of keto recipe sites is any indication, stevia gives LOTS of people migraines. I avoid it at all costs.
I also completely avoid xylitol, as I have a dog, and xylitol is poisonous to dogs.
Finding out which sweetener tu substitute in a recipe can often be a challenge. Thanks for providing alternative options; it’s appreciated.
You’re so welcome! It’s nice to know what options might work best for individual situations. There are so many to choose from nowadays!