Blueberry syrup reminds me of childhood. When I was a kid, we’d go every year around the beginning of blueberry season to a blueberry patch about 20 minutes from our house and pick buckets and buckets of blueberries…and also eat quite a few in the process. It was so fun. Blueberry picking in the late spring and apple picking in fall are honestly some of my best memories from childhood. Probably because they involved food I guess?! Hah.
So after picking for a couple of hours we’d take our load of blueberries home and would freeze most of them right away but a few fresh ones would be reserved for homemade blueberry syrup. My mom made THE BEST blueberry syrup and pancakes. It was a reason to get up before noon on Saturday morning! So when blueberries, blackberries and peaches started showing up at our local Farmer’s market recently, I definitely had her yummy blueberry syrup in mind.
Although I didn’t have my mom’s exact recipe, this turned out just like I remember hers. Who knows, it might be the same one! And can I tell you it could not be easier to make blueberry syrup? Put ingredients in pot and heat. That’s pretty much what it comes down to! The use of orange juice may seem odd, but trust me, once it sits overnight, all the flavors meld together and you taste nothing but blueberry the next day! It’s thick and quite sweet and just delicious over pancakes, waffles or crepes. Will definitely be making it alot over the next few weeks!
Enjoy!
- 2 c. Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
- ¼ c. Water
- ¾ c. Orange Juice (fresh squeezed is best)
- ¾ c. White Sugar
- ½ c. Cold Water
- ⅓ c. Cornstarch
- ½ t. Pure Vanilla Extract (or almond)
- ⅛ t. Ground Cinnamon
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, ¼ c. water, orange juice and sugar. Stir gently and bring to a boil.
- In a cup or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and ½ c. water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries so as not to mash the berries. Simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla or almond extract and the cinnamon. Cool completely and refrigerate over night. Serve warm over pancakes, waffles, etc.
