Recipes Breakfast and Brunch Pancake Recipes 25 Sweet and Savory Ways to Dress Up Your Pancake Brunch By Jill Lightner Jill Lightner Instagram Twitter Website Jill Lightner is a writer and editor who has covered sustainability, regional recipes, and kitchen gardens for 20 years. She's the author of three cookbooks, a recipe and pairing columnist for CiderCraft Magazine, and has written for Allrecipes, The Seattle Times, Pacific NW Magazine, and more. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on April 27, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Pancakes make for a casual, kid-friendly brunch, particularly when you set up a bar with an assortment of tempting toppers. Whip up a homemade syrup to replace the expected maple; put your slow cooker to work with a batch of spiced apple butter; heck, you can even go savory with a trendy avocado compound butter! Plus, many of these 25 amazing creations would make a terrific hostess gift if you're heading to brunch at a friend's place. Homemade Syrups Maple syrup is the standard across North America and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it — but it sure is fun to experiment with other options. These syrups will be standouts on top of basic Buttermilk or Blueberry Pancakes. Pro tip: To keep them easy to pour, opt for a quick trip in the microwave to warm them up just before serving. More ideas for syrups: Buttermilk Syrup Simple Strawberry Syrup Pecan Pie Pancake Syrup Pumpkin Breakfast Syrup Maple Vanilla Syrup Fruit Compotes Whole, seasonal fruits and a light touch of warm spices: A great compote can be the star of the brunch-time show. If you have a small slow cooker, use it to serve these compotes warm (they're also great at room temperature). Compotes can be made ahead of time, but the colors are usually prettiest if they're made the same morning they'll be served. More ideas for fruit compotes: Spiced Blackberry and Peach Compote Warm Apple Compote Bourbon Fig Compote Flathead Cherry Compote Summer Berry Compote Citrus Toppings Tart flavors shine during special occasion brunches, particularly when mimosas are on the menu. Pro tip: Stir some lemon or orange zest into your favorite pancake recipe to make it a perfect match with a citrus topper. The bright flavors also go wonderfully with Crepes or delicate Swedish Pancakes. More ideas for citrus toppings: Fresh Lime Curd Chef John's Kumquat Marmalade Warm Orange Sauce Lemon Syrup Sweet Candied Orange and Lemon Peel Compound Butters Intensely flavored butters can go savory or spicy, which make them a fantastic topper for creations such as Cornmeal Pancakes. You can make them several days ahead and store in the refrigerator; just take them out to soften about 30 minutes ahead of brunch. More ideas for compound butters: Avocado Compound Butter Dill Butter Habanero Butter Chef John's Nasturtium Butter Rum Butter Fruit and Nut Spreads Put seasonal fruit to excellent use in the thick, lightly spiced spread known as fruit butter. Slow cookers and microwaves are handy to get these spreads to the right consistency; you want them thick, not runny. Warm up a chilly morning by pairing any of these with Gingerbread Pancakes. More ideas for fruit and nut spreads: All-Day Apple Butter Pumpkin Butter Microwave Peach Plum Butter Chunky Pear Butter with a Lemon Twist Cashew Butter Explore More Ideas for Pancake Brunches How to Make the Best Pancakes from Scratch This Simple Swap Gives You Ultra-Fluffy Pancakes Make the Best Crepes Ever with These Simple Tips and Recipes Find more delicious recipes for crowd-pleasing brunches. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit