Grammy's Syrup

Grammy’s Syrup

            It started like any other Saturday. Addie woke up and read and played in her room. Jeff heard her dump out her dominoes and got up to play with her. By the time I accepted the fact that I am not 21 anymore and cannot sleep until 10:30, Addie had already finished eating two bowls of Krispies and Jeff was filling tortillas with his delicious breakfast burrito mixture.

            After cleaning up breakfast, Jeff looked at his list of weekend goals and got busy making a shelf. Addie and I got dressed, colored, watched a movie, wrote an Emmy story, and then she was ready for a snack.

            “May I have a breakfast puff, please Mommy?” she asked in her precious little voice.

            “I’m sorry, honey, but we don’t have any. We could make some?” I proposed.

            “Okay Mommy! I want to make some with you!” She ran to the kitchen and started pulling out the step stool.

            In our transition from the living room to the kitchen, we went from making breakfast puffs to making Grammy’s syrup. I pulled out the recipe and lined up the ingredients on the counter. I picked out the biggest pot because this was the first time either of us had made Grammy’s syrup.

            I read the directions out loud, and Addie repeated each step.

            “One pint of Karo syrup… one and a half cubes of butter… one package of light brown sugar less one third of a cup… Bring these ingredients to a boil stirring constantly. When all ingredients are melted and well mixed together, quit stirring and let it boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat.”

            I helped Addie peel the wax wrapper off of the butter and dump it into the pot. “Careful not to touch the pot, honey,” I advised.

            “Okay, honey,” she replied.

            We added the other ingredients and held the whisk together as we stirred. Then I set the timer, she climbed off of the stool, and ran to find Jeff.

            “Daddy! We’re making Grammy’s syrup!” she told him.

            “You are? Yum!”

            When the timer buzzed, Addie immediately returned to the kitchen and climbed back on the stool.

            “I want to stir again, Mommy,” she informed me.

            “One can of Eagle Brand… one cup of water…Stir,” she echoed as I read the recipe. “Three teaspoons of vanilla… three teaspoons of salt… Stir well.”

            “May I have some of Grammy’s syrup, please Mommy?” she asked.

            “It’s hot, honey, so blow,” I said as I scooped a little out of the pot with a wooden spoon.

            “Okay, honey,” she said. Then she blew on the syrup and took a taste. “Oh la la la la!”

            She won’t ever get to make the syrup with Grammy, but she sure does have a lot of Grammy in her!

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Karen’s Special Syrup

1 Pt Karo
1 ½ cubes butter
1 – 2# pkg light brown sugar less 1/3 cup

Bring these ingredients to a boil stirring constantly.  When all ingredients are melted and well mixed together, quit stirring and let boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat.



1 can Eagle Brand
1 cup water

Stir in the can of Eagle Brand and water

3 tsp vanilla
3 tsp salt

Add in the vanilla and salt and stir well.

This recipe was passed down from Karen’s mother, Joyce – her source is unknown. It is named after Karen because that is the way we want it.  If you adapt this recipe for your use and modify it some way, you can name it after yourself or anyone else you want to.   It was originally offered as a recipe for an ice cream topping but Karen made it into s great breakfast syrup.  It can be stored for several months in the refrigerator.  When needed, simply pour out the desired quantity into a microwave safe container and heat.

Suggested variations – add a bit of cinnamon or some toasted chopped coconut.