This Is the Most Popular Pancake Topping In Your State (Besides Syrup)

Even though they date back to ancient Greece (and possibly earlier), there aren’t many things in the U.S. food scene more American than a pancake. Every person has their way of dressing them up, but how does that change from state to state?

Thanks to a vital study on pancake toppings done for National Pancake Day, we now know what people are tossing on top of their cakes (there’s data for every state except Hawaii, Idaho, and… Vermont???). Nobody chose syrup, so we’re gonna assume that was an implied topping. Read on to see where your state landed.

Related: The True Origins of 18 Classic 'American' Foods

• Alabama

• California

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Washington DC

• Florida

• Georgia

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Louisiana

• Maine

• Maryland

• Missouri

• Nebraska

• Nevada

• New Jersey

• New York

• North Carolina

• Ohio

• Oklahoma

• Oregon

• Pennsylvania

• Tennessee

• Texas

• Virginia

I’m gonna need to agree on this one. In fact, because butter is so crucial and the vast majority of states chose it, I wonder if for the rest of the preferred toppings on this list, each respective state meant, “Besides butter.”

Related: 15 Types of Butter — And the Best Ways to Use Each One

• Arizona

• Arkansas

• Delaware

• Kentucky

• Michigan

• Washington

• West Virginia

• Wisconsin

Arizona is playing for two teams here, listing both strawberries and chocolate chips as their favorite toppings. The two are a natural pairing, so I can see why it’d be tough to choose between ‘em. I’d go for both.

Related: Do You Know Your Official State Food?

• Arizona

• New Hampshire

• North Dakota

• South Carolina

• Utah

Every kid on the planet will agree, and every adult in the states of Arizona, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Utah will too. That said, skip them as a topping and put them right in the batter. Now we’re talking.

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• Alaska

• Massachusetts

• South Dakota

• Utah

Strawberries still sort of count here, I guess, but Alaska, Massachusetts, South Dakota, and Utah are a little more open-minded than that. Any fruit will do, I guess.

Related: 45 Best Homemade Pancake Recipes

• Iowa

• Kansas

• Utah

Peanut butter isn’t exactly the most common pancake topping, but it makes perfect sense. Regular butter definitely needs to be involved as well though, because this seems like a recipe for the driest pancake you’ll ever eat.

Related: 'Pancake Spaghetti' Is Having a Moment on TikTok

• Mississippi

• South Carolina

• West Virginia

The people of South Carolina also chose chocolate chips as one of their favorite toppings, and paired with the whipped cream, this is very reminiscent of the happy face pancakes at IHOP.

• Louisiana

• South Carolina

As one of the only non-sweet toppings on this list, pecans and nuts didn’t show up very often as the number one topping. Even so, it’s not surprising to see them listed in states where pecan pie is popular.

Related: The Most Popular Southern Comfort Foods

• New Jersey

• New Mexico

When you mix this with syrup this just seems like… too much. 

• Rhode Island

• Wyoming

Wyoming and Rhode Island are the only states that listed bacon as their preferred topping. Big shout-outs to both of you on that one. Y’all are keeping it real over there.

Related: Mouthwatering Bacon Dishes Across America