Strawberry season is here and this homemade Strawberry Sauce is the perfect sauce to make for the season. It's an easy recipe that is absolutely delicious and makes a great addition to your desserts and breakfast.
I love the taste of this fresh strawberry sauce. Nothing store-bought comes close to the taste of this sauce. It's an easy recipe that features local sweet strawberries. It's also a great recipe to have in your arsenal for easy entertaining.
What to elevate your ice cream or breakfast waffles? Add a few spoons of this fresh strawberry topping and watch your family’s eyes light up as you spoon it over that bowl of vanilla ice cream.
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Why You'll Love This Homemade Strawberry Sauce
- Made with real strawberries
- Nothing artificial and no preservatives
- 5 simple ingredients
- 15 minutes to make
- Use it on anything
What You'll Need
These are the ingredients that you’ll need for this delicious strawberry topping:
- Fresh Strawberries: Hulled (green stem removed) and cut in half or into large slices. When strawberries aren’t in season use frozen strawberries.
- Granulated Sugar: Just enough to sweeten the sauce without taking away from the natural strawberry flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a bright freshness to the sauce and enhances the strawberry flavor.
- Cornstarch: Slightly thickens the sauce. Always mix the cornstarch with cold water before adding it to the sauce. Otherwise, you’ll end up with white lumps in the sauce.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract and strawberries go so well together.
How to Make Strawberry Sauce
Wash, hull, and cut the strawberries into large slices or in half if they are small. Mix the cornstarch and water together to make the cornstarch slurry and set aside.
Add the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer the strawberries for 10-15 minutes. The liquid will reduce and the sauce will begin to thicken.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry, increase the heat until the sauce just begins to boil, and boil for about 30 seconds to heat up the cornstarch so it thickens the sauce.
Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it in an airtight container. You can also serve the sauce while it’s still warm.
This recipe makes a chunky sauce with large strawberry chunks. If you want fewer or smaller chunks, mash the sauce with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon. If you want a smooth strawberry sauce use an immersion blender or a blender to puree the sauce until the desired consistency is reached.
Favorite Ways to Use This Strawberry Topping
- Use as a topping for ice cream
- Serve with pound cake and whipped cream
- Cheesecake or mini cheesecakes
- Filling for homemade crepes
- Topping for yogurt, oatmeal, waffles, french toast, pancakes, and biscuits
- Serve with strawberry shortcake
- Use this to make strawberry lemonade
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Freshly squeezed lemon will taste brighter and more fresh than bottled lemon juice.
- If you want an extra zesty flavor, you can add lemon zest to the sauce.
- Don't add the dry cornstarch directly to the strawberries - there will be lumps. Always mix it with water first to create a slurry.
Recipe - Frequently Asked Questions
The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Yes, the strawberry sauce can be frozen. After the sauce cools completely, freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to use the sauce, place the container in the refrigerator to thaw the day before. Warm the sauce on the stove or in the microwave if you want a warm sauce.
If you want a thicker sauce increase the cornstarch to 2 teaspoons and 1 tablespoon of water.
I hope you this incredibly delicious sauce soon, especially while fresh strawberries are in season. If you do make it please rate the recipe below. And please subscribe to the baking newsletter and connect with me on Instagram.
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Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 grams) fresh strawberries
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries and cut off the green stem (removing the green stem is also called hulling). Cut the strawberries into thick slices. If they are small, cut them in half. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. This is your cornstarch slurry.
- Place the strawberries in a 3 or 4-quart saucepan and add the lemon juice and sugar. Place the pan over medium-high heat. Cook the strawberries until they begin to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid is reduced by a third and noticeably thicker. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the strawberries and increase the heat to medium-high. Continuously stir the strawberry sauce until it comes to a boil and then boil it for 30 seconds.
- Remove it from heat and pour the strawberry sauce into a medium sized bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cool the sauce to room temperature. Once it’s cool, refrigerate the sauce. You can serve the sauce while it is still warm.
Storage
- The strawberry sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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