Julie Clark
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Easy Raspberry Sauce
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Use frozen or fresh raspberries to make this easy raspberry sauce. It’s a raspberry reduction that gives a pop of color, perfect for cheesecakes, ice cream and pancakes.
One thing we’ve learned from our kitchen adventures over the past 25 years is that almost every dessert can be enhanced by a great sauce. This easy raspberry sauce is one of our all-time favorites.
This homemade raspberry sauce recipe is a true game-changer. I add a secret ingredient to the dessert sauce that makes takes it to the next level. Perfect for special occasions or random summer Saturdays when you have fresh berries.
Why you’ll love this easy raspberry sauce recipe:
- This raspberry sauce is incredibly easy to make. Even if you’re new to cooking or are feeling a little bit intimidated by the idea of creating a sauce from scratch, this recipe is designed to be accessible and straightforward. All it takes are a few simple ingredients and less than 25 minutes.
- It solves a common problem many home cooks face: how to add a quick and unique flavor punch to everyday dishes. Too often, we find ourselves stuck in a cooking rut, using the same recipes and flavor profiles over and over again. The Easy Raspberry Sauce breaks through that monotony, bringing a fresh and fruity twist to both savory and sweet dishes.
- It’s versatile. You can drizzle this delicious raspberry sauce over ice cream for an elevated dessert experience, add it to your smoothie bowl to make breakfast a bit more special, or even mix it into your savory dishes, like grilled chicken or baked ham, to add a sweet and tangy dimension. It’s the secret weapon you didn’t know your kitchen needed!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Phyllis says, “This is so amazing, our family loves it in yogurt on ice cream and pancakes. Yum good on everything. Thank you so much for sharing. Has become our favorite!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Tyzer says, “Wonderfully simple and flavorful sauce! I steeped a large habanero (seeded and cut) in my sauce while the raspberries and water were breaking down. It added a delicious level of heat to it!”
Is this the same as raspberry coulis?
Raspberry sauce is a broad term that can refer to a wide range of preparations. It could be a chunky sauce or smooth, sweet or tangy, and it might contain various added ingredients such as spices, vinegar, or other fruits such as orange juice. It’s often used as a topping for desserts, but can also complement savory dishes.
Raspberry coulis, on the other hand, is a specific type of sauce. The word ‘coulis’ is derived from the French verb ‘couler’, which means ‘to flow’. A coulis is traditionally a smooth, strained sauce made from pureed fruit or vegetables.
A raspberry coulis recipe typically blends raspberries, sugar, and a bit of lemon juice, and then strains out the seeds for a velvety, smooth consistency. The primary goal of a coulis is to enhance the natural flavor of the fruit, so it’s less common to see additional flavorings used.
What is raspberry sauce made of?
There are only 6 ingredients in this raspberry sauce:
- Raspberries. Fresh or frozen raspberries work. You do not have to thaw frozen raspberries before cooking them.
- Cornstarch. This is what thickens the sauce.
How to Make Raspberry Sauce
This easy recipe is very similar to our homemade strawberry topping. Here’s how you make it:
- Place 1 ½ cups raspberries in a saucepan with sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is at a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and add vanilla.
- In a small cup, combine the cornstarch and water. Whisk this together until it is smooth. Don’t just throw the cornstarch into the raspberry mixture or you’ll end up with little clumps of white cornstarch in your beautiful red raspberry sauce. And nobody wants that. Mixing the cornstarch with water first helps the cornstarch to completely mix in.
- Once the cornstarch and water are mixed, add it to the raspberry sauce. Cook and stir this mixture until it is slightly thickened. Maybe 3-4 minutes, depending on how hot your mixture is.
- Then remove the pan from the heat and add butter. The butter is our secret ingredient that adds a delicious richness to the raspberry sauce.
- Let the mixture cool, then add the remaining raspberries (from the original 12 ounce bag) and stir gently.
How to Use Raspberry Sauce
Think of this raspberry sauce as the perfect topping on:
- pancakes. One of my favorite ways to use leftover fruit sauces.
- cheesecake
- angel food cake
- pound cake
- vanilla ice cream
- waffles
- French toast
- swirl it into oatmeal
- buttermilk biscuits
- chocolate cake
- plain yogurt
And you know what? The leftovers, I just ate with a spoon. 😋 There are countless different ways to experiment with this sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries best?
Frozen raspberries are conveniently available year-round and are typically frozen at their peak, retaining their nutritional value and flavor. For recipes like our Easy Raspberry Sauce, both fresh and frozen raspberries can be used.
If you opt for frozen, remember there’s no need to thaw them before use.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Yes. I’ve made this with ½ cup of sugar successfully.
Can I add lemon?
Yes. Lemon and raspberries go so well together. Use fresh lemon juice instead of water in the cornstarch slurry for a little bit of an acidic tang.
Can I use this sauce to fill a cake?
The sauce as the recipe is written is slightly runny and I would not recommend using it as a cake filling. You could try lowering the water or increasing the cornstarch to make it thicker.
Can I strain the seeds?
Yes, if you’d like you can strain the seeds. If you want a completely smooth sauce, don’t worry about holding back raspberries to add in at the end. Add them all at the beginning, then strain out the seeds through a fine mesh sieve after you make the sauce. This strained raspberry sauce is known as raspberry coulis. It is elegant, vibrant and smooth.
Can you freeze this sauce?
Yes. This sauce freezes well. Store for up to 8 weeks in a freezer-safe container.
Easy Raspberry Sauce
Use frozen or fresh raspberries to make this easy raspberry sauce. Perfect for cheesecakes, ice cream and pancakes!
Servings 10 servings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces frozen unsweetened raspberries, divided about 2-2 ½ cups of raspberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1/2 cup water 4 ounces
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch 6 grams
- 2 tablespoons water 30 grams
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together 1 ½ cups raspberries, sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. Heat the mixture to boiling, stirring often.
- In a small cup, combine the cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. Mix well. Pour this into the boiling raspberry mixture. Stir and boil over medium-low heat for 4 minutes or until the mixture has thickened a bit.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and mix until the butter has completely melted.
- Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes, then add the last of the raspberries and stir to mix. Cool to room temperature, then serve over whatever dessert you’d like!
Video
Notes
Makes 2 ¼ cups sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 10, with 1 serving being 1/10 of the sauce. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Serving: 110g | Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 8.9mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Would it be possible to make this in bulk, do you think? I need 200 servings for a wedding to top cheesecake slices. 😬
Does the recipe use 1 1/2 cups or 2 1/2 c berries? It says a different amount in the ingredient list than the intriguing and instructions
Ahhh…. So what about the Vanilla?? When do you add that? I guess I’ll just throw it in. I’m trying this tonight.
I Strained the sauce to remove seeds after boiling making sure all berries were cooked down. Then I heated again and added the cornstarch and cooked until thickened.
So yummy. Made some more this morning using golden raspberries, added abt 1/4 tsp lemon juice because they aren’t quite as tart as the red ones, and reduced sugar to 1/2 cup. Beautiful golden color.
Has anyone tried it over plain yogurt?
Sounds really yummy.
Can you substitute brown surgar for the granulated sugar or use splenda?
How would you make this sauce a little thicker so it would stay on top of the cheesecake when you cut it
We made this this morning to top some sweet crepes, tasted fantastic! We added blueberries to it as well just to mix things up a bit and it turned out great
This is the best raspberry sauce I’ve made (and I’ve tried several). I also love how easy it was. I used frozen raspberries and added a little lemon juice, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I served it with my husband’s chocolate birthday cake, along with some whipped cream. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Just made this to top an angel food cake with ice cream. It’s absolutely scrumptious!!
How long is it safe to keep in the refrigerator?
Made this and it is delicious. How long should this be kept in the fridge?
Made this last night and had it on ice cream, it was good. This morning I mixed some into oatmeal and it was just like the oatmeal swirlers they used to have in the late 80s and early 90s. It was amazing.
I just finished making this with raspberries from our backyard; looks beautiful! Can’t wait to pour this over waffles …. thanks for the idea of mixing it with yogurt
Made this tonight and it was amazing! I used it to drizzle over baked Brie and we used pita bread to eat it on. It was a hit!