This easy homemade strawberry sauce is bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients. Fresh strawberries are cooked with sugar and thickened with cornstarch to create a sweet, spoonable strawberry topping with delicious pieces of berries in every bite. My son, Clay, loves strawberries, so I had to create a strawberry sauce for him.
Spoon this fresh strawberry sauce over cheesecake, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, pound cake, French toast, and more. It’s an easy way to transform your favorite breakfast or dessert into something extra special, and you can make it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Whether you call it strawberry sauce, strawberry topping, or strawberry glaze, this is one recipe you’ll want to keep handy during strawberry season!
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Sauce
There are so many ways to use this easy strawberry topping. Once you see how simple it is to make from scratch, you may skip the store-bought versions altogether.
- Made with fresh strawberries. The berries are the star of the recipe, giving the sauce a fresh, fruity strawberry flavor.
- Quick and easy. The sauce only takes a few minutes to cook on the stovetop.
- Simple ingredients. You don’t need anything fancy to make a delicious homemade strawberry sauce.
- Perfect texture. Mashing some of the berries creates a thick sauce while diced strawberries add delicious chunks throughout.
- Versatile topping. Use it as a strawberry sauce for cheesecake, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, French toast, pound cake, crepes, and more.
- Make-ahead friendly. Prepare the sauce ahead of time and keep it chilled until you’re ready to use it.
- Freezer friendly. Have extra strawberries? Turn them into sauce and freeze it for later.
What Is Strawberry Sauce?
Strawberry sauce is a sweet fruit topping made by cooking strawberries with sugar and a thickening ingredient. For this recipe, cornstarch creates a thicker consistency that’s easy to spoon over desserts and breakfast foods.
Unlike a completely smooth strawberry syrup, this recipe leaves pieces of fresh strawberries throughout the sauce. You get a combination of sweet strawberry syrup and juicy pieces of fruit in every spoonful.
If you prefer a smooth sauce, you can puree it after cooking.
Strawberry Sauce vs. Strawberry Syrup
While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, strawberry sauce and strawberry syrup can have different textures.
Strawberry sauce is typically thicker and may contain pieces of strawberries. It’s especially good for cheesecake, ice cream, pound cake, and other desserts.
Strawberry syrup is generally thinner and easier to pour. It works well for drinks, pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
This recipe falls on the thicker side, making it an excellent strawberry dessert topping, but you can adjust the consistency by cooking it for less or more time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this homemade strawberry sauce.
Strawberries
Fresh strawberries are the star of this recipe. You’ll mash some of the berries to create the sauce and dice the rest so there are pieces of strawberry throughout. Choose ripe, bright red berries for the best flavor.
Granulated Sugar
Sugar sweetens the strawberries while also helping create the syrupy base of the sauce. The natural sweetness of strawberries can vary, so especially sweet berries will create an even sweeter finished sauce.
Water
Water provides the liquid needed to cook the strawberries and dissolve the sugar and cornstarch.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch thickens the strawberry mixture into a spoonable sauce. Make sure it is fully incorporated so you don’t end up with lumps.
Red Food Coloring
This ingredient is completely optional. A few drops can give your sauce a brighter red color, but it doesn’t affect the flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Sauce
Making strawberry sauce from scratch is easier than you might think.
Prepare the strawberries. Wash the strawberries, remove the stems, and divide the berries. Mash a portion of the strawberries in a bowl and dice the remaining berries. Set the diced strawberries aside.
Combine the ingredients. Add the sugar and cornstarch to a medium saucepan and whisk. Stir in the water and mashed strawberries.
Cook the strawberry mixture. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently. Bring it to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. If you’re using red food coloring, stir in a few drops at this point.
Add the diced strawberries. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the reserved diced berries.
Cool the sauce. Transfer the strawberry sauce to a bowl and let it cool for about 10–15 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Sauce
A few simple tricks will help you get the best flavor and consistency every time.
- Choose ripe strawberries. Fresh, ripe strawberries give you the sweetest flavor and best texture. Frozen berries can also be used, but they may require additional cooking time.
- Don’t overcook the sauce. Remember that the strawberry sauce will become thicker as it cools.
- Adjust the texture. Leave the diced berries intact for a chunky sauce or puree the finished sauce for a smooth consistency.
- Add some lemon. A small splash of fresh lemon juice can help balance the sweetness and brighten the strawberry flavor.
- Try vanilla. A little vanilla extract pairs beautifully with strawberries and adds another layer of flavor.
- Adjust the consistency. For a thicker sauce, simmer it slightly longer. For a thinner sauce, add a small amount of water.
- Cool before storing. Let the sauce cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Ways to Use Strawberry Sauce
Don’t limit this homemade strawberry topping to cheesecake! There are plenty of delicious ways to serve it.
Try it over:
- Cheesecake
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- French toast
- Crepes
- Vanilla ice cream
- Pound cake
- Angel food cake
- Biscuits
- Scones
- Yogurt
- Oatmeal
- Parfaits
You can also spoon it between cake layers, swirl it into yogurt, or use it to dress up a simple bowl of vanilla ice cream.
Variations and Substitutions
Want to change things up? Here are a few easy variations to try.
Lemon Strawberry Sauce: Add fresh lemon juice or a little lemon zest for a brighter, slightly tart flavor. I am a sucker for anything lemon, so this is a favorite flavor mix in our home.
Vanilla Strawberry Sauce: Stir in a splash of vanilla extract after removing the sauce from the heat.
Smooth Strawberry Sauce: Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the sauce until smooth.
Mixed Berry Sauce: Replace some of the strawberries with blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries for an easy mixed berry topping.
Frozen Strawberry Sauce: Fresh berries aren’t required. Frozen strawberries can be used, although they release more liquid and may need additional cooking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes. Frozen strawberries work well when fresh berries aren’t available. Since frozen berries release additional moisture as they cook, you may need to simmer the sauce a little longer to reach the desired consistency.
Does strawberry sauce thicken as it cools?
Yes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t worry if it looks slightly thinner than expected while it’s hot.
Why isn’t my strawberry sauce thickening?
Allow it to simmer a little longer. If it still isn’t thick enough, mix a small amount of cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.
Can I make strawberry sauce without cornstarch?
You can make strawberry sauce without cornstarch, but it will generally be thinner. Simmering strawberries and sugar for longer allows some of the liquid to evaporate and creates a naturally thicker sauce.
Can I make strawberry sauce ahead of time?
Yes! Strawberry sauce is a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare it in advance, let it cool, and refrigerate it in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve.
How long does homemade strawberry sauce last?
Store cooled strawberry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5–7 days.
Can you freeze strawberry sauce?
Yes. Transfer the cooled sauce to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, leaving some room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
How to Store Strawberry Sauce
Allow leftover strawberry sauce to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or glass jar. Refrigerate for up to 5–7 days.
You can serve leftover sauce cold or gently warm it before serving.
For longer storage, freeze strawberry sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.
More Fruit Recipes
Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups strawberries fresh cleaned and diced
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- red food coloring optional
Instructions
- Cleanse the fresh strawberries and divide them into 2 cups. Slice one cup of the strawberries and crush them in a bowl. Reserve.
- Proceed to cube the remaining cup of strawberries. Reserve.
- Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a moderate saucepan, then pour in the water and the crushed strawberries. Continuously stir the mixture and bring it to a boil for approximately 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Additionally, you can include red food coloring at this point if desired.
- Take the cooked strawberry sauce off the heat and incorporate the reserved diced strawberries into the mixture. Move the warm sauce to a bowl and allow it to cool for roughly 10-15 minutes.
Notes
- Use ripe, fresh strawberries for the best flavor.
- Frozen strawberries can be substituted but may require additional cooking time.
- Mash the berries well for a saucier texture or leave them slightly chunky.
- The sauce thickens as it cools, so avoid overcooking.
- Add fresh lemon juice for a brighter strawberry flavor.
- Add vanilla extract for extra sweetness and depth.
- Puree the finished sauce if you prefer a smooth consistency.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 5–7 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
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