Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Homemade strawberry sauce is the perfect way to top plain cheesecake, ice cream, french toast, and pancakes! Made with fresh berries in less than 10 minutes!

jar of strawberry sauce with fresh berries around it

Strawberry Sauce

Aside from cherry pie filling, strawberry sauce is my favorite plain cheesecake topping.

Don’t get me wrong, chocolate is always a great choice. But I prefer something tart, like berries, to cut through the richness of the cheesecake.

This is a great recipe for using up fresh strawberries or making a quick topping from frozen ones, just like this Strawberry cake.

Thinking about breakfast? Skip the maple syrup and use this sweet strawberry sauce on your pancakes and french toast. Not to mention your biscuits and scones!

You are going to love this strawberry sauce, not just because it’s yummy but because it’s just 4 ingredients, takes less than 10 minutes to make, made from made from real strawberries, and go with just about everything!

If you love topping your ice cream with a delicious sauce, check out my salted caramel sauce and my chocolate syrup recipe!

spoon of strawberry compote above a pot

With just 4 ingredients, you will be enjoying this in no time! Are you already making a list of what to enjoy it with?

It’s perfect for for angel food cake or shortcake.

If you are looking for something to add to your plain dessert, this strawberry sauce for cheesecake is it!

labeled picture of ingredients for strawberry compote

Ingredients Needed

  • fresh strawberries
  • sugar
  • cornstarch
  • water
  • red food coloring *optional*

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How to Make Strawberry Sauce

First: Clean, stem, and dice 2 cups of strawberries. Divide in half. Mash one half (1 cup) in a bowl and set aside.

Second: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and water. Stir to combine. Stir in the cup of mashed berries.

Third: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add in food coloring if desired. For 3-5 minutes, cook over medium heat until sauce is thickened.

Fourth: Remove from the heat and stir in the other cup of strawberries. Stir and let cool. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How to Thicken Strawberry Sauce

This recipe uses cornstarch to thicken it. Strawberries have natural pectin in them, which is used as a thickener for jams and jellies, but not quite enough for this quick recipe.

Is strawberry sauce the same as strawberry puree?

I would say no, as strawberry puree is just strawberries that have been put through a blender or food processor to liquify them.

I consider a puree something you add to a smoothie or another dish. This recipe adds sugar to make more of a complete sauce.

slice of cheesecake with strawberry sauce on a white plate

When is strawberry season?

Late February through March is when strawberries are at their most abundant but you can get them most months.

How many strawberries are in a pint?

One pint equals: 3/4 pound (12 ounces) 12 large, 24 medium, 36 small strawberries.

What is the best way to sweeten strawberries?

I think they are pretty sweet all by themselves but occasionally you might get a pint that is a little on the tart side.

If you you do, sprinkle with a teaspoon or two of sugar and let sit for a few minutes.

What can I make with a bunch of strawberries?

Strawberries are great all on their own but there are a few things you can do with them.

Dip them in chocolate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, mix them in a fruit salad, or make this easy strawberry sauce.

overhead picture of jar of sauce and fresh strawberries

Tapas Tips & Tricks

  • Fresh are the best but frozen strawberries will work just fine.
  • I like the bright red color but feel free to leave out the food coloring. It won’t change the flavor.
  • The smaller you dice the berries, the quicker they break down.
  • Feel free to puree the strawberries in a food processor for smoother texture.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

pin image with text "easy strawberry sauce"

This easy strawberry sauce is perfect for pancakes, waffles, no bake cheesecake, french toast, and pound cake!

More Easy Recipes

square picture of strawberry sauce for recipe card

Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Homemade strawberry sauce is the perfect way to top plain cheesecake!
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 1g
Author: Jennifer Stewart

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries stemmed, quartered, divided
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¾ cup water
  • Red food coloring *optional

Instructions

  • Clean and dice 2 cups strawberries, add 1 cup to a bowl, mash, and set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the water and 1 cup of mashed berries.
  • Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in food coloring, if desired.
  • Cook and stir 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 cup of diced strawberries.
  • Transfer to bowl and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • Serve immediately or store in an air tight jar or container for up to a week.

Notes

  • If you love this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it 5 stars. Thank you!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made it but left out the red food coloring.
    Just what I remember my mother making when I was younger!
    Thanks for this recipe and I saved it on Pinterest!

    1. I am so glad you liked it! I often leave out the coloring too just because I don’t care about the bright red color so much as the taste:)

4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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