Easy Strawberry Compote Recipe | Maple + Mango (2024)

What Is Strawberry Compote

Strawberry compote is a chunky strawberry sauce made from fresh strawberries that are cooked down with some sugar, honey or maple syrup. I like to also add some lemon juice and vanilla extract for an extra layer of flavor.

It can be served either warm or cold, depending on what you’re using it for. It’s the perfect strawberry topping for a variety of breakfast and dessert dishes.

I like to make a big batch to freeze when strawberries are in season so that I can enjoy the taste of ripe summer strawberries year round. It’s always a treat to serve some with these German Waffles on Christmas morning (our tradition). Nothing beats the flavor of ripe summer berries especially in the middle of winter.

Reasons To Love This Recipe

• Made from real strawberries: No artificial flavors here! Just real strawberries and a few other simple ingredients. If you love strawberries, then make sure to check out these other strawberry recipes too!
• Easy to make: Just 4 simple ingredients simmered together – so easy!
• Super versatile: Upgrade your breakfast game by using as a topping for pancakes, waffles or French toast or elevate dessert by spooning over ice cream (or spaghetti ice cream), cheese cake and more! You can find more ways to use strawberry compote below.
• Delicious way to preserve the taste of summer strawberries: Keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or store in the freezer to enjoy any time of year. It’s always a treat to taste those sweet summer strawberries in the middle of winter!

Ingredients You’ll Need

All you need is 4 simple ingredients to make this homemade strawberry compote!

• Strawberries: Nothing beats the flavor you get from using ripe summer strawberries. The sweeter your strawberries are the better the compote will be.
• Sweetener: Use a bit of honey, maple syrup or organic cane sugar to sweeten the strawberry compote. Quantity may vary depending on how sweet the strawberries are and personal taste.
• Lemon Juice: A bit of fresh lemon juice to round out the flavors.
• Vanilla Extract: For a delicious finishing touch!
• Optional: A slurry made from a bit of cornstarch or arrowroot starch and water can be added for a thicker compote.

Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.

How To Make Strawberry Compote

Get ready to indulge in the sweetness of summer with this easy-to-make strawberry compote recipe! Simply…

1. Add ingredients to saucepan: Place the strawberries, sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup or organic cane sugar) and lemon juice in a small or medium saucepan.
2. Simmer gently: Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly until the strawberries start to release some liquid. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes (adjusting heat if needed), stirring occasionally until strawberries are soft and mixture has thickened. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools so take it off the heat when it is a bit thinner than you want the finished compote to be.
3. Add vanilla extract: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir through the vanilla extract.
4. Cool down: Let the compote cool for 10 minutes before serving or allow it to cool completely before storing. The compote will thicken more as it cools down. Serve warm or chilled.

Variations

• Extra lemon flavor: Add a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest for an extra pop of lemon.
• Use vanilla bean: Instead of vanilla extract, you could also use the seeds of a vanilla bean or some vanilla paste instead.
• Add orange juice: Replace the lemon juice with orange juice. Could also add some orange zest as well for extra orange flavor.
• Add ground cinnamon or ginger: Just a small amount added before simmering.
• Use other fruit: This recipe can also be used to make other types of fruit compote. Simply swap out the strawberries for another in-season fruit like other berries or stone fruit.
• Make a bigger batch: Have lots of strawberries and want to make a larger batch? Just double or triple the recipe and use a larger pot. You might need to add on a little extra cooking time too.

Storage Tips

• To Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• To Freeze: Store in the freezer for 6 months. To freeze, transfer the compote to a freezer-safe jar or container and allow to fully cool before placing in the freezer. 4-ounce, 8-ounce or 16-ounce wide mouth mason jars or Souper Cubes are great options. If you choose glass, make sure to check out these tips on freezing mason jars without breakage. Thaw on the counter or overnight in the fridge.
• Reheating: Strawberry compote can be served cold or warm. If you would like to serve it warm, simply reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Ways To Use It

Wondering how to use this strawberry compote? It’s super versatile! Serve it warm or cold as a delicious strawberry topping on a variety of breakfast and dessert dishes such as…

• Ice cream: Delicious simply served over vanilla ice cream. Or make it even more fun by making this spaghetti-eis dessert (spaghetti ice cream)!
• Waffles: Serve as a topping with your favorite breakfast waffle recipe or turn those waffles into a dessert by also adding a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream. I love serving this strawberry compote with these German Waffles or including it as a topping on a Build Your Own Waffle Board.
• Pancakes or French Toast: Delicious spooned over top or as a topping option on a fun breakfast board.
• Cake: Serve as a cheesecake topping or spooned over pound cake, sponge cake or angel food cake slices.
• Crepes: Use it as a filling for crepes.
• Yogurt: Serve it over yogurt or as part of a yogurt parfait with granola clusters.
• Oatmeal: Use it as a topping for any type of oatmeal including steel cut oats and overnight oats.
• Pudding or Custard: Delicious spooned over vanilla or chocolate pudding or custard. Also make a fantastic topping for this German Milk Rice Pudding or this Coconut Milk Jelly (aka homemade coconut jello).

A Few Questions Answered

More Strawberry Recipes

For more recipes featuring strawberries, check out this collection of Strawberry Recipes You Need To Try! A few of the recipes you’ll find include:

• Healthy Strawberry Gummies
• Strawberry Overnight Oats
• Strawberry Coconut Crisp
• Chocolate Coconut Cream Stuffed Strawberries
• Strawberry Slushie

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