Strawberry Sauce

When a serving of cheesecake or a scoop of ice cream just needs that certain je ne sais quoi, I find that strawberry sauce more than handles the job. With its bright red hue and intense strawberry bite, it transforms everything it touches. And with five simple ingredients (one being water), a homemade strawberry sauce is completely attainable for even the most novice cooks.

Strawberry Sauce Ingredients

• Strawberries: Use fresh or frozen strawberries in this strawberry sauce recipe. If using frozen, thaw the strawberries first, then drain the excess liquid. If using fresh, make sure to clean the strawberries really well to draw out bugs or debris.
• Sugar: While strawberries are naturally sweet, a few tablespoons of sugar elevate this sauce from refreshing to dessert-worthy.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce so it’s nice and viscous. The last thing we want is a runny, liquid sauce soaking into our desserts.
• Lemon juice: The last step is to squeeze fresh lemon juice into the strawberry sauce recipe to brighten it up a touch.

Directions

Step 1: Mash the strawberries

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Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the strawberries, and then set them aside.

Step 2: Thicken the sauce base

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In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth.

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Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook and stir the mixture until it’s thickened, about two minutes.

Step 3: Add the strawberries and lemon juice

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Stir in the strawberries, then remove the saucepan from the heat.

Stir in the lemon juice, then transfer the strawberry sauce to a small bowl. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the sauce until it’s chilled.

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Ways to Use Strawberry Sauce

Strawberry sauce is a dessert topping powerhouse. It really can upgrade almost anything that’s even remotely sweet! I love it on top of ice cream, warm brownies, pancakes, angel food cake, waffles, pound cake and almost all cheesecake recipes.

Strawberry sauce can also be used as a filling. Try it in crepes, layered into parfaits or trifles, or as the strawberry component in a strawberry shortcake.

How to Store Strawberry Sauce

Allow the strawberry sauce to cool completely to room temperature, then pour it into an airtight container or glass jar. It can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

Can you make strawberry sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely! Strawberry sauce can be made up to four days ahead of time. Use up the sauce by the fifth day and discard any leftovers after that.

Strawberry Sauce Tips

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How can you make strawberry sauce perfectly smooth?

Prefer a smoother strawberry sauce over a chunky one? Blend it up with an immersion blender or a kitchen blender until it’s your preferred consistency.

Can you swap in other berries for the strawberries?

Yes, you can replace the strawberries with blackberries, blueberries or raspberries. Keep in mind, though, that those berries are tarter than strawberries. You may prefer that, but if not, add a little more sugar to the recipe.

Should you serve strawberry sauce hot or cold?

Strawberry sauce can be served hot or cold. It’s completely up to your preference! For example, some people prefer warm strawberry sauce on their ice cream, while others want everything to be as chilled as possible.