How to Make Strawberry Sauce Topping

Why you’ll love this recipe:

I love to enjoy sweet strawberries by the handful, but one of my favorite ways to put them to use is in homemade strawberry sauce topping. 

• Made with just 5 ingredients. 
• Ready in 15 minutes. 
• Can be made smooth and silky or chunky. 

Make a big batch to drizzle, dip, and smother cakes, crepes, waffles, cheesecake, ice cream, and all your favorite desserts! 

Key Ingredient Notes:

• Strawberries – Fresh or frozen strawberries work great! Frozen strawberries don’t need to be thawed to make this strawberry sauce, but you’ll want to reduce the amount of water used. Otherwise, your sauce will be too runny! 
• Sugar – Granulated sugar helps sweeten the sauce and thickens it as it cooks. If you prefer a natural sweetener, raw honey is a great alternative. 
• Cornstarch – This is slowly added to the sauce to help it thicken. 
• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice enhances the fruity flavor. Combined with cornstarch, the acidity helps thicken the sauce as well. For the best results, use freshly squeezed lemon juice.  

How to make strawberry sauce:

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan. And bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring frequently. 
2. In the meantime, whisk the cornstarch and lemon juice together in a small bowl until no clumps remain. 
3. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan, mixing continuously as you do. 
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Then, let the strawberry sauce cook until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Feel free to smash the berries to your desired consistency.

Let the sauce to cool completely. Or, use it right away! 

Tips for Success:

• Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. I use a 2.5qt stainless steel saucepan to help distribute the heat evenly. 
• Don’t mash the strawberries before cooking the sauce. It will still taste good, but it’s likely to become slightly gray in color and not at all like the beautiful, vibrant strawberry sauce pictured above. 
• Be sure to form the cornstarch slurry, and pour it in slowly. If you add the ingredients to the pan without stirring them together, they won’t mix well. Additionally, if they’re poured in too quickly, gelatinous balls form in the sauce. 
• The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will be! 
• There’s no need to thaw frozen strawberries as the extra liquid will evaporate as they cook. 
• Keep in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. 
• Adjust the consistency to suit your preferences. For a chunky sauce, leave it as is. Or, use a fork or potato masher to smash some of the berries for a semi-chunky texture. Alternatively, if you prefer a smooth, jelly-like strawberry sauce, transfer the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to smooth out the berries.            

Ways to use homemade strawberry sauce:

I can’t think of many foods that this strawberry sauce recipe wouldn’t taste amazing with, but here are a few ideas to get you started: 

• Donuts – Use strawberry sauce to stuff homemade donuts. Drizzle it on top, or pour it into a bowl for dipping. 
• Cakes – I love to use this sauce to add color and flavor to cakes! Drizzle it over slices of cake like Angel food cake and cheesecake. Or, use it as a refreshing filling for layer cakes. 
• Yogurt – Make a gourmet-looking yogurt bowl when you stir in sweet strawberry sauce. Don’t forget to top it off with crunchy granola and fresh fruit, too! 
• Oatmeal – Swirl this sauce into a warm bowl of oatmeal for a fruity kick. 
• Ice cream – You can never go wrong with a vanilla ice cream sundae topped with sweet sauce and a dollop of whipped cream! 
• Waffles and pancakes – Drizzle it over warm waffles and pancakes for a restaurant-inspired breakfast. 
• Crepes – Stuff it inside or spoon it over your favorite crepes. 
• Drinks – If you’re feeling fancy, strawberry sauce works great for homemade lattes and milkshakes.

Storing Tips:

• This easy strawberry sauce will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. 
• For longer-lasting storage, freeze any leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months! Let the frost thaw in the refrigerator before using. 

FAQs: 

Sweet Sauce Recipes: 

• Seedless Raspberry Sauce
• Orange Cranberry Sauce Recipe 
• The Easiest Butterscotch Sauce Recipe
• Homemade Caramel Sauce