This easy blueberry compote recipe, made with fresh or frozen fruit and ready in 10 minutes, is the perfect topping for breakfast pancakes, yogurt, cheesecake, and even a homemade pound cake.
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I love using fresh seasonal fruit to make breakfast sauces, jams, and jellies, as part of a charcuterie board, as a dessert topping, or even for breakfast. This blueberry compote is so good I also make it with frozen blueberries when the craving hits. Try it with some vanilla bean ice cream, as part of an ice cream sundae, or on top of a lemon posset.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Make-ahead recipe - This blueberry compote keeps well in the fridge for up to two weeks, so you can plan for any event you're hosting.
- Various ways to use this - This compote tastes delicious with just about anything. Add it to some yogurt, pair it with a slice of pound cake, and enjoy it with some toast and butter; the possibilities are endless.
- Quick and easy recipe - This recipe takes just 10 minutes, uses a handful of basic ingredients, and can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries.
Ingredient notes
- Blueberries - I prefer fresh blueberries when they're available, but frozen ones can also be used.
- Sugar - Start with a small amount of granulated sugar for this recipe and add more as needed, depending on how sweet or sour the blueberries are.
- Lemon zest - This adds fragrance and flavor to the sauce.
- Vanilla extract -I like to add vanilla extract to this blueberry compote recipe in addition to lemon zest.
- Butter - This adds a little gloss to this dessert sauce and helps thicken it as it cools.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, along with measurements and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Make a mixed berry compote - Add some raspberries, blackberries, and even strawberries to switch things up.
- Turn it into a glaze for roasted meat—Add balsamic vinegar to the sauce, thicken it, and then use it as a glaze on a beef or chicken roast.
- Add lemon - If you want this blueberry compote recipe slightly more sour, add a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Add the blueberries, water, sugar, salt, and vanilla to a cooking pot and stir to mix.
Second step - Once the sauce starts to simmer, add the lemon zest and a prepared cornstarch slurry.
Third step - Stir to thicken and stop cooking as soon as the compote coats the spoon.
Fourth step - Turn the stove off and stir the butter into the hot sauce.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to make a cornstarch slurry - Cornstarch must be dissolved in room-temperature water before it's added to the hot mixture. Adding it directly will make it clump.
- Adjust the sugar as needed—The sugar may need to be adjusted based on the blueberries' sweetness and your preference. I like to start with half the amount, taste, and then add the rest as needed.
- Cooking with frozen berries - Add only half the water if you use frozen berries for this recipe. They release water as the heat reaches them, and the sauce will be too runny.
Recipe FAQS
A fruit compote is one of two types of fruit sauces. It's a chunky mixture made with whole fruit, water, sugar, and added flavors. The other type of fruit sauce is a coulis, which is a smooth, pureed, and strained sauce.
A pie filling needs to be thicker than a compote. Use 4 cups of blueberries and ¼ cup of cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup of water for the slurry, keeping all the other ingredients the same for a pie filling.
Store this blueberry compote recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze it for up to 2 months. Defrost it in the fridge overnight or thaw it in the microwave.
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Blueberry Compote Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 cups blueberries (see notes)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (see notes)
- ⅛ cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter (see notes)
Instructions
- Add the blueberries, sugar, salt, vanilla, and water to a cooking pot and stir to mix.
- Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water and set aside.
- Once the sauce starts to simmer and bubble, add in the lemon zest and the cornstarch slurry, stirring constantly till the sauce thickens. (see notes)
- Turn the stove off and stir in the butter till it melts.
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