How to make a Strawberry Sauce (2024)

By Rebecca Hubbell on July 24, 2020 | Updated October 19, 2023 | 5 Comments

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This Homemade Strawberry Sauce is perfect for cheesecake, pancakes, biscuits, and more! Made with a handful of ingredients including fresh strawberries, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. And it requires less than 15 minutes of prep and cooking!

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This Homemade Strawberry Sauce is perfect for cheesecake, pancakes, biscuits, and more! Made with a handful of ingredients including fresh strawberries, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. And it requires less than 15 minutes of prep and cooking!

Table of Contents

You will love this Strawberry Topping Recipe

Looking for a strawberry topping for cheesecake? A strawberry sauce for pancakes? How about fixings for the best ice cream sundae ever?This easy strawberry sauce recipe can top all three — and more!

It’s truly the ultimate addition to any breakfast or dessert table!

I love this sauce because it’s super versatile and you can even freeze it for later. If you have lots of berries that you don’t want to go bad, make a batch or two to use them up.

Strawberry Topping Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients that give it a versatile yet classic flavor!

Strawberries – These are the heart and soul of this yummy sauce!
Cornstarch – This helps thicken the sauce.
Cold water – To mix with the cornstarch. The water must be cold to activate it without making it gummy.
Light brown sugar – For sweetness and rich flavor.
Granulated sugar – For sweetness with lighter flavor!
Vanilla extract – A nice addition of flavor that really warms up the sauce!
Lemon juice – For a bright kick of citrus.

How to make a Strawberry Sauce

This recipe is so easy to make! You’ll need a small saucepan and about 20 minutes of prep and cook time.

Add all of the ingredients to the pot and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to simmer, stirring constantly.
Reduce to medium heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce thickens, stirring frequently.
Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, remove from heat. Use right away or allow it to cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container.

Strawberry Sauce Recipe Tips

How to thicken strawberry sauce

I like to add cornstarch to my sauce to give it a nice thickness – however, if you don’t have any on hand, the natural sugar in the berries and the additional sugar will thicken, but you may have to add additional cook time to get the desired consistency.

How to use this Recipe for Strawberry Topping

Ice cream
Pancakes
Waffles
French toast
Cheesecake (or no-bake cheesecake)
Angel food cake
Pound cake
Biscuits

Strawberry Sauce FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, you can. However, the texture and flavor will both turn out better if you stick with fresh berries.

How do I store this sauce?

Store it in the refrigerator an airtight container.

More Sauces & Syrups:

Slow Cooker Dulce De Leche – This 1-ingredient recipe is an indulgent dessert topping!
Strawberry Simple Syrup – Its smooth consistency makes it the perfect co*cktail mix-in.
Chocolate Ganache – Use this as a filling or topping in your favorite cakes!
Spiced Vanilla Syrup – A delicious addition to breakfast.
Cranberry Orange Bourbon Syrup – A sophisticated combination to punch up pancakes and desserts!

Strawberry Sauce

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5 from 12 votes

Strawberry Sauce Recipe

Author Rebecca Hubbell

Course Condiment, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Ingredients

▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
▢ 2 tablespoons cold water
▢ 2 cups strawberries quartered or halved
▢ 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
▢ 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

Whisk together the cornstarch and water and add to a small saucepan.
Add the strawberries, sugars, vanilla, and lemon juice to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to simmer, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and allow to cool in the pot before transferring to a serving dish or storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The mixture will thicken more as it cools.

Notes

All brown or all granulated sugar can be used in this recipe.
Lemon juice or vanilla may be omitted if you want the sauce to be tarter or sweeter.
Store it in the refrigerator for about a week in an airtight container.
To Freeze: Wait until the sauce completely cools and pour into freezer bags (and lay flat or freezable container (not glass). It should be good for 3 to 6 months.

Nutrition

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