This strawberry compote recipe comes together in one pot with a few simple ingredients: fresh (or frozen!) strawberries, orange juice and a touch of sweetener. Add a splash of orange liqueur (optional) for a more intense flavor.
🍓Strawberry Compote highlights🍓
- Simple: Altogether this is a quick and easy recipe that comes together with just 3 basic ingredients: strawberries, orange & sugar. Vanilla extract & fruity liqueurs are totally optional!
- Adaptable: Check the recipe notes & post below for more info. You can essentially swap out each ingredient for a similar alternative and add a few ingredients for a little more flavor.
- Versatile: There are so many delicious ways to enjoy this chunky strawberry sauce! Add to breakfast bowls, waffles, ice cream, cakes and more for a delicious, summery twist.
Strawberry Compote Vs Strawberry Jam
What’s the difference between fruit compote and fruit jam?
Though they look the same and can often be used for similar-ish things, compote & jam are quite different with a few key distinctions.
- Jams are cooked in a way (long time + lots of sugar) that creates a smooth, thick, spreadable consistency that can last a few years if unopened and stored properly in steralized jars.
- Compote is basically just a quick and easy fruit sauce made by gently cooking fruit and less sugar until broken down and saucy. It’s only meant to last about a week at most in the fridge.
So essentially:
Compote = Chunky fruit sauce + minimal sugar + fast cook. Short shelf life.
Jam = Smooth fruit spread + lots of sugar + long cook. Long shelf life.
Recipe Steps
Prep: Wash, hull & quarter fresh strawberries.
Mix: Combine strawberries, juice, zest, sugar and cointreau (if using) to a pot.
Simmer: Cook over a medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.
Finish & Cool: Add vanilla and adjust thickness if needed then cool.
💡Tip💡
The sauce will thicken up a bit when it cools, but it will be a bit thin and saucy in the end – as is the nature of compote.
If you’d prefer a thicker consistency, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or tapioca starch for a grain free option) with the citrus juice before adding the berries.
As the mixture heats up the the starch molecules will swell up to absorb more water making for a thicker consistency.
❄️🍓FYI: Make it with frozen strawberries❄️🍓
Use frozen berries to make this any time of year – not just during strawberry season!
You can cook the berries straight from the freezer, no need to thaw or defrost first. Just increase the overall cook time to account for the extra water released from the frozen fruit.
The texture will be softer than fresh fruit compote, but the taste will still be great!
Flavor Variations
- 🍋 Other Citrus (Instead of Orange):
- fresh lemon juice + zest – bright and poppy
- blood orange or grapefruit – more floral & bitter
- may want to increase the sweetener a bit if you use grapefruit to balance out the added bitterness
- 🌶️ Spice:
- fresh or ground ginger for warm, citrusy kick
- a pinch of cayenne, chili flakes or black pepper for a bit of heat
- hot honey (in place of sugar) – use 2-3 tablespoons
- 🍷 Make it boozy:
- Add a tablespoon or two of a fruity liqueur like cointreau, raspberry liqueur, limoncello or Aperol.
- 🫐Fruit:
- Swap out half the strawberries for other fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.
🍓Serving Suggestions🍓
A few different ways to enjoy this simple strawberry compote:
- Breakfast & Brunch:
- Instead of maple syrup (or in addition to – no judgements here!) spoon over pancakes, waffles & french toast.
- Cheesecake & Ice Cream:
- Try this over my no-bake gluten free cheesecake or mixed into a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
- Cakes & Tarts:
- This makes a great cake filling or topping in sponge cakes, angel food cake, strawberry shortcakes and fruity tarts for a seasonal twist.
- FYI: Check my Strawberry Tiramisu recipe coming later this week using this compote!
- This makes a great cake filling or topping in sponge cakes, angel food cake, strawberry shortcakes and fruity tarts for a seasonal twist.
- Yogurts & Parfaits:
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this homemade Strawberry Compote recipe! I’d love to hear what you made with it and how it turned out! Please leave a comment and review with your thoughts and suggestions for me and future readers.
Strawberry Compote Recipe
Made with fresh strawberries, orange juice, and a touch sugar - natural sweeter options too! Add a splash of orange liqueur (optional) for a little extra pizazz!
Ingredients
- lb fresh strawberries (450g), hulled and quartered
- ¼ cup white sugar (50g)
- 1 tbsp orange juice (15ml)
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Strawberry Prep: Hull and cut the berries in half, or quarter them if large.
- Combine: Add strawberries, sugar, juice, and zest (if using) to a medium saucepan. Stir until everything is fully mixed together.
- Cook: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over a medium-low heat. Once it starts to simmer, cook for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The strawberries will soften and the sauce should thicken up a bit as it cooks.
- Adjust Thickness: The sauce will thicken up more as it cools, but if you'd like a thicker compote, let it cook for an extra 5 minutes. If it's too thick at this stage, stir in a tablespoon or 2 of water to thin it out.
- Cool: Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract if using. Let the compote cool down a bit before before serving.
- Store for later: Let cool to room temperature then store in an an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to one week or freeze up to 3 months (freeze small portions in an ice cube tray to easily use and thaw as needed).
Notes
Substitutes:
- Use lemon juice & zest instead of orange. You can also try this is other citrus fruits like blood orange & lime.
- Swap out half (or all) of the strawberries for blackberries, raspberries and/or blueberries.
- Use frozen fruit: Cook directly from frozen and cook for an extra few minutes. Compote made with frozen fruit will be softer than fresh fruit compote, but still just as good.
- Make it paleo/refined sugar free: Swap out the white sugar for 1/4 cup coconut sugar OR 3 tbsp honey or maple syrup. For low FODMAP/vegan option - don't use honey.
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