Juicy blueberries bring their natural sweetness to this quick and easy blueberry sauce topping. This makes for a delicious finishing touch on so many different desserts like cheesecake and ice cream, and turns simple breakfast foods like whole wheat pancakes, oatmeal, and yogurt into something special. You need just 6 ingredients (including water!), and you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries.
One reader, Sue, commented: “The perfect sauce for your easy cheesecake pie. I made both for Easter and things got really quiet when everyone started eating it. I knew that was a good sign! I loved that it was pourable, but not runny. The whole berries are visually appealing and a great contrast to the creamy pie. Not too sweet, which allows the blueberries to shine. Yum! ★★★★★“
Don’t you just love a versatile berry sauce topping, that’s as welcome on the breakfast table as it is on a dessert? A topping always takes desserts to the next level, both in terms of flavor and in presentation for serving. I have raspberry dessert sauce and strawberry sauce topping… so clearly it’s about time we invite blueberries to the party.
This recipe is very similar to the topping I use on blueberry cream cheese pie, but, well, saucier. For that pie topping, you want a thicker, jammier topping that sets up enough to stay together when you slice into the pie.
For this blueberry sauce topping, you want to be able to spoon or pour it on top of a slice of lemon cheesecake, or a dish of ice cream (maybe even blueberry crumble ice cream!). It also tastes phenomenal on pancakes & waffles, stirred into yogurt, and spooned over cream cheese French toast casserole. To sum up: blueberry sauce is limitless.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Blueberry Topping
- Make it with either fresh or frozen blueberries
- Comes together on the stove in less than 10 minutes
- Naturally sweet from the berries—add just 2 Tablespoons of sugar
- So versatile—delicious on so many desserts and even breakfast foods
- Serve warm, cold, or room temperature—your choice!
- Freezes well, so great make-ahead recipe
Have you ever made my blueberry swirl cheesecake? Today’s topping is a bit saucier than what you use for that cheesecake. Nearly identical taste, though.
Grab These 6 Ingredients:
- Water: I use more water in this sauce than in similar recipes on my website because blueberries don’t really break down as much as, say, raspberries. We want this to be a pourable/spoonable consistency right off the heat.
- Cornstarch: This ingredient slightly thickens the sauce. You don’t need much, but you must combine it with a little liquid before adding to the berries, otherwise you’ll have lumps of powdery cornstarch in your finished sauce. Cornstarch is typically mixed with water to make a “slurry” before using in sauces; see strawberry sauce as an example.
- Lemon Juice: The sauce needs *something* to balance the berry and sugar, and lemon juice provides that hint of brightness. Don’t leave it out, or the flavor will fall flat.
- Fresh or Frozen Blueberries: Blueberries are so convenient—no peeling, pitting, or chopping required! (That’s why blueberry pie is my #1 choice for a summer pie.) When they’re not in season, feel free to use frozen blueberries. If using frozen, you don’t need to stir/mash the mixture as much because the blueberries break down easier.
- Sugar: Because blueberries are so naturally sweet, you only need a little sugar to sweeten this sauce—just 2 Tablespoons.
- Vanilla Extract: Stir in a small splash of vanilla once the sauce comes off the heat. Vanilla gives the sauce dessert vibes. 😉
How to Make It
You’ll cook the mixture down on the stove. Warm the blueberries and sugar together first, and make sure you’re mashing some of the blueberries with your spoon or silicone spatula as it heats. This is especially important if using fresh blueberries. With frozen berries, you won’t need to break them down quite as much because the thawing liquid is there to help.
You are in control of the thickness and consistency of this blueberry sauce topping—it all comes down to how many blueberries you mash while the mixture cooks.
After 3 minutes, stir in the cornstarch “slurry” made from cornstarch, water, and lemon juice. Let that cook and thicken for a few minutes before removing from heat. Then stir in the vanilla.
You’re done!
The mixture thickens as it cools. Off heat, it’s warm and drippy. After cooling and refrigerating, it thickens into a thin preserves-like consistency. If desired, you can reheat the blueberry sauce topping to thin it out.
I love it warm on ice cream:
Can This Be a Filling for a Layer Cake?
Not as written, no. I haven’t successfully tested a thicker cake filling version of this yet; however, you could try reducing the water and increasing the cornstarch a bit. Or try my raspberry cake filling instead.
It could work as a cupcake filling, though! Make sure it’s completely cooled before filling.
Uses for Blueberry Sauce Topping
On its own, blueberry sauce is a naturally gluten free dessert recipe. You can also serve it with any of the following treats (some of which are also GF!):
- Your favorite vanilla ice cream, or this no-churn blueberry crumble ice cream
- Topping on pavlova and no-bake cheesecake jars
- Filling for homemade crepes
- Use as the jam in these breakfast Danish pastries or the filling in these berry turnovers
- Pancakes & waffles, such as these buttermilk waffles and whole wheat pancakes—and a Dutch baby pancake, too
- Lemon cheesecake, plain cheesecake, lemon blueberry cheesecake bars, or cheesecake pie
- Stir into oatmeal or yogurt
- Serve with cream cheese French toast casserole or blueberry French toast casserole
- Topping on lemon pudding cakes
- Spooned on slices of white cake, pistachio cake, or cream cheese pound cake
- Swap out the fresh fruit topping on fruit pizza and spoon this over the cream cheese frosting instead
- Topping on goat cheese crostini
- Use it instead of strawberry compote on brown butter pound cake
Can I bake this in desserts? Yes, you can bake this in desserts. For example, you can swap the raspberry swirl in these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars with this blueberry sauce (no need to strain, just swirl the chunky sauce into the cheesecake filling). You could also skip the apples in this apple crumb cake and add a layer of blueberry sauce under the crumb topping; and swap in blueberry sauce for the jam in these raspberry streusel bars and this raspberry twist bread.
And here is even more inspiration for dessert recipes that use blueberries.
Print
Blueberry Sauce Topping
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: about 1 and 1/4 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This blueberry sauce topping comes together quickly and easily on the stove, and can be enjoyed warm or cold on many desserts and breakfast foods. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80ml) warm water
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 cups (1 pint; 280g) fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw)
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk the cornstarch, water, and lemon juice together until all the cornstarch has dissolved. (I just use a fork to mix—very easy.) Set aside.
- Warm the blueberries and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. With a wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula, stir continuously for 3 minutes, gently smashing the berries against the sides of the pan to help them release some juices. (If you used frozen blueberries, you won’t need to smash them as much because they will naturally break down as they thaw over heat.) After 3 minutes, add the cornstarch mixture and continue to stir for another 2–3 minutes, smashing more berries if needed. The mixture will start to thicken.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool. The mixture is liquid and drippy, but thickens considerably as it cools.
- You can serve the sauce warm before it cools completely if desired, or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Blueberry topping will be thick after refrigeration, so microwave for 15 seconds or warm on the stove to thin out, if desired.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: After the blueberry sauce cools completely, freeze in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3–6 months. Thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator. Warm up in the microwave or on the stove, if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Fork or Whisk | Small Sauce Pan | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula
- Other berries: I recommend my raspberry sauce and strawberry sauce recipes instead.
- Lemon: Lemon brightens the flavor. You need 1 Tablespoon (15ml) of fresh lemon juice.
- Chunks: The consistency is up to you. For fewer blueberry chunks, smash the berries a little more as the sauce cooks. For no blueberry chunks, puree the finished sauce in a blender until you reach your desired consistency.
Can I use less sugar
Hi Leslie, if your blueberries are particularly sweet, you can try reducing the sugar just a slight amount.
I made this today ( I used frozen Blueberrie ) It Came out perfect Thank You for sharing your recipe with us
I use this to top homemade ricotta cheese when I’m looking for a rich and creamy bite. Delicious!
Would arrowroot work in place of cornstarch?
Hi Jordan, we haven’t tested it, but let us know if you give it a try!
Can I substitute lime juice for lemon juice in the blueberry sauce? Blueberriesnneed to be used, and I’m a long ways from the store! Thank you!
Hi Alice! You’ll get a slightly different flavor, but lime juice should work just fine here.
I was wondering if someone could can this sauce. Also, how long would the canned sauce last not being refrigerated.
We haven’t tested canning this blueberry sauce, but let us know if you do!
Hi! I was wondering if I could sub the blueberries for cherries? If so would I have to make any changes to the recipe? Thank you!
We haven’t tested this before, but since cherries release a different amount of liquid than blueberries, it would likely take a little bit of tweaking to get the right consistency. Let us know if you decide to do any experimenting!
Hi! I definitely plan on making this recipe! I I was wondering if I could substitute the blueberries for cherries? Or would I have to make some changes to the recipe? Thank you!
I haven’t yet perfected a homemade cherry sauce recipe, and I fear some changes would have to be made in order for it to thicken just as nicely as this blueberry topping. Let me know if you try the swap, though!
The perfect sauce for your easy cheesecake pie. I made both for Easter and things got real quiet when everyone started eating it. I knew that was a good sign! I loved that it was pourable, but not runny. The whole berries are visually appealing and a great contrast to the creamy pie. Not too sweet (I did add an extra 1 1/2 tsp. of sugar) which allows the blueberries to shine. Yum!
Would this be recipe stand up to being a filling in a layer cake, as long as there’s a considerable frosting border?
Hi Angela, Not as written, no. We haven’t successfully tested a thicker cake filling version of this yet; however, you could try reducing the water and increasing the cornstarch a bit. Or try our raspberry cake filling instead. It could work as a cupcake filling, though! Make sure it’s completely cooled before filling.
Will this sauce work to fill yeasted donuts? I plan on using your raspberry filling which we love, but would like to have some blueberry as well. Thanks for the great recipes!
Hi Nichole, it should work just fine. Wait for it to cool completely before using as a doughnut filling.
Thank you so much for the quick reply. Your recipes are a staple in our home:)
The fact that I came here at the beginning of February to see if I could follow a blueberry recipe from you & I was so distraught that you didn’t have one. I then just went with my heart of what I knew to do to complete the blueberry recipe sauce and to see that I used the same ingredients without knowing, I am beyond proud of myself!
Way to go! How did it taste?
Made the Blueberry Sauce, easy AND delicious!!!
Tried this tonight lovely!
This was so easy to make and is very versatile. It’s not too sweet. I’ve used it mixed with natural kefir, yogurt, and porridge and as a pancake topping. Will also try with French toast and cakes and muffins. I also want to try it with cherries.
Just made to spoon on lemon cheesecake. I used a ” generic” pure vanilla which is coming to the front of taste. I wish I excluded or use a better quality in the future.
This is a great easy recipe. I have been using it to top my overnight oats and now I want to just put it on everything.
I’m sorry that I have to submit this under the wrong recipe but I can’t on the correct recipes. I’m very new to baking so I always have questions. I would love to make your homemade strawberry cake and strawberry buttercream but I haven’t been able to find the correct type of salt you use in all your recipes. I’ve found some sites use kosher salt others use fine sea salt or even table salt. I know using the wrong type can ruin a recipe so I thank you in advance for any help you may be able to give me. Thanks, Amy
Hi Amy! We use regular table salt in all of our recipes unless otherwise noted. Happy baking!
Thank you so much for answering my question so quickly. My strawberry reduction is chilling as I write this. I’m excited to try to make the cake.
Made this to add on top of a slice of lemon drizzle cake. Perfect. It was also delicious on top of Greek yogurt the next morning and by the spoonful! Sally’s recipes never disappoint. Thank you.
Can I substitute strawberries?
Hi Joann, see our strawberry sauce recipe instead.
I loved your banana cookie recipe with the cream cheese frosting and brown sugar! Can’t wait to try these blueberry desserts. You rock!
Made this for angel food cake, puréed it and poured it over cake with fresh berries and whipped cream. Delicious will make again with other berries!
Good, straightforward recipe. I was looking on your site a few weeks ago for a blueberry sauce and didn’t find one. I’m glad you added it to the site. The sauce thickened up nicely.
Oh my!! This one stopped me in my FB scroll and had to see more! This looks amazing!!
This is a wonderful recipe. You can literally use it on anything!
Another great recipe from you, Sally! ❤️
How much is one recipe , large mason jar?
Hi Denise, this yields about 10 ounces volume.
Could you can this recipe?
I have started Keto because of health concerns. Could I substitute Swerve as a sweetener? And could I use something beside cornstarch for the thickener?
Hi Patty Sue, I haven’t tested this with either Swerve or something besides cornstarch. You could try a little more flour as a replacement or use the same amount of potato starch.
Yes, you can sub Swerve but use the powdered version. You can use Xanthum gum to thicken, just not sure how much in this application. The package info may help or look online for this use.
Given the sweetness of the blueberries, can the sugar be omitted?
Hi Linda, I don’t recommend it because the sugar helps the sauce set and thicken.