Raspberry sauce is the perfect topping for your next cheesecake, stack of pancakes, or bowl of ice cream. Made with a handful of simple ingredients, this sweet and tart raspberry topping is ready in minutes.
Homemade raspberry sauce is easier than you think to make from scratch. All you need are some fresh raspberries, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch.
Sweet, tart, and filled with fresh berry flavor, this sauce only takes about ten minutes to cook on the stovetop. It can be made with fresh, in-season raspberries or frozen raspberries that have been thawed beforehand.
Serve this homemade raspberry sauce with your next dessert, like angel food cake, mini cheesecakes, waffles, pancakes, or drizzled over vanilla frosted cupcakes.
Ingredients and substitutions
For this recipe, you'll need about 12 ounces (340g) of fresh raspberries. Frozen raspberries that have been thawed beforehand will also work.
The amount of granulated sugar needed will vary based on the tartness of your raspberries. I highly suggest preparing your sauce as written, tasting your sauce, and adding more sugar as needed before removing it from the stovetop.
Brown sugar can also be used for a deeper, caramelized flavor.
Straining seeds from your sauce
Raspberries are filled with tiny, hard seeds. Straining those seeds from your sauce will give it a smooth consistency.
To strain your sauce, you'll need a fine mesh strainer, or sieve. Gently pour your cooked sauce into a fine mesh sieve that's been placed over a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir and press your sauce through the sieve.
When you're done, you'll be left with a raspberry paste consisting of mostly seeds. This portion can be discarded. If desired, rinse your sieve and strain your sauce once more to catch any remaining seeds (a few are likely to get through the first time).
Ways to use raspberry sauce
Raspberry sauce is incredibly versatile and can be added to just about any dessert imaginable. Here are a few of my favorite dishes to garnish with raspberry sauce:
- mini cheesecakes
- pancakes
- waffles
- angel food cake
- chocolate cake
- french toast
- lemon mousse
- breakfast smoothie
- overnight oats
- ice cream
- panna cotta
How long does raspberry sauce keep?
Raspberry sauce will keep for up to 7 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze leftover sauce for up to six months (or more) in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container.
Raspberry Sauce for Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (341 g) raspberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, *
- ¼ cup (57 g) water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add raspberries, sugar, water, and cornstarch. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently mash the berries with a spoon as your sauce cooks. Cook sauce for 10-12 minutes, or until raspberries have broken down and sauce looks shiny. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
- Arrange a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour your cooked sauce into the sieve, using a rubber spatula to gently press your sauce through the sieve. You should be left with a paste of mostly seeds - this can be discarded. If desired, rinse sieve and repeat to catch any remaining seeds.
- Sauce can be served warm or chilled over cheesecake, pancakes, ice cream, pound cake, and more.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Fresh raspberries can be substituted with frozen raspberries that have been thawed beforehand. Thawed raspberries and any juices can go into the pan, no need to strain.
- * Depending on the tartness of your raspberries, you may want to add more sugar. Taste your sauce before removing from the heat and add more sugar as desired.
- Sauce will keep for up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 6 months.
I pureed my berries in the blender first and ran them through the strainer directly into my cooking pot and then whisked in the sugar and cornstarch before cooking. It's easier, saves time and a few dirty dishes plus I'm pretty sure it tasets about the same! Delicious!
Used this for a dark chocolate cheesecake I made and it was the perfect addition.
Very good recipe! Added a smidge of lemon juice also.
Used it for my Norwegian waffles! Perfect!
Phenomenally good recipe! I just tailored it a little bit by adding 2½ tbsp of lemon juice to brighten it up a little bit. Best cheesecake topping I've ever had!