Strawberry Compote

A spoonful of our easy, fresh Strawberry Compote upgrades any dessert or breakfast pastry instantaneously. We're talking next-level deliciousness with less than 10 minutes of effort and zero skills required. Not only that, but this recipe works for just about any berry, so once you get it down, the possibilities are endless!

Let's talk flavor for a moment. This jammy goodness boasts fresh, bright, and beautiful strawberry flavor, of course. But, not to worry, we've balanced out the sweetness with the perfect amount of tartness from that lemon zest, and with just a few more simple ingredients, everything comes together beautifully.

Add a scoop of this strawberry magic to the top of your French toast, pancakes, or waffles, hit it with a dollop of whipped cream, and you've got a restaurant-quality breakfast on the table. Strawberry compote is also amazing served on top of ice cream, or used as a layering agent in a trifle or cake.

We are never in short supply when it comes to strawberry deliciousness in this kitchen! Whether we're whipping up a Strawberry Simple Syrup for cocktails or chopping up berries for our fresh Strawberry Cookies, we are all about that berry life. Be sure to pause and soak up more of our strawberry favorites down below!

WHAT IS A FRUIT COMPOTE?

A compote is a fruit condiment very similar to a jam or jelly. It differs from jam and jelly in that the fruit for a compote is often left whole (or in large pieces) and is typically used either immediately or within days of making, rather than being jarred and preserved. 

Often times compotes are slow-cooked or stewed over low heat in order to preserve the structure of the fruit. However, in the case of this strawberry compote, we save on time by enlisting a thickener during the cooking process.

The flavor of a fruit compote can be as complex or simple as you want it to be. They can come flavored with extracts, vinegar, liqueurs, spices, citrusy flavors like orange juice, and more. You can't go wrong with these flavors for a spring dessert! Speaking of Spring, check out our Spring-inspired recipes for more delicious ideas! 

Once you have this simple Strawberry Compote recipe down, feel free to get creative with your flavor pairings and make the recipe your own! If you love this, check out our Fruit Desserts for more winners!

SIMPLE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE INGREDIENTS

• Strawberries | Some compote recipes will allow for using either fresh or frozen strawberries, but we highly, highly recommend going with fresh. Your strawberry compote will have both better texture and flavor with fresh berries.
• Sugar | Granulated sugar is a very necessary component of compote, adding sweetness and helping to create that delectable jelly-like cloak around the pieces of fruit.
• Corn Starch | Corn starch serves as the thickener and helps to quickly develop that jam-like consistency without having to cook the berries down to mush.
• Lemon | We opted for fresh lemon zest over lemon juice to add a burst of brightness to the Strawberry Compote without watering it down.
• Salt | Where there's sugar, there should always be salt. Salt brings out the flavor of everything... including the strawberries in your Strawberry Compote!

ABOUT CORNSTARCH FOR THICKENING

Cornstarch is to cooking as safety pins and rubbing alcohol are to... most other parts of life. Extremely useful for many purposes! Whether you need to make your cookies softer, your breading crispier, or your compote thicker, cornstarch is where it's at.

Similar to other starches, such as rice or oats, this helpful little ingredient works like a ton of tiny sponges. Cornstarch molecules soak up liquid, expanding in the process, and therefore, leaving you with a less liquid-y substance. When it comes to using cornstarch as a thickener, you should know that it has twice the thickening power of flour so don't substitute it at a  1 to 1 ratio, but rather at a 1 to ½.

Many recipes call for you to make a "slurry" (aka a mixture of cornstarch and cold or room temperature liquid) before incorporating it into the rest of the ingredients. Luckily, for our Strawberry Compote, we are adding the cornstarch before heating the mixture so we run little risk of it clumping up.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

The first thing you do to whip up your strawberry compote is to add granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a medium saucepan and whisk to combine.

Then you'll add in the strawberries, water, and lemon zest. Stir and turn the heat to the medium setting. Allow the mixture to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes total, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer.

After the time is up, remove from the heat and allow the strawberry compote to cool completely. The compote will thicken as it cools. Transfer it to a glass jar or container and seal.

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE COMPOTE

Homemade compote can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you'd like to keep your compote beyond this point, freeze it! For more delicious mouth-watering recipes like this one, check out our Desserts!

To freeze compote for later use, transfer it to a snug freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, seal it, and freeze for up to 2 months.

6 STRAWBERRY DESSERTS YOU’LL LOVE

• Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
• Strawberry Scones
• Strawberry Brownies
• Chocolate Covered Strawberries
• Strawberry Cobbler
• Strawberry Jam Cookies

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  Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

• 

  Strawberry Scones

• 

  Strawberry Brownies

• 

  Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Recipe

• 

  Strawberry Cobbler

• 

  Strawberry Butter Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

 

Sources: Bon Appetit, The Spruce Eats, Bob's Red Mill