Quick and Easy Blueberry Compote Recipe (2024)

This quick and easy Blueberry Compote with a hint of lemon is the perfect topping to stir into yogurt, drizzle on top of pancakes, or spoon onto ice cream. All you need are a few ingredients and less than 15 minutes to make this delicious blueberry sauce.

Blueberries seem to be available year-round where I live, but as always, they taste the best during peak season around summertime. You can enjoy them fresh or baked into scones, coffee cake, and pies. But they are even more delicious when cooked up into this easy blueberry compote recipe.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• It’s incredibly easy – all you need to do is throw all of the ingredients in a large pot, bring it to a boil, and allow it to thicken and simmer on the stovetop.
• You have full control over the thickness – you can make your recipe for blueberry compote thicker and chunkier, or turn it into more of a blueberry sauce that you can pour over French toast instead of maple syrup.
• Use fresh or frozen berries – both will work. Now, I’m of the mind that fresh is always best, but also understand that you may not have fresh blueberries where you live. In that case, lean on frozen options.
• So delicious – this compote is sweet but not overly so, tart, refreshing, and of course full of concentrated blueberry flavor. It pairs well with a variety of different meals, from blueberry compote for pancakes and yogurt to ice cream and even some savory dishes. It’s so tasty with brie cheese and crackers too.

You really don’t need anything special to make blueberry compote! But it’s important to check that you have the following on hand before getting started.

• A large strainer to wash and drain and berries.
• A medium saucepan to cook the compote.

Ingredients and Substitutions

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips for each ingredient:

1. Fresh Blueberries – The main ingredient of this recipe, but frozen berries will work just as well.

2. Lemon Zest – I like adding this to brighten the overall flavor of my blueberry compote.

3. Lemon Juice – Also added for that bright flavor. It has natural pectin too, which will help thicken your compote.

4. Sugar – I typically don’t use a lot of sugar to sweeten fruit compote — about 2 tablespoons per pound of fresh fruit is usually enough. But, since lemon juice adds a lot of tartness, I increased the amount of sugar in this recipe. I’ll increase it even more if the blueberries are off-season and not very sweet. Just a few things to keep in mind as you learn how to make blueberry compote yourself. You can use granulated sugar, brown sugar or any sugar substitute you choose in this recipe. We use maple syrup when making this blueberry compote for the little ones.

5. Salt – Just a pinch is needed to enhance the flavor.

How to Make Blueberry Compote

The following instructions, step by step photos and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Add all the ingredients to a saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the fruit is softened and the mixture thickens slightly. The compote will continue to thicken as it cools.

More baker’s tips

• If you’re using frozen berries in this recipe for blueberry compote, the cooking time may need to be longer. Frozen varieties release more water and will take longer to reduce and thicken.
• It’s very important not to overcook the berries. Overcooked blueberries will become mushy and lose their bright color. Your goal should be a slightly softened texture with a few of the berries remaining whole. Your cooking time will depend on the amount of blueberries you use, and your specific stovetop!
• You can adjust the sweetness to your taste as you go. As mentioned, I use more sugar than usual in my blueberry compote recipe, but your tastes may be different than mine. Start with a smaller amount and taste as you go. And remember: you can always add more.
• For extra flavor or flavor variations, you can add some cinnamon to the compote or stir in vanilla extract at the end.

Storage

Store your cooled compote in an airtight container (I recommend something glass as the blueberries can stain plastic!) in the fridge. It will keep for up to 14 days.

You can also freeze this blueberry compote recipe for longer storage. When stored correctly in a freezer-safe, airtight container, it will last for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before using to get the best flavor and texture.

FAQs

What to do with blueberry compote

• Use blueberry compote for pancakes, waffles, or French toast
• Add it on top of oatmeal or granola with yogurt
• Drizzle over ice cream
• Top a cheesecake, pound cake, or angel food cake
• Incorporate it into a smoothie or milkshake

More fruit compotes and sauces

• Strawberry Sauce
• Mixed Berry Compote
• Cherry Compote
• Peach Sauce

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📖 Recipe card

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