Make this 3-INGREDIENT strawberry compote in minutes! It’s delicious for topping waffles, ice cream, cheesecake and more. Use fresh or frozen strawberries!
You also might like these recipes for raspberry compote, blueberry compote and apple compote. Check out this full post on how to make fruit compote!
Strawberry compote is bright and fruity, with big chunks of fresh strawberries and just the right amount of sweetness. Use it on anything from cheesecake to ice cream!
It’s made from simple ingredients and is truly such an easy recipe!
You can even give this compote as a gift and really wow your friends and family. (No one has to know it only took 10 minutes to make!)
Why I Love This Recipe
- 3-Ingredient recipe – You only need strawberries, sugar, and optional sweetener to make this EASY compote.
- Use fresh or frozen strawberries – No fresh strawberries on hand? No problem! Frozen strawberries work great, too.
- Delicious topping for so many treats! – Add strawberry compote to waffles, ice cream, pancakes, and more!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
Since this homemade strawberry compote recipe is based on natural strawberry flavor, you only need two ingredients to make this delicious fruit compote!
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are the base of this compote. The sweeter and more ripe your berries are, the better your compote will be!
- Sugar: You can swap white sugar for honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar, if you’d like. For a low-sugar option, skip the added sweetener altogether.
Optional: Add a tablespoon or so of lemon juice for tartness!
How to Make Strawberry Compote
Combine strawberries and sugar. Place the strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Stir the strawberries to coat them in sugar and gently mash the strawberries, just until they begin to release a bit of liquid.
Thicken compote. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook the berries for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, or until the compote is your desired thickness.
Let cool. Allow the compote to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
Storage Instructions
This compote can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Compote Variations
- Sweetener: Don’t want to use refined sugar? No problem. Maple syrup, honey, or agave will also work. You can also use less sugar, coconut sugar, or no sugar at all!
- Frozen berries: To swap the fresh strawberries for frozen, use the same directions as above, but cook the mixture for closer to 10 minutes for the best end result. No need to thaw the strawberries!
- Other additions: Want to add a bit of freshness and acidity? Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest, and 2 tablespoons of lemon or orange juice in Step 1.
What to Serve with Compote
My favorite way to serve this compote is over angel food cake or pound cake, with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
Here are some of my other favorite combinations:
- Vanilla ice cream (Or a banana split)
- Cheesecake (Our favorite gluten-free cheesecake)
- French toast
- Pancakes (Try these banana oat pancakes)
- Cake filling
- Waffles (We love these oat flour waffles)
- Toast
- Chia pudding
- Yogurt parfait
- Fruit crisp
- Crepes (Try these gluten-free crepes)
- German pancakes
- Cobbler
- Fruit pie
You might also like this raspberry coulis recipe, which serves as a great fruit topping for any of these dishes!
Recipe Tips
- Thickening the compote: Make a thicker compote by mixing a tablespoon of corn starch with 1.5 tablespoons of cold water. Add the slurry into the compote mixture as it’s bubbling. This thicker compote is great for fruit pies and cobbler! (Keep in mind, any compote will thicken as it cools.)
- Other fruit compotes: This recipe can also be used to make other types of fruit compote, including blueberry, apple, or raspberry! Simply swap the fruit for the same ratio of another seasonal fruit.
- Smoother compote: If you want a smoother texture, use a potato masher to break up the fruit as it’s cooking.
- Serving temperature: Fruit compote can be served warm or cold—it just depends on your preference!
More Fruit Compote Recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try this compote, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Strawberry Compote (3 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries hulled and halved
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional for tartness
Instructions
- Place the strawberries, sugar (and lemon juice if using) in a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat.
- Stir the strawberries to coat them in sugar and gently mash the strawberries, just until they begin to release a bit of liquid.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook the berries for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, or until the compote is your desired thickness.
- Allow the compote to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
Notes
- Thickening the compote: Make a thicker compote by mixing a tablespoon of corn starch with 1.5 tablespoons of cold water. Add the slurry into the compote mixture as it’s bubbling. This thicker compote is great for fruit pies and cobbler! (Keep in mind, any compote will thicken as it cools.)
- Smoother compote: If you want a smoother texture, use a potato masher to break up the fruit as it’s cooking.
- Serving temperature: Fruit compote can be served warm or cold—it just depends on your preference!
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
Strawberry fresh fruit compote is an easy recipe made from fresh strawberries that are cooked down and sweetened with sugar. Lemon juice, lemon zest, or orange juice can also be added for another layer of flavor.
When stored in air airtight container in the fridge, most compotes last for up to 7 days.
Compote and jam are similar, but not the same. Compote is made from large pieces of fruit and has a chunky consistency, while jam has a smoother texture. Compote is thickened from natural pectin in the fruit, and most jam is thickened using additional pectin.
It’s delicious! Used it as topping for waffles and ice cream and it was perfect! I also used frozen strawberries and it was a success.
Oh my goodness, this was incredible. We had it over french toast and will have to have it for all of our french toast mornings now!
This is an amazing recipe! I made it to top my cheesecake and it was perfect. Super simple and easy to make.
Made this to go on cheesecake and it was perfect the addition! The perfect balance of sweetness added to it.
My kids love to load their waffles or french toast with this compote! It’s so delicious & easy to make, so I always try to have some on hand. It adds so much yumminess to whatever you put it on.