22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook!

Berry Sauce

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Quick and easy to make, this mixed berry sauce is delicious spooned over cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, pancakes, or waffles.

Slice of Cheesecake on a plate.

Quick and easy to make, this mixed berry sauce is delicious spooned over cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, pancakes, or waffles. Thickened only with puréed fruit (and not cornstarch like many dessert fruit sauces), it has an intense and pure berry flavor. I like to reserve some of the whole fruit to mix in with the puréed berries before serving, but you can also serve those reserved berries on the side, if you like.

What you’ll need to make berry sauce

Sugar, lemon, and bowl of berries on a counter.

How to make berry sauce

Combine all of the berries in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Spoon about 2/3 of the mixed berries into a medium saucepan (transfer the remaining berries to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve).

Berries and sugar in a saucepan.

Add the lemon juice and sugar to the berries in the sauce pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook until the fruit is syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Berry, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan.

Transfer the hot berry mixture to a blender.

Berry mixture in a blender.

Purée until smooth.

Blended berries in a blender.

Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the sauce into the strainer and use the back of a soup ladle and circular motions to force the sauce through the strainer and into the bowl.

Spoon pushing a berry mixture through a sieve.

Discard the seeds that remain in the strainer. Refrigerate the berry sauce until cold. Before serving, add the reserved berries to the sauce and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Berries in a bowl with berry sauce.

You may also like:

Berry Sauce

Quick and easy to make, this mixed berry sauce is delicious spooned over cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, pancakes, or waffles.

Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes, plus time cool

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
  • 6 oz (1 dry half pint) fresh raspberries
  • 6 oz (1 dry half pint) fresh blueberries
  • 6 oz (1 dry half pint) fresh blackberries
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
  • ¾ cup sugar

Instructions

  1. Combine all of the berries in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Spoon about ⅔ of the mixed berries into a medium saucepan; transfer the remaining berries to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Add the lemon juice and sugar to the berries in the sauce pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and cook until the fruit is syrupy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer the hot berry mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour the sauce into the strainer and use the back of a soup ladle and circular motions to force the sauce through the strainer and into the bowl. Discard the seeds that remain in the strainer. Refrigerate the berry sauce until cold or ready to serve.
  4. Before serving, add the reserved berries to the sauce and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
  5. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The sauce can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (10 servings)
  • Calories: 98
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Saturated fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25 g
  • Sugar: 21 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Sodium: 1 mg
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • this looks delicious ! I am having company and we are having lasagna . Do you think your cheesecake with the berries is too much for dessert?

    • — char on December 8, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Char, I think it will be an indulgent meal, but no, I don’t think it’s too much. Hope you enjoy the cheesecake/berries if you make it!

      • — Jenn on December 9, 2022
      • Reply
  • OMG, this is the best sauce I’ve ever made/tasted. Very easy to make.. and it looks so beautiful!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!!

    • — Luana Silva on December 2, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn Can I make or use this sauce for filling a cake?

    • — Fanny on August 1, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Fanny, Unfortunately, I don’t think that will work — it would be too liquidy and make the cake soggy. Sorry!

      • — Jenn on August 2, 2022
      • Reply
  • It smelled like heavens😍😇

    • — Up on April 17, 2022
    • Reply
  • Wow. My first ever cheesecake. I am a Chef, don’t confuse me with baker, that I am not… I sweat the whole time making it but… WOW! Flavor, texture and presentation were amazing. Thank you for the detailed directions. I will share this recipe and keep it for future use!

    • — Caroline on April 11, 2022
    • Reply
  • I made this sauce to go with Jenn’s New York Cheesecake. It is the perfect topping. I used all fresh berries. I did strain the sauce as directed. When I saw the amount of seeds in the strainer, I was very glad that I did do that. I added one and a half teaspoons of Framboise, just because I like it with anything with raspberries.
    This sauce is spectacular and the color is lucious. This is a must with the cheesecake. Simply a feast for the eyes and the palate!

  • I use either Chambord (a raspberry and blackberry liqueur) or Pacific Rim framboise (raspberry liquere) to add another level to the flavor. I also whisk lemon juice and cornstarch to thicken berry sauce and use less sugar.

  • I tried your recipe and tweaked it a bit because I only had frozen blueberries and strawberries. However, the blended product was fantastic! I would reduce the sugar marginally. For the fresh berries, only blueberries, I tossed them with Blue Caraco along with the lemon and sugar. Nice flavour profile when put with a homemade shortcake. Thank you!

    • — LAURALEE JAZEY
    • Reply
  • As always, a straightforward and detailed recipe with great results. Thank you!

  • Hello @onceuponachef. Wow! Made your delicious cheesecake yesterday. Your directions are spot on and it was by far the best cheesecake I’ve ever made.

    Thank you!
    Kelly

  • Just made today for my cheesecake. Super easy to make and isn’t overly sweet. I left out blueberries and used only strawberries, raspberries and blackberries it has a great taste.

  • This looks great. How much sauce does the recipe make?

    • I’d guesstimate it would make about 4 cups.

  • I made this to go with the NY cheesecake (which was SO delicious; it got rave reviews!). I followed the recipe loosely, in that I used sugar and lemon juice to taste, but used only strawberries and blueberries. Once it had boiled, I then took my immersion blender to it, leaving some of the fruit intact. So even though I didn’t make it exactly, it was a great inspiration, and the sauce was a huge hit!

  • Perfect over angel food cake

  • Another great recipe! I did not bother to strain the sauce. And I did reduce the sugar to a scant 1/2 cup. But the sauce was delicious and a big hit!

  • How would you use frozen berries to account for the extra liquid from thawing?
    Thanks for any help.

    • Hi Denise, I would thaw them first and drain off any excess liquid. Hope that helps!

    • I had fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. My blueberries were frozen. I decided to use them only in the sauce (with the other berries). Fresh berries for serving. Worked great! I made cheesecake squares for our Christmas family celebration. Easier to serve small portions. Loved the fruit with them.

      • — Carmen Edwards on December 18, 2022
      • Reply
  • Quite simply the best cheese cake I’ve ever made. So easy and such clear informative instructions. Thanks so much for posting. I swear I litterally licked the mixing bowl. Haha

  • I made this sauce to go with Jenn’s NY cheesecake and I’m so glad I tried it! It’s not only beautiful, but has a great combination of syrupy sauce and some whole berries. I like that it wasn’t too sweet and complemented the cheesecake so well. I used one pound of fresh strawberries and discovered (since it it winter) a wonderful (Simple Truth organic) bag of frozen whole raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and I simply weighed out 18 oz to add to the sliced strawberries. Couldn’t have been easier to make and I can imagine it would be delicious over shortcake or pancakes. Thank you Jenn for creating another amazing recipe!! Forever grateful.

  • Very good berry sauce. I did add some Caribbean Rum to mine. I also had an explosion when I put to much sauce in my blender and the lid popped up. Sauce went everywhere.

  • Followed the recipe to a tee other than using frozen rather than fresh berries as it is the winter months. Make sure you thaw the berries if they are frozen to prevent extra liquid ending up in your sauce. I served this over a flourless chocolate cake for a family member’s birthday and they loved it! This would be a great sauce to make for any dessert, any time of the year

  • I used this recipe when teaching my oldest to make panna cotta. Super simple and delicious.

    If you’re looking for something more rustic or a bit quicker, you can skip straining and blending and mash the berries in the saucepan, making more of a compote. Same ingredients and ratios apply.

  • Fabulous topping for a plain cheesecake or pancakes….
    And I didn’t even strain it.

    • Absolutely as easy and delicious as advertised. I used the fruit suggested (I couldn’t believe my local supermarket actually carried them on the day I wanted them – that never happens) and it was a big hit. Thanks.

  • Hi Jenn. I made your cheesecake bars the other day, and they were excellent! I’m going to make them again and try this berry sauce. I’m planning on using frozen fruit. I’m assuming I should defrost first. How many cups of frozen fruit would you suggest I use? Thank you 🙂

    • Glad you liked the cheesecake bars! Frozen fruit is fine and, yes, I would thaw them first and drain off any excess liquid. I think you’ll need about 8 cups of frozen berries. Please LMK how it turns out!

  • The sauce was delicious. I couldn’t get strawberries but it made no difference. I cut back the sugar to a light half cup and added a healthy dollop of Grand Marnier.

  • So refreshing! Served this on top of ice cream and cheesecake and everyone went crazy over it. We even stole bites straight out of the bowl.

  • I haven’t made this yet but am about to get the ingredients. I was wondering if anyone made it with Stevia. Thank you.

  • Perfect perfect prefect!!!!!!! This was easy and delicious and I must say I’m also stunned by how BEAUTIFUL it is! Definitely a keeper.

  • I have made this sauce 4 or 5 times now and it is now my go-to berry sauce recipe! I’ve used it to accompany ice cream, chocolate cake and angel food cake and it is really just the perfect berry sauce recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!

  • Hi
    I’ve used your cheesecake recipe now for the fourth time but wanted to try this to elevate the cake for my brother’s special visit.
    I even bought blackberries, which I never do! I used 300g frozen raspberries, among with fresh raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries for the sauce. It all went well and tasted so fantastic. I can’t imagine cheesecake without this sauce now!
    Wonderful!

  • Hello!
    I have a request from a friend for a Blueberry NY cheesecake for their birthday this coming weekend, I always use your recipe, but have never tried to make this sauce. Is it possible to replace all other berries for just blueberries and have a similar result?
    Thanks in advance!

    • Sure, Kait, that should work. Hope your friend enjoys!

  • Fantastisches Rezept!

  • I had some old berries in fridge that I used to turn into this heavenly sauce. I made before Shavuot and used it to top your cheesecake as well as blintzes and Brie cheese on my cheese plate. It just took everything to the next level. I used less sugar and didn’t even add in the whole berries and it was still amazing.

    • Diana, how do you know how much less sugar to use? (Not a cook.)

  • Made this today as a topping for my instant pot cheesecake (first attempt at a cheesecake, ever) and it was perfect. It complemented my cheesecake perfectly. This recipe is a keeper.

  • So deliciously fresh and stunning on the cheesecake! I used strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries so the colour was beautiful. Straining the sauce ensured a smooth texture. I wanted to freeze the leftovers but my son requested waffles & pancakes to have more!!!

  • Yum. Just made the sauce to top a cheesecake for a get-together this afternoon. It’s delicious! (Although I used what I had—cherries, strawberries blueberries). It’s going to be difficult to keep from spooning out tastes until then!

  • Thank you once again-great recipe Jenn. Served it over cheese blintzes & my husband thought it was great! 😋

  • I made this sauce as a cheesecake topping for a birthday party, and it was SO delicious!!! It was easy to make and the texture and the flavor were just perfect – everyone LOVED it! Thank you so much.

  • Hey, would it be OK if I used frozen strawberries for the puree and fresh ones to add to the puree?

    • Sure, Zach, that should work. Hope you enjoy!

  • This was lovely for Xmas breakfast on pancakes with marscapone and a dollop of melted dark chocolate. Thanks Jenn for another great recipe!

  • I made this berry sauce for an event at my church for 180 people. I used it as a topping for cheesecake I purchased at Sam’s. Needless to say it took the cheesecake to a whole other level. There were great reviews and even the caterer asked me for the recipe. There was berries galore all over my kitchen. But seriously, thank you for this awesome recipe.

  • Is it ok to freeze this sauce if the 1/3 portion of berries, that you fold into the cooked sauce, is made up of frozen (now thawed) fruit along with the fresh? I always thought that you aren’t supposed to refreeze thawed fruits/vegetables (unless you then processed them).

    • Hi Lee Ann, I’m not 100% sure as I’ve never done that, but I think it should work. 🙂

  • At the start of the recipe you say combine the all of the berries. (Please fix you are giving me ocd)

    • LOL – just fixed it – thanks for pointing that out!

  • This has to be one of the most delicious berry sauces I’ve ever had. Made it today as written to go over cheesecake. Everybody raved about it. It’s perfectly balanced, not too sweet and not too tart.

  • We had friends visiting from out of town and I made this recipe for a New York Cheesecake. I have NEVER received more compliments than I did for this recipe! It will be my go-to recipe anytime I need a delicious fruit topping for anything. So happy that the fruit sauce thickened without adding Corn Starch. Thanks for this amazing recipe!

  • I want to make this sauce with dark cherries. They are frozen – Should I follow the same instructions just sub the frozen cherries.

    Thanks

    • Yep – that should be fine – hope you enjoy!

  • Just made it tonight. Yum.
    The filling was enough for 2×9” pre-made graham cracker crusts. Baked 1hr-15 in a gas oven.
    I did have cracking in 1 pie and thought I over mixed based on the bubbles I saw when I poured the filling in.
    Result was fantastic in taste and texture.
    Made berry sauce with frozen berries and maple syrup.
    Thanks, your recipes are winners. Photo presentation is helpful.

  • I made this to serve with a homemade cheesecake. I didn’t include the blackberries, but it was still delicious and was a big hit at our holiday gathering! Printing and keeping this one. It is so much better than using fruit pie filling. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  • I made this to top a vanilla Panna Cotta I made. So easy and the consistency and sweetness was perfect! I like that it is thickened only with fruit.

  • Hi Jenn
    Can you tell me how long the sauce will keep or can I freeze it? It would be really good to keep and serve hot over ice cream I think. Love your recipes.
    Thanks so much.
    Jacqui

    • — Jacqui Posener
    • Reply
    • Hi Jacqui, Glad you like the recipes! I think this will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge and that it would freeze nicely.

  • Hi Jenn,

    I very much want to make this to serve on top of your NY cheesecake when I visit my parents in Israel in 4 weeks. However given that I wont be able to find fresh berries there at this time of year, anyway I could get away with using frozen berries ? I do worry about compromising the flavor of the sauce and, by extension, the cheesecake so if you don’t recommend this sub could you recommend another type of topping for the cake ?

    Thank you so much 🙂

    • Hi Malak, Frozen berries will definitely work!

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.