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This blueberry compote recipe is simple but absolutely delicious, the best way to use fresh or frozen blueberries. Perfect on pancakes, French toast, biscuits, or simply by the spoonful, we have a jar of this blueberry compote in our fridge at all times – it’s that good (and easy to make!).
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- When I tell you this blueberry compote is good, I don’t just mean it’s good. I mean it’s SO. GOOD. IT’S SO GOOD! I love it SO much. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and fruity and thick and rich. I’m not joking when I tell you we have a jar of this compote in the fridge at. all. times.
- It keeps roughly 7-10 days in the refrigerator if you store it in a jar with an airtight lid! To reheat refrigerated blueberry compote, I find it’s easiest to just pop it in the microwave! You could also freeze the compote instead of refrigerating it. Just let it cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container up to 2 months. When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw completely, then warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- It’s so, so easy to make. Other than a little stirring there’s not a lot you need to do with this recipe.
- Blueberry compote is a fantastic topping for pancakes (whether you like plain pancakes or chocolate chip pancakes) or french toast or waffles or even paleo cereal or oatmeal. You can serve it over cheesecake or vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt, too! Honestly, you’ll want to put this blueberry sauce on basically everything. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Key Ingredients
Blueberries – Summertime is the best time for fresh blueberries! It’s not the only season for blueberry compote, though. Both fresh and frozen blueberries work in this recipe, which means you can have amazing blueberry compote year-round. You could honestly probably use any other berries or fruit in this recipe with no problem. I haven’t tried others yet but if you do, let me know how it turns out!
Sugar – Sugar obviously sweetens everything up a little! Sometimes blueberries are a little more tart than is ideal, but the sugar helps with that so much. It offsets the tart lemon juice, too, so the compote is perfectly balanced. It also helps thicken the compote so you’ve got more of a syrupy topping than a blueberry juice. If you’re trying to avoid plain white sugar, you’re in luck – there are several substitutions you can make! Scroll down to the Notes section of the recipe card for specifics.
Lemon Zest & Juice – Lemon and blueberries complement each other SO well! The lemon juice actually brings out the flavor of the blueberries even more, so you get a really bright, beautiful overall flavor. And, believe it or not, the pectins in lemon juice also help to thicken the compote!
Chef’s Tips
- If you use frozen blueberries, I recommend letting them thaw in a colander so some of the excess moisture can drain out. Too much water will keep your compote from thickening like it should.
- The pectins in the blueberries and lemon juice will thicken the compote a little more as it cools. If your compote is too thin for your liking, you can stir in a little cornstarch to help thicken it up.
- If you’d like to mix up the flavors in your blueberry sauce, try adding a small amount of vanilla extract or a little cinnamon to the saucepan. Using different sweeteners will also change the overall flavor slightly.
More Fruit Recipes You’ll Love
- Keto Lemon Bars
- Banana Pudding Bars
- POG Juice
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- Healthy-ish Apple Nachos
- Tonga Toast French Toast Casserole
- Frozen Yogurt-Covered Grapes
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- Paleo Lime Bars (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
- Strawberry Coconut Butter (Whole30, Paleo, Vegan)
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- Easy Watermelon Juice Recipe (No Juicer!)
- Fresh Peach Crisp
- Crisp Apple Salad with Raisins and Pecans
- How to Freeze Peaches
Blueberry Compote
Equipment
- Heavy 1-quart saucepan
- Large spoon
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar see Notes
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 cups blueberries 10 ounces, fresh or frozen, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In heavy 1-quart saucepan, combine water, sugar, lemon zest, 2 cups blueberries, and lemon juice. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches mostly liquid consistency and blueberries have burst, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add remaining 1 cup blueberries to saucepan. Simmer 6 to 7 minutes, or until mixture has deep violet coloring. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with desired entrées.
- Sugar: You can use ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar in place of the granulated sugar. For a no-added-sugar compote, use ⅓ cup Swerve Granular. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar if it’s too sweet or not sweet enough – you may want to start out with just 2 tablespoons, then taste the compote and add the other 3 tablespoons if needed.
- Make it Paleo: Use ⅓ cup coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup in place of the granulated sugar. If using honey or maple syrup, reduce amount of water to ¼ cup.
- Make it Vegan: This recipe doesn’t call for any non-vegan ingredients, but you’ll want to double check that your specific sugar is vegan. Some brands in the U.S. use bone char in their white sugar.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I would like to make this, but would like to decrease the amount of sugar and leave out the lemon. Does the lemon need added? If so, why?
The pectin from the lemon juice helps thicken the compote, so it would just be thinner if the lemon was left out. For a sugar-free option, you could use ⅓ cup Swerve granular. Be sure to let us know if you try it! 😊