5-Ingredient Raspberry Sauce

updated Jul 7, 2022
summer
Post Image
Credit: Kelli Foster

Drizzle this sweet-tart summer raspberry sauce over pancakes, ice cream, and more.

Makes1 1/4 cups

Prep5 minutes

Cook8 minutes to 10 minutes

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Post Image
Credit: Kelli Foster

Culinary surprises can take many forms — an elaborate sprinkle-filled rainbow cake, a simple but incredibly clever ingredient hack, or this five-ingredient sauce. Fresh in-season raspberries (or frozen when their time has passed) and sugar simmer into a sweet-tart sauce that is finished with a pat of butter to give it a rich, ruby-red gloss. It’s a stealthy stunner of a sauce that’s a cinch to make and elevates everything it is spooned over.

Credit: Kelli Foster

How To Serve Raspberry Sauce

While raspberry sauce is delicious straight from the spoon, it is best served as the finishing touch for breakfasts and desserts.

What Is the Difference Between Raspberry Sauce and Coulis?

Raspberry sauce and coulis are variations on the same sauce. Both start by simmering fresh (or frozen) raspberries and sugar until the fruit is broken down.

  • To complete the coulis, the fruit is blended and strained into a silky, seed-free sauce.
  • Raspberry sauce retains some of the texture and seeds from the fruit. Plus the sauce is thickened with a cornstarch slurry and finished with a knob of butter.

For a raspberry sauce with the perfect texture (and not too many seeds), add the raspberries in two stages. Begin by simmering 2 cups of raspberries with sugar, water, and kosher salt in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the berries are broken down. Strain this mixture to remove the pulp and the seeds, then return the smooth, sweetened sauce to the pan. Add the reserved raspberries, cornstarch-lemon juice slurry, and butter to the pan and cook until the sauce is glossy and the berries have broken down.

Raspberry Sauce Recipe

Drizzle this sweet-tart summer raspberry sauce over pancakes, ice cream, and more.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 8 minutes to 10 minutes

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces

    fresh or frozen raspberries (do not thaw, about 3 cups), divided

  • 1/4 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup

    water

  • 1/8 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/2

    medium lemon

  • 1 teaspoon

    cornstarch

  • 1 tablespoon

    unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Place 8 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries (about 2 cups), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain and simmer until the berries are broken down, the sugar is dissolved, and the mixture is foamy and pink, 5 to 7 minutes.

  2. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heat-proof bowl or large measuring cup. Press with a rubber spatula to extract as much of the pulp and juice as possible, making sure to scrape the pulp and juice that collects on the underside of the strainer. Discard the seeds and solids. Return the raspberry sauce to the saucepan.

  3. Juice 1/2 medium lemon into a small bowl until you have 1 tablespoon. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and stir to dissolve.

  4. Add the cornstarch mixture, remaining 4 ounces raspberries (1 cup), and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the sauce. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter melts, the raspberries break down slightly, and the sauce is glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Raspberry sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.