Warm Berry Sauce poured over cold ice cream is truly one of my favorite desserts. I make this sauce year-round and every time I serve it, it gets raves.
This simple sauce might be the simplest recipe I keep in my dessert recipe notebook. I scribbled it out on a scrap of paper about 15 years ago while I was visiting a friend.
We were dishing up bowls of ice cream and her husband told us to wait a minute.
He combined some frozen fruit and a bit of sugar in a saucepan, simmered a few minutes, and then transformed that basic bowl of ice cream into something much more elegant.
I was speechless (yes, imagine that) over the difference the warm fruit sauce made over that dish of ice cream. Sweet berry flavor turned the easy dessert into a cold creamy bowl of heaven.
My whole family gets excited when I pull berries out of the freezer along with a tub of ice cream. Not only is the flavor delicious, but the contrast of warm and cold temperatures is also divine.
I’m all about simple and hassle-free ways to turn basic treats into something that feels a bit more special and this berry sauce is it. It’s one of my favorite cooking discoveries!
With so many possible combinations of berries and fruits to use in this sauce, I never get bored with it either.
Lest you think this sauce is only good as an ice cream topping, I also poured this over the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake I made last week. From topping cheesecakes to Greek yogurt to mousse cups or pudding, this berry sauce makes everything better.
Fruit Sauce
I’ve made this simple fruit sauce topping countless times over the years, using whichever fruits I happened to have in the freezer at the time. Cherries, strawberries, and blueberries are all perfect in this topping.
I’ve also used raspberries for a slightly tarter version on the berry sauce. A mix of different berries is my favorite combination, the different fruit flavors always combine so well together.
Whatever berries or cherries you have stored away in your freezer is sure to work well in this sauce! It’s so versatile and makes even the simplest desserts something special.Simple Berry SaucePlay Video
Berry Sauce Recipe
Making this berry sauce is so easy it hardly requires a recipe at all. I’ve played with different proportions of sugar and berries and still think the original is just perfect.
This sauce is as easy as combining berries and sugar in a pan. Put frozen berries and a big scoop of granulated sugar in a sauce pan over low heat. Stir the berries occasionally until they soften and everything starts to meld together.
Turn the heat up to medium once the berries are completely thawed and soft. Use a potato masher to mash the berries and stir constantly while the berries simmer, for about 2 minutes.
If you don’t have a potato masher, a sturdy fork or the back of a spoon will work too. Mash the berries until there are no big chunks of berries left.
Serve this sauce warm poured right on top of Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream or Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream. It also makes a great ice cream sundae topping along with crushed nuts and homemade Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream.
Homemade sauce is worlds better than anything you can buy from the store and comes together in just a few minutes.
You can make the berry sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge so it’s ready to go anytime you need it. This sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
Fruit Topping for Cheesecake
Berry sauce is also my secret to turning a plain cheesecake into an elegant treat. Turn your vanilla cheesecake into a blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, or cherry cheesecake just be pouring this sauce on top.
When using the sauce for cheesecake, let it cool to room temperature first. The flavor is phenomenal! Once you have this sauce tucked into the fridge, I highly recommend making a batch of Mixed Berry Ice Cream.
There are no limits to the number of ways you can use this sweet and simple berry sauce. Add some excitement to a Yogurt Parfait, drizzle over Whole Wheat Pancakes or mix into a cup of Vanilla Pudding.
I’m so glad I scribbled down this recipe all those years ago!
Berry Sauce
I’ve never served this simple berry sauce to guests without rave reviews. There is something awesome about the way the warm fruits melt down into the cold ice cream or spreads over a slice of creamy cheesecake. You’ll love this delicious fruit topping!
- Place the frozen fruit and the sugar in a small saucepan. Set the heat to low, stirring occasionally, until the berries have softened. This should take between 5-10 minutes.
- Once the berries are mostly thawed, increase the heat to medium. Mash them with a potato masher and stir constantly while the liquid simmers for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the warm mixture over vanilla ice cream or let cool and then serve with the dessert of your choice. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Get New Recipessent to your inbox!Sign me up!We never share your information with third parties and will protect it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Simple Berry Sauce
5 from 9 votesWarm Berry Sauce poured over cold ice cream is truly one of my favorite desserts. I make this sauce year-round and every time I serve it, it gets raves.SavePinPrintReviewPrep Time: 2 minsCook Time: 8 minsTotal Time: 10 minsCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanServings: 6 servings (about 1/4 cup size)https://f2c06103d18e4046d863f52fa9cfc5a5.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Ingredients
- ▢2 cups frozen berries (I typically use a mixture of cherries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.)
- ▢1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- Place the frozen fruit and the sugar in a small saucepan. Set the heat to low, stirring occasionally, until the berries have softened. This should take between 5-10 minutes.
- Once the berries are mostly thawed, increase the heat to medium. Mash them with a potato masher and stir constantly while the liquid simmers for about 2 minutes.
- Pour the warm mixture over vanilla ice cream or let cool and then serve with the dessert of your choice. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Enjoy!
