This Homemade Strawberry Sauce is the perfect strawberry topping for cheesecake, pancakes, angel food cake, ice cream, and more! You only need 4 ingredients and about 20 minutes to make it.

Consider doubling the recipe, because you’ll want to put it on everything, especially spooned over cheesecake or as filling for homemade crepes!

Beautiful Glossy Strawberry Topping

A few spoonfuls of this glossy strawberry sauce will make a plain looking dessert pop and a boring breakfast feel like fine dining. And yet it’s so easy to make with only a few ingredients. Having this strawberry topping recipe in your back pocket is great for Sunday brunch, entertaining, or when you simply want to doll up that bowl of vanilla ice cream any old time.

Strawberry Sauce Recipe

You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this strawberry topping and it tastes like a million dollars.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

• Strawberries: Fresh or frozen strawberries can be used. (See notes below.)
• Granulated sugar: Just enough to sweeten the sauce, but won’t mask the natural strawberry flavor.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice balances the sweetness and lends brightness to the strawberry flavor, but doesn’t make the sauce taste lemony.
• Vanilla extract: A little vanilla adds richness and takes the sauce to another level.

How to Make Strawberry Sauce

Making homemade strawberry sauce is super easy. Grab your ingredients, a pot, a wooden spoon, and you’re good to go. Here’s a summary of what to do:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details.)

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, breaking up some of the strawberries.
2. Gently simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Mash until desired consistency is reached.
5. Cool to room temperature. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Fresh or frozen strawberries: Fresh fruit will provide the best flavor and glossy appearance, but frozen strawberries can be used. If using frozen berries, do not thaw. Thawed berries will release unwanted liquid and water down the sauce. You might need to increase the simmer time, since frozen berries will be larger pieces.
• Sauce consistency: This strawberry sauce recipe is on the smoother side, but still with pieces of strawberry for wonderful texture. If you want it chunkier, leave the strawberry pieces bigger before adding them to the saucepan and also don’t mash them as much as the sauce simmers. Alternatively, if you want a completely smooth sauce like our Raspberry Sauce, transfer the mixture to a blender after it’s done cooking.
• How to thicken strawberry sauce: If you want this sauce even thicker, you can whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons warm water and then add that mixture into the saucepan with the other ingredients.
• Use other berries: You can replace the strawberries with other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. No other changes to the recipe are needed.

Proper Storage

Make ahead: You can make this sauce up to 3 days in advance of using.
To store: Store in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind sauce will thicken up slightly as it cools and even more with refrigeration. To loosen it back up again, you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds until its consistency is pour-able.
To freeze: Allow sauce to cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe, airtight jar and store in the freezer. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm up in the microwave or on the stovetop, if desired.

So Many Uses For Strawberry Topping

Strawberry sauce is a match made in Heaven for so many things. Some of our favorites to pair it with include:

• Cheesecake, Angel food cake, or Pavlova
• A filling for Homemade Crepes
• Perfect with a slice of Pound Cake and Homemade Whipped Cream
• As a breakfast topping for Ricotta Pancakes, waffles, French toast, Overnight Oats, and yogurt
• Drizzled over Strawberry Ice Cream
• Layer in a Chocolate Trifle
• Serve with Strawberry Cake
• Right off a spoon into your mouth! It’s downright irresistible.

Other Dessert Toppings:

• Caramel Sauce
• Chocolate Sauce
• Magic Shell
• Raspberry Sauce
• Lemon Curd

More Strawberry Recipes:

• Strawberry Smoothie
• Easy Strawberry Pie
• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Tender Strawberry Scones
• Strawberry Butter

I hope you love this delicious and simple recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!