Blueberry Compote

Deliciously sweet and tangy, my fresh, juicy blueberry compote is made with all-natural, fresh blueberries at their peak sweetness. The perfect topping for your pancakes, waffles, French toast and ice cream, this blueberry compote recipe is a treat swirled into Greek yogurt as well!

When Life Gives You Blueberries, Make Blueberry Compote

Every couple of months or so, my hubby and I get a craving for one of our “pancake nights” where we tag-team and prepare pancakes as well as some of our other breakfast faves for a special Saturday evening dinner.

This has been a tradition in our household for years now, and they're one of our favorite ways to spend a Saturday evening!

In the fall, I'll typically prepare my fluffy apple pancakes, because they're a bit spicy-sweet and a perfect way to use up all the seasonal apples we have around.

But in the more sunny, berry-filled months, when the blueberries are juicy, sweet and plentiful, I like to prepare pancakes with a fresh blueberry compote, served nice and warm, to spoon generously over top.

Blueberry compote is probably our favorite topping when it comes to pancakes, waffles and French toast (I've made it as an accompaniment to my puffy brioche French toast casserole many times), and is so incredibly easy and delicious to make from scratch in your very own kitchen.

There are no artificial ingredients—no coloring, flavoring, or fake sweeteners—in this simple blueberry compote recipe, just all-natural, juicy and delicious ingredients such as blueberries, organic cane sugar, and lemon.

So when your fridge is stocked with those delectable little blueberries, preparing a homemade blueberry compote is a sweet way to go!

My Recipe for Blueberry Compote

One of the super convenient things about preparing a homemade blueberry compote recipe is that you can use either fresh blueberries or frozen ones depending on their availability.

In the warmer months, I love to use fresh berries, because they are perfectly tangy and sweet, plump and juicy.

But in those months when fresh blueberries are harder to find, using good quality organic frozen blueberries will work just fine.

Then, it's just a matter of adding in a few other ingredients and simmering everything together until glossy and thickened.

Here's a sneak peek at my blueberry compote recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I add my washed, fresh blueberries (or frozen ones, if out of season) into a medium-size sauce pan or small pot, stir in the other ingredients, and bring the mixture to the boil.
2. Then, I reduce the heat to low, and allow the mixture to gently simmer for about 10-15 minutes, just until the blueberries begin soften and burst a little, releasing their juice. (You just want them to be slightly soft yet keeping their shape, not completely dissolving.)
3. To finish, I turn off the heat and give the compote a little taste at the end to see if it can benefit from an additional little squeeze of lemon juice.
4. When ready, I either keep the compote warm and use immediately, or allow it to cool, then store it in a container in the fridge for future use.

Recipe

Blueberry Compote

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Brimming with fresh, juicy blueberries, this blueberry compote is perfect for pancakes, waffles, French toast, or spooned over ice cream!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: 2 cups

Nutrition Info: 65 calories (per ¼ cup serving)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ pound (or 20 ounces) fresh organic blueberries, divided use—reserve the ¼ pound (or ¾ cup) to add in after cooking
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup granulated organic cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• Squeeze lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon)

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Add the 1 pound (16 ounces) of blueberries to a medium pot, along with the water, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer or medium boil, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries pop and release their juices, and soften.
3. Remove from heat and give a little taste to see if you need any extra sweetener or lemon juice, then add in the reserved ¼ pound (or ¾ cup) of fresh blueberries and stir those in.
4. Allow the blueberry compote to cool (I expedite the process by using my fridge), allowing the compote to thicken as it cools.
5. Spoon into jars or a covered container, and use as needed, either warm or cold.

Tips & Tidbits for Blueberry Compote recipe:

• Fresh or frozen blueberries: When fresh blueberries are sweet, tangy and in season, I recommend you use those for the best flavor. You can certainly substitute frozen blueberries for convenience sake, or when the berries are not in season.
• Add a little lemon: Blueberries and lemon are best friends, so adding in just a little kiss of lemon zest and juice will brighten things up even more—you'll taste a hint of lemon, but it won't overpower.
• Sweeten things up: I prefer to use organic cane sugar in my blueberry compote because it is neutral in flavor, but you could substitute maple syrup, agave, or honey, whichever you prefer. Just be aware that other sweeteners may likely add some additional flavor.
• How to store homemade blueberry compote: I keep my blueberry compote in a mason jar or covered container in the fridge for up to two weeks, and gently reheat in the microwave or in a small sauce pan for use on pancakes, etc.

Craving more sweet and juicy blueberry recipes? Check out this Blueberry Bread with Streusel Topping, these Blueberry Bars, this Berry Crisp, these Blueberry Scones, of these Blueberry Breakfast Rolls!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!