Raspberry Compote is a sweet and tart berry topping. Follow our easy-to-make recipe and add it to sweet breakfasts and desserts for a fruity twist!

You will love this raspberry compote on everything -- from your bowl of breakfast yogurt to desserts, like cheesecakes, chocolate cake, and vanilla ice cream. Use fresh or frozen raspberries and make a batch to enjoy throughout the week.
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About Raspberry Compote
- Taste - Raspberry compote is sweet, rich, and lightly tart.
- Texture - The compote is syrupy with small chunks of raspberries.
- Effort - This recipe is easy. All you need to do is stir occasionally while the ingredients cook.
- Time - It only takes 15 minutes to cook.
Ingredients
- Raspberries - Raspberries are sweet, juicy, and lightly tart.
- Sugar or honey - Use sugar or honey to add extra sweetness.
- Lemon juice and zest - Lemon juice and zest add brightness and balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Mixed Berry Compote - Combine raspberries with other berries like blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries to create a rich mixed berry compote.
- Sugar - Use a different sugar depending on your preference, such as date sugar, coconut sugar, or a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar. You can also use maple syrup.
- Orange - Use orange juice and orange zest instead of lemon for a sweeter citrus flavor.
- Vanilla - Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for a warm vanilla flavor.
- Smoother or Chunkier Compote - Adjust the cooking time to achieve your desired consistency, from slightly chunky to smoother.
- Mint - Add a few mint leaves when cooking, then remove before serving for a hint of minty flavor.
Instructions
- Cook ingredients - Add raspberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a medium saucepan. Cook on low heat and stir occasionally until the raspberries soften and the liquid becomes syrupy, about 10-15 minutes.
- Cool - Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then transfer to an airtight container or use immediately on top of breakfast dishes, like French toast, waffles, and pancakes or desserts like chocolate cake, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
Pro tip - Keep an eye on the compote to ensure it doesn't overcook. The compote should be cooked down but still have some raspberry chunks.
Storage
This easy fruit compote can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze this raspberry topping in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. When you are ready to enjoy it, just let it thaw.
Top Tips
- Raspberries already have a naturally tart flavor so don't add too much lemon juice. If you find raspberries to be tart, you can substitute the lemon juice for water.
- Don't over stir or the raspberries will break down too quickly.
- If you feel the compote is reducing too quickly, turn down the heat and give it a good stir to release the fruit juices.
- If too much of the liquid has cooked off, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water or lemon juice.
Recipes FAQs
Raspberry compote is a sweet sauce made by cooking down raspberries with sugar until they break down into a delicious textured sauce.
No, while they are similar, raspberry compote is chunky and raspberry sauce is smooth.
Yes, you can adjust the amount of sugar. But keep in mind that sugar not only adds sweetness but also preserves the compote's texture.
While we wouldn't consider this compote recipe healthy due to the sugar, you can make it healthier by using honey or a healthier sugar like coconut or date sugar.
Raspberry compote is a versatile topping. You can add it to sweet breakfast like pancakes, waffles, French toast, or yogurt. You can also enjoy it on desserts like cheesecakes, ice cream, and chocolate cake. Finally, compote is a great filling for pastries and crepes.
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Raspberry Compote
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 3 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook ingredients - Add raspberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a medium saucepan. Cook on low heat and stir occasionally until the raspberries soften and the liquid becomes syrupy, about 10-15 minutes.2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, 3 tablespoon sugar or honey, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Cool - Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to an airtight container or use immediately on top of breakfast dishes, like French toast, waffles, and pancakes or desserts like cake, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate raspberry compote in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze this raspberry topping in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. When you are ready to enjoy it, just let it thaw.
- Keep an eye on the compote to ensure it doesn't overcook.
- Raspberries already have a naturally tart flavor so don't add too much lemon juice. If you find raspberries to be tart, you can substitute the lemon juice for water.
- Don't over stir or the raspberries will break down too quickly.
- If you feel the compote is reducing too quickly, turn down the heat and give it a good stir to release the raspberry juices.
- If too much of the liquid cooks off, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water or lemon juice.
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