Make this easy raspberry sauce recipe two ways: chunky or smooth! It’s great on just about anything: cakes, ice cream, oatmeal or pancakes.

Raspberry compote

Want the best sauce to top cakes, pancakes and oatmeal? Try this easy Raspberry Sauce! It’s is bursting with pink berry flavor, sweetened gently with pure maple syrup. All you need is 15 minutes to whip it up! We made this originally for our flourless chocolate cake, but it has endless uses: it works just as well for oatmeal or yogurt as for cakes and cheesecake. You can make it two ways based on your preference: chunky or smooth!

3 ingredients for this raspberry sauce recipe

This raspberry sauce requires just a few ingredients, making it perfect for whipping up as a dessert or quick breakfast topping. Here’s what you’ll need on hand:

  • Raspberries: You can use fresh or frozen raspberries! This makes it easy to make in any season: it works as a summer dessert with pound cake or a winter dessert with chocolate cake.
  • Maple syrup (or granulated sugar): Use pure maple syrup: it adds a nuanced, gentle sweetness and makes this a refined sugar free recipe. Don’t have maple? That’s ok: use sugar instead! It’s perhaps even better.
  • Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds another dimension to this sauce.
Raspberry sauce
Make this raspberry sauce two ways: chunky or smooth

Add a splash of liqueur to step it up

There are only 3 ingredients required for this raspberry sauce…but you can ramp up the flavors with a splash of liqueur! Just 1 tablespoon adds another dimension that makes this fruit sauce even more irresistible. Here’s what we recommend:

  • Cointreau: This orange liqueur is a staple in cocktails, like the margarita. We had it on hand and added a splash.
  • Grand Marnier or triple sec: Substitute any other orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or triple sec.
  • Rum: Don’t have orange liqueur? Add rum instead! White, golden or dark rum works.

Serve it 2 ways: chunky or smooth!

You may want a chunky raspberry sauce or a smooth one, depending on what you’re making. This recipe works for either one! Here’s what to know:

  • Chunky sauce: This sauce contains all the raspberry seeds, so there’s lots of texture. It’s great for spooning over desserts, pancakes, and oatmeal. We like it best this way: and it’s the easiest method.
  • Smooth sauce: All you have to do is pass the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to get a smooth sauce! This way works well for drizzling onto cheesecake, and then you can add more fresh raspberries on top. Speaking of…
Flourless Chocolate Cake

Raspberry sauce for cheesecake, oatmeal, yogurt, & more!

There are so many uses for this raspberry sauce: it’s almost endless! The nice thing about this recipe is that it’s just sweet enough so it works just as well for cheesecake as with Greek yogurt. Here’s what we’d recommend:

  1. Cheesecake: This raspberry sauce is ideal for cheesecake! Try it on this Crustless Cheesecake.
  2. Mug cake: Try it on a 5 minute Vanilla Mug Cake!
  3. Chocolate cake: Use it on your favorite recipe! Ours is this Flourless Chocolate Cake.
  4. Angel food cake: It’s absolutely perfect in summer on angel food cake. Try our Angel Food Cupcakes.
  5. Pound cake: Another great summertime dessert.
  6. Brownie sundae: Why not serve brownies topped with ice cream and raspberry sauce?
  7. Vanilla Ice Cream: Drizzle the smooth or chunky version on ice cream for an easy dessert.
  8. Oatmeal: Swirl it into our favorite basic oatmeal with almond butter, prepare to be amazed.
  9. Yogurt: Swirl it into yogurt as a breakfast bowl, then top with toasted pecans.
  10. Pancakes: Use them to top a stack! Try banana oatmeal pancakes, peanut butter pancakes, or Greek yogurt pancakes.
  11. Waffles: Fire up your waffle iron: try our Fluffy Gluten Free Waffles or Cornbread Waffles.
Raspberry sauce

More raspberry recipes

Love this beautifully tart berry? Raspberries are one of our top treats: and of course, we love them by the handful! But if you’re looking for more inspiration, here are a few of our top raspberry recipes:

More great recipes with berries? Try 15 Best Strawberry Recipes or 12 Best Blueberry Recipes.

This raspberry sauce recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Raspberry sauce

Raspberry Sauce (That Goes on Anything!)


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 0 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: About ¾ cup 1x

Description

Make this easy raspberry sauce recipe two ways: chunky or smooth! It’s great on just about anything: cakes, ice cream, oatmeal or pancakes.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup or granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon Cointreau or other orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or triple sec (optional)
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  1. Place the raspberries, maple syrup, vanilla, Cointreau, and water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat. When it starts to bubble rapidly, stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until thickened and the fruit breaks down.
  2. Reduce the heat until raspberries bubble at a low simmer. Cook 10 to 12 minutes until thickened and the berries break down. For a smooth sauce, pass it through a fine mesh strainer using a spatula to strain out the seeds. Serve warm or refrigerate until serving (store refrigerated for up to 1 week).
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Raspberry sauce

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

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