This Homemade Strawberry Topping is the perfect fruity sauce for summer! I love using it on desserts and breakfasts, or even on snacks like Greek yogurt. The best part? You only need 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes to make it! I love to leave plenty of strawberry chunks in my strawberry topping, but you could totally puree it for a smooth sauce if you prefer.
serve it on:
PB&J Baked Oatmeal
Peanut butter and jelly join forces for breakfast in this convenient and meal prep friendly baked oatmeal with an added kick of protein!
Serving Suggestions
This versatile summer topping is the perfect accompaniment for so many treats! Here are a few ideas:
- Greek yogurt
- Oatmeal or baked oatmeal
- Layered into a parfait or trifle
- French toast, pancakes, or waffles
- Cheesecake or no-bake cheesecake cups
- Ice cream
- Pound cake, angel food cake, biscuits
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this Homemade Strawberry Topping:
- Strawberries – I love using fresh summer strawberries for this recipe so the sauce ends up nice and sweet, with maximum strawberry flavor. Read my note below on frozen strawberries.
- Sugar – Regular old granulated sugar is what we’re looking for here. I’m sure a 1:1 substitute for granulated sugar would work well too.
- Cornstarch – The key to a thicker sauce, cornstarch is whisked with water into a slurry that gets mixed right in with the sliced berries before it comes to a boil. Bringing the sauce to a boil activates it and makes things the perfect consistency. Add more to make it thicker, use less to make it runnier.
- Lemon – A totally optional ingredient, I enjoy a little touch of fresh lemon zest to give this sauce a little acidic zing. If you don’t like lemon or want perfectly pure strawberry flavor in your sauce, skip it.
- Vanilla – Like salt in a savory dish, vanilla tends to enhance the flavors of a sweet recipe.
can I use
Frozen Strawberries?
While you totally can use frozen strawberries, I prefer fresh because they more easily maintain their texture, making for less mushy chunks of strawberries in the sauce. Now, if you don’t want any chunks in your strawberries topping and plan to puree it anyway, frozen strawberries are perfect in this recipe.
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Recipe
Homemade Strawberry Topping
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped, (390 gram yield)
- 5 tbsp granulated sugar, (63 grams)
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 2 1/2 tsp cornstarch, (7 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Add strawberries and sugar to a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Whisk cornstarch into warm water until no lumps remain, then stir into saucepan with strawberries and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla extract and lemon zest. Set aside to cool.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
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