This easy raspberry sauce (raspberry coulis) is made with just three ingredients — fresh or frozen raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. It’s an ideal topping for cheesecake, ice cream, cakes and other desserts.
This quick, 5-minute raspberry sauce is bright, fruity and full of pure raspberry flavor. Raspberries are cooked with sugar and a splash of lemon juice, then the mixture is strained through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds and yield a smooth, vibrant red coulis.
Use this sauce to elevate desserts like cheesecake, sponge cake, chiffon cake, ice cream, panna cotta, waffles, pancakes and more. It pairs especially well with creamy desserts such as raspberry cheesecake.
Because raspberries are naturally tart, a bit of sugar balances the flavor while lemon juice adds bright acidity. Granulated white sugar lets the raspberry flavor shine, but you can substitute another sweetener and adjust sweetness to taste.
Ingredients for Raspberry Sauce
- Raspberries – Fresh or frozen raspberries both work.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar highlights the raspberry flavor; adjust amount or swap sweetener to taste.
- Lemon – Freshly squeezed lemon juice for brightness.
Step-by-Step
- Combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, mashing the raspberries as they heat to release their juices.
- Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity with more sugar or lemon juice as needed.
- Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds, pressing firmly to extract the pulp — this pulp helps thicken the sauce.
- The finished sauce should be thick and silky and can be served warm or chilled. If you prefer a thinner consistency, stir in a teaspoon of water at a time. Remember the sauce will thicken as it cools.
To test consistency, drizzle a small amount on a cool plate and run a spoon through it; you should see a clear trail left by the spoon.
Serve with cheesecake, sponge cake, chiffon cake, roll cake, panna cotta, ice cream, waffles, pancakes, pound cake, angel food cake and other desserts.
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Easy Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz raspberries (fresh or frozen; about 3⅓ cups)
- 4 to 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or more to taste
Instructions
- Heat: Add raspberries, sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a boil while mashing the berries to break them down. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Strain: Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, pressing firmly to extract the pulp that thickens the sauce. If desired, thin with a teaspoon of water at a time; the sauce thickens as it cools.
- Serve: Spoon over cheesecake, cakes, ice cream or other desserts. Serve warm or chilled. Enjoy!
Notes
Makes about 1 cup of raspberry sauce. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Straining: Some recipes suggest pureeing before straining, but skipping that step keeps seeds larger and easier to remove. You may puree first if you prefer, though it can make straining more work.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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Raspberry coulis is a smooth sauce made from pureed or strained raspberries. A compote is cooked fruit served chunky because it is not strained or fully pureed.