Quick & Easy Blueberry Compote Recipe
This quick and easy blueberry compote recipe is the upgrade you didn’t know you needed! Want to take your meals and treats to the next level? With just three simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes on the stove, you’ll get a thick, jammy, and flavor-packed topping that makes everything better!
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Unlike plain fresh blueberries, this compote brings out a more concentrated blueberry flavor, a luscious syrupy texture, and a longer shelf life—so you can enjoy it for days! Spoon it on top of pancakes or a slice of plain cheesecake, swirl it into yogurt, or even shake it into cocktails. However you use it, this easy recipe will be your go-to for adding a burst of sweet, fruity goodness to just about anything!
This blueberry compote is perfect for spring and summer when there tends to be an abundance of blueberries at every turn but the best part is that you can use fresh or frozen blueberries. So you can whip this up no matter the time of year even if it’s not blueberry season! Whether you’re hosting brunch or just want to jazz up your everyday eats & treats, this homemade blueberry compote recipe is a total game-changer!
Key Ingredients
Blueberries. Both fresh berries and frozen will work for this recipe.
Lemon zest. Adds a bright element to contrast the sweetness in the blueberry compote.
Sugar. Not only does it add sweetness but it helps to draw moisture out of the blueberries to help the compote gel during cooking. The reduced moisture also extends the shelf life since there is less moisture available to bacteria.
I use white sugar but you can use maple or brown sugar if you prefer!
Why use a blueberry compote over plain fresh blueberries?
Using a blueberry compote over plain blueberries has multiple advantages which make it preferred over fresh blueberries.
- The reduced moisture. As the blueberries are heated, the strength of the cell walls decreases and this causes the fruit to become soft and leech moisture. A lot of this moisture evaporates while the compote is being reduced giving a rich syrup.
- This compote exposes the flesh of the fruit. The higher pressure and heat used when making a fruit compote cause the blueberries to burst. This exposes the flesh drawing out moisture and exposing more of the natural pectin. This makes the compote and any whole blueberries more like jammy bursts with a more desirable texture in my opinion.
- More concentrated blueberry flavor. The reduction process concentrates everything about the ingredients. Use less volume and moisture to pack in more flavor!
- Longer shelf-life compared to fresh blueberries. Many pathogens (disease-causing organisms) are destroyed during heating plus reducing the blueberries increases the concentration of the sugar which helps to inhibit microbial growth.
How to use this Blueberry Compote Recipe
- As the perfect topping on your favorite breakfast foods like french toast, pancakes and buttermilk biscuits and even on cupcakes! My favorite way is layering it top of this lemon blueberry crumb cheesecake for an extra layer of flavor. Another classic is to spoon it on top of some vanilla ice cream!
- Folded in to batters. I prefer to make a compote when using fruit in baking since it gives a “jammy” texture. When using plain fruit in batters the final product can sometimes be soggy.
- In cocktails and drinks. The blueberry compote is essentially a syrup with whole blueberries incorporated. It’s the perfect addition to muddled and smashed fruity cocktails like juleps, big batch drinks like sangrias and non-alcoholic beverages like lemonades!
- As cake filling or filling for other pastries. The reduced water content of the compote makes it the perfect filling for anything encased in a dough like beignets, pies & turnovers.
- Layered in cakes & trifles
- Layered with greek yogurt or chia pudding parfaits!
Making the Best Blueberry Compote
Making a blueberry compote is super simple and easily finished in less than 10 minutes and 3 steps!
Step 1. Start by adding all the blueberries, sugar and lemon zest to a medium saucepan and stir to evenly incorporate. Make sure you remove any stems & leaves from your fruit.
Avoid a small saucepan for this recipe and be sure to pick a saucepan or a pot that has capacity for at least triple the volume. While the final volume will be lower, while the compote is reducing the bubbles that form can be copious and large so a larger saucepan will prevent any spills.
Step 2. Using a spoon or potato masher crush at least a third of the blueberries. This releases more of the natural moisture in the blueberries while contributing more syrup to the compote. The fiber and pectin from the flesh of the fruit also helps to thicken the syrup eliminating the need of a cornstarch slurry in this recipe!
Step 3. Cover the saucepan and allow the blueberries to reduce over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. The consistency should resemble a chunky blueberry syrup. If you like, you can blend the compote until smooth using an immersion blender to turn it into a delicious blueberry sauce!
The compote should be at a steady moderate simmer, not a boil. Do not exceed medium heat because this can cause the sugars to burn.
Blueberries have a lovely natural sweetness so this recipe doesn’t call for a ton of added sugar. If you like a sweeter compote you can adjust the amount of sugar about 3 minutes into the compote reducing. Keep in mind that as you add more sugar the compote will be more likely to burn so turn the heat down to low-medium to avoid this. Be careful when tasting as well as sugar syrup is VERY HOT and can burn you.
Allow to cool then store the blueberry compote in an airtight container for up to 10 days for future!
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Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- potato masher
- airtight jar/container for storage
Ingredients
- 16 oz blueberries or 460 g
- 1½ oz granulated sugar 50 g or 4 TBSP
- ½ medium lemon, zest only
Instructions
- Add all the blueberries, sugar and lemon zest to a medium saucepan and stir to evenly incorporate. Make sure any stems & leaves are removed.
- Using a spoon or potato masher crush at least a third of the blueberries to release some of the juice in the blueberries. This will thicken the compote too so you don’t need a cornstarch slurry.
- Cover the saucepan and allow the blueberries to reduce over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. The final consistency should resemble a chunky blueberry syrup. If you like, you can blend the compote until smooth using an immersion blender to turn it into a delicious blueberry sauce!
Notes
- The compote should be at a steady moderate simmer, not a boil. Do not exceed medium heat because this can cause the sugars to burn.
- This recipe doesn’t call for a ton of added sugar but if you like a sweeter compote you can adjust the amount of sugar about 3 minutes into the compote reducing. Keep in mind that as you add more sugar the compote will be more likely to burn so turn the heat down to low-medium to avoid this. Be careful when tasting as well as sugar syrup is VERY HOT and can burn you.
