Blueberry Sauce Recipe – Options to Make With and Without Cornstarch
Blueberry sauce is a fantastic addition to spring and summer desserts. It’s perfect on New York Style cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, cinnamon French toast, classic pancakes, waffles, and soooo many other desserts.
One problem I have with most blueberry sauce recipes is that they tend to be light on the blueberry flavor. I want to taste the delicious flavor of this delicate fruit, so I developed a recipe that packs a blueberry punch!
I also provide an option to thicken the sauce without using cornstarch (I typically don’t like the way it tastes when it’s added to desserts). Scroll down to check out the recipe!
***This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you click a link and purchase something. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Click to see my full disclosure policy.***
Do I Need to Use Wild Blueberries?
You don’t have to use wild blueberries to make this sauce, but I highly suggest it.
Blueberries, like all fruits, have a season where they taste best. If you are making this recipe during berry season, the fresh berries will likely be sweet and full of flavor. Outside of berry season, the flavor of fresh blueberries is not very good. Frequently, they barely even have a taste (in other words, there is only a hint of blueberry).
This is where frozen blueberries come in handy. Frozen blueberries tend to be sweeter and more flavorful than fresh blueberries because they are picked when they are ripe and are immediately frozen. Fresh blueberries are often picked before they are fully ripe and then shipped to grocery stores.
There is also a difference between wild blueberries and ordinary blueberries. The first difference is the size. Wild blueberries are significantly smaller than ordinary blueberries. This difference in size means the wild blueberries have less water in them and offer a more intense blueberry flavor.
If you aren’t able to find frozen wild blueberries, that’s not a big deal. This recipe can be made with normal frozen blueberries. Use the same process, you just might need to cook the filling a little longer or add a very small amount of extra tapioca flour to thicken the mixture.
Why Do I Need Freeze-Dried Blueberries?
Fresh and frozen blueberries tend to have a delicate flavor that lessens when they are cooked. By adding freeze-dried blueberry powder, we are adding more blueberry flavor without adding additional water that needs to be cooked out. The powder also helps to slightly thicken the sauce. This, in addition to wild blueberries, is my secret for making a sauce that packs a blueberry punch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (9oz/255g) frozen wild blueberries
- ¾ tsp (2.5g) tapioca flour OR 1½ tsp (4g) corn starch
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (17g) freeze-dried blueberries, whole (place in a resealable bag)
- ¾ tsp (1.8g) lemon zest
- 1½ tsp (8g) lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (1½ oz/43g) frozen wild blueberries (place in a small bowl lined with a paper towel)
Equipment
- Digital scale (or dry measuring cup and measuring spoons)
- Microplane zester
- Rolling pin
- Resealable bag
- Large strainer or sieve
- Large bowl
- Silicone spatula
- Potato masher (optional)
- Small saucepan
Making the Blueberry Sauce
Place the freeze-dried blueberries in a resealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush the berries into a fine powder.
Add the frozen wild blueberries, tapioca flour, sugar, freeze-dried blueberry powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice into a medium saucepan. If you are using corn starch instead of tapioca flour, place the corn starch in a small bowl, add a small amount of water and stir to create a slurry. Then pour the slurry into the saucepan. Corn starch has a tendency to stay in clumps if added to the mixture and it doesn’t taste good to bite into a clump of corn starch.
Cook over medium heat until the berries have thawed. This should happen within a couple minutes since they are so little. Use a potato masher or your spatula to smash the blueberries while cooking. This will help to release the moisture from the berries to create a sauce. Continue cooking while stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to boil and thickens slightly. This should take approximately 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl to allow it to cool. If you want the blueberry sauce to cool quickly, pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and spread it into a thin layer. Cool until it reaches room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken while it cools.
Storing the Blueberry Sauce
Store the blueberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that some storage containers can be stained by the blueberry sauce while in the fridge/freezer. Plastic tends to stain more than other containers. Thaw the sauce to room temperature before serving.
Serving Blueberry Sauce
Looking for ways to use blueberry sauce? I love spooning it over a slice of cheesecake or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also use it to fill lemon cupcakes for a tasty spring and summer dessert.
Blueberry sauce isn’t just for dessert though. It can be the perfect addition breakfast as well. Add it to pancakes, waffles, or French toast (this is a great option if you’re trying to cut down on syrup). You can also spread it on biscuits or scones for a fruity treat.
Leave me a comment below to let me know your favorite way to use blueberry sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving your thoughts below. Or snap a photo and share it on Pinterest or Instagram (@windycitybaker).
Blueberry Sauce
Equipment
- Digital scale (or dry measuring cup and measuring spoons)
- Microplane zester
- Rolling Pin
- Resealable bag
- Medium saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Potato masher (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (9oz/255g) frozen wild blueberries
- ¾ tsp (2.5g) tapioca flour OR 1½ tsp (4g) corn starch
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (17g) freeze-dried blueberries, whole (place in a resealable bag)
- ¾ tsp (1.8g) lemon zest
- 1½ tsp (8g) lemon juice
Instructions
Making the Blueberry Sauce
- Place the freeze-dried blueberries in a resealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush the berries into a fine powder.
- Add the frozen wild blueberries, tapioca flour, sugar, freeze-dried blueberry powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice into a medium saucepan. If you are using cornstarch instead of tapioca flour, place the cornstarch in a small bowl, add a small amount of water and stir to create a slurry. Then pour the slurry into the saucepan. Cornstarch has a tendency to stay in clumps if added to the mixture and it doesn’t taste good to bite into a clump of cornstarch.
- Cook over medium heat until the berries have thawed. This should happen within a couple minutes since they are so little. Use a potato masher or your spatula to smash the blueberries while cooking. This will help to release the moisture from the berries to create a sauce. Continue cooking while stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to boil and thickens slightly. This should take approximately 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl to allow it to cool. If you want the blueberry sauce to cool quickly, pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and spread it into a thin layer. Cool until it reaches room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken while it cools.
Storing the Blueberry Sauce
- Store the blueberry sauce in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that some storage containers can be stained by the blueberry sauce while in the fridge/freezer. Plastic tends to stain more than other containers. Thaw the sauce to room temperature before serving.
Serving Blueberry Sauce
- Looking for ways to use blueberry sauce? I love spooning it over a slice of cheesecake or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also use it to fill lemon cupcakes for a tasty spring and summer dessert.
