Raspberry Sauce

By
Kimberly Kunaniec
Kimberly Kunaniec
A trained pastry chef and food writer who specializes in frozen treats like ice cream and sorbet.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/19/22
Ice cream with raspberry sauce
Alison Miksch/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 0 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
89 Calories
1g Fat
22g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 89
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 20mg 102%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 118mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Raspberries are a fan-favorite fruit. They are tart as well as sweet and pair perfectly with many other types of ingredients, especially chocolate. A simple raspberry sauce is a great way to feature these little berries while enhancing your desserts. It’s a great topping to keep in the fridge for when your dessert or breakfast need a little something extra.

This raspberry sauce is perfect to top ice cream, cheesecake, or pound cake, as well as pancakes and French toast. You can even reduce the sugar and use it to top a savory dish, like salmon or salad. 

Ingredients

  • 2 pints raspberries

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 2 tablespoons water

Steps to Make It

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the raspberries break down. This should take around 10 minutes.

  2. Strain the sauce through a fine-meshed sieve, like a chinois, to remove any seeds.

  3. You can store this sauce in an air-tight plastic container in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Choosing and Storing Fresh Raspberries

  • In order to get the best tasting raspberry sauce, you need to start with the freshest raspberries. Choose berries that are plump looking and firm; they should also be a bright red-pink color and void of any bruising. Make sure to examine the bottom of the fruit container for any moldy or mushy ones.
  • When storing fresh berries in the fridge, the container they came in is the perfect vessel as there are holes to encourage air circulation. Before placing in the refrigerator though, add a piece of paper towel to the bottom to absorb any moisture and prevent the raspberries from growing mold. (Be sure to place the toweling only on the bottom and not the top so you don't cover the air holes.)
  • Instead of the crisper drawer, store the berries in a part of the refrigerator where you can see them; this will remind you to eat them and avoid any negative effects of the humidity from the vegetable/fruit drawer.
  • Fresh raspberries will last two to three days stored in the refrigerator. You can also freeze raspberries to use later on. Put dry berries in a single layer on a piece of waxed paper and place in the freezer. Once frozen, portion into zip-top freezer bags.

Tips

  • The beauty of a recipe this simple is that it is completely adjustable—once you try it, you can increase or decrease the sugar and liquid to suit your needs.
  • Fresh berries work well, but you can also put this recipe together with a bag of frozen raspberries. If you can only find frozen berries with added sugar, cut the amount of sugar you add in half and then taste it to see if it could use more sweetness.
  • Try trading out the water for something with a pop of acid and flavor, such as fresh-squeezed orange or lemon juice, or even pomegranate juice.