Strawberry Sauce
Posted Apr 05, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy strawberry fruit sauce recipe is made with 6 ingredients in 20 minutes. It’s the perfect strawberry sauce for cheesecake, ice cream, and more!
This easy strawberry fruit sauce recipe is so good you’ll want to just eat it with a spoon. And, it’s so easy to make with only 6 ingredients on the stovetop, that you’ll never buy store-bought strawberry sauce again once you try this recipe.
It’s thick (not watery) and perfectly sweet with a hint of tartness from fresh lemon juice, and richness from the vanilla extract, making it the perfect dessert strawberry sauce for cheesecake, ice cream, angel food cake, and more.
There are so many ways to enjoy this strawberry fruit sauce that it’s also delicious on your favorite breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, yogurt, and oatmeal. It’s one of those recipes that instantly makes any dish feel extra special with very little effort.
As a mom, I’m always trying to make homemade versions of our favorite store-bought sauces – like chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, and now this strawberry fruit sauce. Whether you’re topping a special dessert or just want a quick way to use fresh or frozen strawberries, this homemade strawberry sauce is one you’ll want to make on repeat.
Strawberry Sauce: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cornstarch. Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder both work well.
- Strawberries. Fresh strawberries are the best, but you can use frozen if you prefer.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar works well.
- Lemon juice. I don’t suggest skipping the lemon juice, as it cuts the sweetness and adds a bright flavor.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste works well in place of extract.
How to Make Strawberry Sauce
Let’s walk through this recipe together, and don’t forget to watch the video for additional guidance.
Begin by hulling (removing the green leaves at the top of the berries) and quartering the strawberries (cut each berry into 4 pieces).
Then, whisk the water and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
Next, put the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch/water mixture in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and let sit for 15 minutes without any heat (e.g. do not cook the sauce at this point, just let it sit).
After 15 minutes, cook the sauce on medium heat until the mixture begins to boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and lightly coats the back of a spatula. Please note that it thickens significantly more as it cools.
Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
The sauce should look like this. If you want a smooth sauce with no strawberry pieces, you can blend it at this point.
Next, transfer the strawberry sauce to a jar and refrigerate overnight (or until chilled).
Like I’ve said throughout this post, the sauce thickens as it cools.
Serve
Serve the sauce chilled or at room temperature. There are so many ways you can enjoy this strawberry sauce. First, let’s look at some desserts it pairs well with:
- Cheesecake or no-bake cheesecake. So classic.
- Angel food cake. The perfect summer dessert, especially with some whipped cream.
- Serve it on top of vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream or chocolate ice cream.
It’s also delicious served with your favorite breakfast recipes. Here are some suggestions:
- Use as a topping for pancakes, especially on my greek yogurt pancakes and buttermilk pancakes.
- It’s also delicious on homemade waffles (one of our top 3 favorite breakfast recipes).
- Serve it inside of crepes or chocolate crepes.
- Mix it into overnight oats or yogurt overnight oats.
Store/Freeze
Store in an airtight container (glass jar) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat.
Strawberry Sauce Recipe FAQS
Yes! I prefer fresh, but frozen strawberries work just as well. Let the strawberries thaw to room temperature, draining out excess liquid, before using in this recipe.
This recipe is thickened by cornstarch. It also thickens as it cools. The longer it simmers and releases water, the thicker it will be. So If you want a thicker sauce, cook it longer.
Technically you can omit the cornstarch – although I don’t recommend it. But if you do, you can just cook the sauce longer until it’s reduced and the water evaporates off.
Homemade strawberry lasts for up to 1 week in an airtight container (glass jar) in the refrigerator. Or for up to 2 months in the freezer.
It is perfect on top of desserts or breakfast foods like: cheesecake, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, or angel food cake.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Strawberry Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 pound strawberries (about 3 cups whole berries)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Hull (remove the green leaves at the top of each berry)and quarter the strawberries (cut each berry into 4 pieces).
- Whisk the water and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
- Put the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch/water mixture in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and let sit for 15 minutes without cooking (do not use heat in this step).
- After 15 minutes, cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla and stir to combine.
- Transfer to a jar and refrigerate overnight (or until chilled).
Notes
- Cornstarch. Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder both work well.
- Strawberries. Fresh strawberries are the best, but you can use frozen if you prefer.
- Granulated sugar. organic cane sugar works well.
- Lemon juice. I don’t suggest skipping the lemon juice, it cuts the sweetness and adds a bright flavor.
- Vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste works well in place of extract.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
