A vibrant blueberry sauce bursting with flavor! Made with fresh or frozen blueberries with the slightest hint of lemon. Delicious served over pancakes, ice cream, yogurt, crepes, and more!
How do you enjoy eating your blueberries?
Fresh? Raw? Frozen? Cooked? Dried? Plain? Covered in chocolate?
I like all of it! I mean, I haven’t met a blueberry I didn’t fall in love with. They aren’t too sweet. They aren’t too sour. They aren’t too big. In fact, I think blueberries are the perfect fruit. And they’re such a pretty blue when they’re ripe.
I enjoy adding raw blueberries in smoothies, salads, and yogurt. I also enjoy eating them plain. I’ve been known to pop a few into my mouth as one might with trail mix, popcorn, or nuts. They’re simply perfect fresh and raw.
But I also really like blueberries in cobblers, pies, muffins, and pancakes. This Blueberry Sauce is one of my favorite ways to enjoy blueberries. The sauce itself is silky smooth with bits of burst blueberries and a slew of tiny little intact berries. There are literally three different textures in every single bite. And it’s a delectable treat!
But blueberries aren’t just fun and delicious, they’re also extremely nutritious. Comprised of 84% water, just one 3.5 ounce serving of these gorgeous berries contains 0.7 grams protein, 0.3 grams of fat, and 2.4 grams of fiber. They also contain many antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins K1, B6, and E, plus manganese and copper. Essentially, this means blueberries contribute to brain and heart health, and help regulate blood sugar levels. (Healthline)
When I lived in New Jersey, I was introduced to Jersey blueberries. They’re super large, plump, and juicy berries made of my favorite color – a dark shade of indigo blue. And since we eat with our eyes, it’s no wonder that blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. I especially love that dark blue blueberries transform into the prettiest shade of purple when they’re cooked. Not many fruits change colors like this. That makes blueberries pretty special.
What’s interesting is that there are a couple of different types of blueberries. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, there are four types of blueberries: high bush, low bush, hybrid half-high, and rabbiteye. Though the most common is the cultivated highbush, which are larger than the tiny little lowbush wild blueberries.
Many people believe that the tiny little wild blueberries are a little sweeter and more intense flavor. I like their tiny little adorable size! But then again, I like cute little things. And wild blueberries are no exception!! So while you can use all regular blueberries, all wild blueberries, or a combination like me, this Blueberry Sauce is absolutely divine!
I like the versatility of this recipe. So not only do you have a lot of flexibility in the types of blueberries you choose to use to make this Blueberry Sauce, you also can use either fresh or frozen or a combination. Since I can purchase fresh cultivated blueberries virtually year-round in my local grocery store, I use fresh blueberries and frozen wild blueberries, which are a little harder to find at times.
I prefer to cook a portion of the blueberries with maple syrup and water until they’ve burst. Then I add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up just a little. And then, the remaining blueberries are added for just a few minutes, that way the tiny little wild blueberries remain intact. So, this is what I enjoy most about this Blueberry Sauce – the tiny little blueberries contained in a silky smooth sauce. It’s simply divine!
Once the Blueberry Sauce has thickened a little, the heat is turned off and cooled a little. A small amount of fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract is added to brighten the sauce. It’s important to allow the sauce to continue cooling for at least ten minutes. Ideally, when serving with pancakes, I make the sauce first and allow it to cool while I make the pancakes. By the time the pancakes are ready, the Blueberry Sauce is still warm and at the perfect consistency. This results in absolute perfection.
There are so many different ways to use this delicious Blueberry Sauce! Obviously, my favorite use is served warm over blueberry pancakes!! But it’s also absolutely delicious served with crepes, oatmeal, porridge, mush, polenta, cake, and muffins. I especially enjoy eating it chilled with yogurt and cheesecake. It also makes a tasty blueberry and granola yogurt parfait.
So now you have to tell me precisely how you are going to enjoy your Blueberry Sauce today!!
I hope you enjoy this Blueberry Sauce as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- ½ cup maple syrupÂ
- ½ cup water
- 3-4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (16 ounces)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries (10 ounces)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Combine the maple syrup, water, and blueberries in a large saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil and continue to simmer until the blueberries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Add the wild blueberries to the saucepan and stir in the cornstarch-water slurry. Bring the blueberries to a simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Allow the sauce to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Store in an air-tight covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
This blueberry sauce is delicious served warm over pancakes, ice cream, and crepes. It’s also great served chilled over yogurt, cheesecake, muffins, yogurt, or in a yogurt parfait.
Blueberry Sauce
Equipment
- stove
Ingredients
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup water
- 3-4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 16 ounces
- 2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries 10 ounces
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Combine the maple syrup, water, and blueberries in a large saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil and continue to simmer until the blueberries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Add the wild blueberries to the saucepan and stir in the cornstarch-water slurry. Bring the blueberries to a simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Allow the sauce to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Store in an air-tight covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.