Learn how to make EASY fruit compote out of any fruit you’d like. (Your Saturday morning waffles just got a whole lot more exciting!)
Check out this full guide to making fruit compote of any variety!
Fruit compote is the perfect way to make use of seasonal fruits. Once the fruit is broken down and bubbling, it becomes even more sweet and smooth. Then you can add your own touches to enhance the flavor, or let the natural ripe fruit shine!
I love that compote can be made from just a few basic ingredients and comes together so quickly. You’ll feel like an accomplished homesteader—even if you only spent 10 minutes boiling down some fruit you bought at the grocery store!
Why I Love this Recipe
- Quick and easy
- Made with simple ingredients
- Versatile
- Great way to use fresh fruit
Ingredients For Fruit Compote
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need to make any compote.
- Fruit: Your fruit can be fresh or frozen. Choose from apples, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, mixed berries, and more!
- Sweetener: Add any type of sweetener to enhance your compote, including white sugar, brown sugar, honey, agave, orange juice, or a hint of lime. Or leave it out! If your fruit is at its peak sweetness, you may not need to add any additional sweetener.
- Spices: Next, you can take your fruit compote to the next level by adding a subtle hint of spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg for apple compote, ginger or lemon for blueberry compote, etc.
How to Make Easy Compote
- Add all of the ingredients (fruit, sweetener, and any spices) to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Stir to combine.
- Cook the mixture for 8-10 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down and the compote begins to thicken. Make sure to stir often so the compote doesn’t scorch.
- When the compote is your desired thickness, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Enjoy this compote with ice cream, waffles, or yogurt.
Storage Instructions
Store any leftover compote in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Fruit Compote Variations
Here are some versatile and easy ways to make fruit compote. These compotes can be made with any seasonal fruit and be used for dessert or breakfast toppings.
Raspberry Compote
Raspberry compote is thick, fruit, and a little bit tart. It’s the perfect topping for cheesecake! Get the full recipe for raspberry compote. Use it to fill gluten-free crepes or top gluten-free buttermilk pancakes! You also might like these recipes for pear jam or raspberry coulis.
PS – you also might like this recipe for easy, berry lemonade!
Blueberry Compote
Blueberry compote is a great alternative to blueberry syrup or jam, made with simple ingredients, and can have as much or as little sugar as you want! It’s one of my favorite ways to use blueberries! Get the full recipe for blueberry compote. It’s delicious over gluten-free waffles!
Apple Compote
Apple compote has soft, spiced chunks of sweet fruit and pairs well with your favorite vanilla ice cream, apple crisp, and your other favorite desserts. Get the full recipe for apple compote.
Strawberry Compote
Strawberry compote is bright, fruit, and perfectly sweet. Try it on German pancakes or even toast! Get the full recipe for strawberry compote.
Other Types of Compote
Want to make peach compote? Or compote from plums, apricots, or other stone fruit? No problem! Just follow this base recipe, adding roughly 2 cups of fresh, chopped fruit and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Then add lemon zest, orange juice, or any extras you desire. Feel free to get creative!
What to Serve with Compote
This easy recipe goes well with a wide range of dishes, including French toast, pancakes, fruity desserts, yogurt parfaits, cheesecake topping and your morning oatmeal! You also might like this post on ice cream toppings.
Here are lots of ideas for what to serve with fresh compote:
Fruit Compote Tips and Tricks
- Using frozen berries: This compote can be made with frozen raspberries if you don’t have fresh berries on hand! Just increase the cooking time in Step 3 by 2-3 minutes.
- Sweetener: You can omit the sugar if you want a healthier compote. (If your blueberries are at peak ripeness, you may not even need sugar!) You can also sweeten your compote with honey or maple syrup, instead.
- Variations: Feel free to add vanilla, lemon juice, or lemon zest to your compote, if you’d like. There are endless flavor combinations to explore!
Fruit Compote (Use Any Fruit!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups of fruit
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice if desired
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest if desired
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan set over medium heat. Stir to combine.
- Cook the mixture for 8-10 minutes, or until the fruit has broken down and the compote begins to thicken. Make sure to stir often so the compote doesn’t scorch.
- When the compote is your desired thickness, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Enjoy this compote with ice cream, waffles, or yogurt.
Notes
- Using frozen berries: This compote can be made with frozen raspberries if you don’t have fresh berries on hand! Just increase the cooking time in Step 3 by 2-3 minutes.
- Sweetener: You can omit the sugar if you want a healthier compote. (If your blueberries are at peak ripeness, you may not even need sugar!) You can also sweeten your compote with honey or maple syrup, instead.
- Variations: Feel free to add vanilla, lemon juice, or lemon zest to your compote, if you’d like. There are endless flavor combinations to explore!
Nutrition
FAQs
Compote is made by cooking down fresh or frozen fruit with sweetener (sugar or honey) and spices (if desired.)
Compote comes from the Latin word compositus, which means mixture.
Compote and puree are both made from fresh fruit, but compote is slow-cooked and has fruit chunks, while puree is simply blended fresh fruit.
This is so fun to make and eat! Kids loved it! Thanks for the tips!
So excited to learn this! Made some super yummy jam and it was so easy!
This is my favorite way to use up past-its-prime fruit, although the recipe also works great with frozen fruit. Quick, easy, versatile, and yummy!
Love it! Made my own organic mixed berry spread. Threw in some chia seeds to gel it and mashed it. No more expensive jarred jam for me!
Hooray! I’m glad this is helpful for you!
Hi Erin:
This recipe sounds awesome! However I’m wondering if it can be frozen. Thanks so much for your answer.
MC