Cherry Compote
This simple Cherry Compote is bursting with sweet cherries and perfect for serving over ice cream, French toast, or cheesecake!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure policy.
Homemade cherry compote is thick, glossy, and the perfect complement to a variety of desserts. It can be made with fresh or frozen cherries, so it can easily be made any time of the year. Plus, it is super simple to make and comes together in about 20 minutes. Whether you’re using it as a sauce on desserts, a filling for cakes and pastries, or a topping on ice cream, you’re going to love this luscious cherry compote.
What is Fruit Compote?
Compote is a thick, sweet sauce made with whole or chopped fruit that is cooked with sugar and flavorings until the fruit is softened and the mixture is syrupy. I add lemon juice and zest as well as vanilla for flavor and and also a bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce, for a more jammy consistency. Unlike fruit jam, which is smooth and spreadable, compote has a chunkier texture, making it ideal for topping both sweet and savory dishes. Fruit compote can be made with a variety of fruits including berries, peaches, and even apples.
Ingredient Notes
- Cherries: You’ll want sweet cherries for this recipe (I used Bing cherries) and you can use fresh or frozen. If you use sour cherries, you’ll need to add more sugar to taste since these are more tart than the sweet variety.
- Sugar: Just a little bit of sugar is needed since we are using a sweet cherry variety.
- Lemon Juice & Zest: These both add some tartness to the sauce and help balance out the sweetness of the cherries.
- Cornstarch: This is what will thicken up the compote to make it jammy and glossy, like cherry pie filling.
- Vanilla: A touch of vanilla extract adds a nice flavor that complements the cherries.
How to Make Cherry Compote
Clean and pit the cherries
If using fresh cherries, you’ll first need to wash, de-stem, and pit them before weighing/measuring them out. A cherry pitter is helpful but you can also simply use a straw to push out the pit. If you’re using frozen cherries, you can skip this step.
Add ingredients to a pot
Add cherries to a medium saucepan along with sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, some water, and cornstarch. The mixture is cooked on the stove over medium heat.
Cook until soft
Cook the mixture until the cherries are soft and the mixture becomes syrupy. The mixture will thicken and start to bubble. Continually stir the mixture while it’s on the heat so nothing sticks to the pot or burns. Allow the compote to boil for about 1 minute then remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Cool and enjoy
Allow the compote to cool for about 15 minutes before serving or transfer to a heatproof container and cool completely in the fridge.
Baking Tip: Weigh Your Ingredients!
I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients rather than using measuring cups because it is the most accurate way to bake. Weighing your ingredients will give you more consistent results with your recipes and a better success rate, every time. Using a scale also saves you dishes which means easier cleanup! I provide gram measurements in all my recipes and this is the scale I love to use.
How to Use Cherry Compote
- Try it in my Cherry Crumb Bars
- Pour over ice cream
- Cheesecake topping
- Fill pastries or donuts
- Serve with waffles, pancakes, crepes, or French toast
- Cake or Pie filling
- Enjoy with yogurt and granola
Cherry Compote FAQs
What is the best way to store cherry compote?
The cherry compote can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
How far in advance can this be made?
This can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use. The compote also freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can I break the cherries into smaller pieces?
Yes, if you want smaller pieces of cherries in your compote, you can cut them smaller if using fresh cherries. For frozen cherries, I like to break them in half or smash them with a wooden spoon while they are cooking, after they have softened.
Should the compote be served warm or cold?
It can be served either way! Warm cherry compote would be a nice contrast over vanilla ice cream while cold cherry compote would be ideal as a filling for a layered cake or a topping on cheesecake.
More Fruity Recipes You’ll Love
- Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
- Mixed Berry Streusel Bars
- Peaches & Cream Crumb Cake
- Berry Chantilly Tiramisu
- Blueberry Almond Skillet Crisp
If you make this recipe and love it, be sure to leave a comment below. Happy baking!
Cherry Compote
Ingredients
- 4 cups (24oz/680g) pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) water
- 2 Tablespoons (20g) cornstarch
- zest of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan combine the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch, and lemon zest.
- Cook the cherry mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cherries soften and the mixture thickens and starts to boil, about 10-15 minutes.
- Allow the compote to boil for about 1 minute while continually stirring then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer the cherry compote to a heatproof container and cool for about 15 minutes. Serve warm or allow it to cool completely in the fridge. The compote will thicken as it cools. Serve over ice cream, cheesecake, waffles, and more!
