I love raspberries. Give them to me in basically any form, and it’s heaven. On a tart? Yes. In a parfait? You betcha. Reduced to an easy raspberry sauce? Ermahgod.

This recipe is what I’d classify as quick and painless, relatively. You do have to sieve the cooked mixture through a fine mesh strainer, but other than that, it’s all cooked in one pot and made up of only three ingredients. You can use it to add some flavor to your piped whipped cream, squeezed into the swirls of cream patisserie between a sliced choux bun, layered between cakes, or drizzled straight into your mouth… the list goes on.

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WHAT IS RASPBERRY SAUCE?

In short, raspberry sauce is a less cooked-down form of jam that is then blended and strained. By blending the sauce, you’ll make it easier to break up any bigger chunks of the berries, once cooked, so that they can strain through more easily.

Straining this easy raspberry sauce removes the seeds, creating a smooth consistency, perfect for pouring over cheesecakes, layering in parfaits, or simply spreading over toast.

What kind of strainer is best for making raspberry sauce? You’ll need a fine mesh strainer (like this one!) to properly strain your sauce. This will ensure a smooth sauce and not allow any thicker chunks or seeds to pass through.

INGREDIENTS

Raspberries: The main ingredient, providing the fruity base and flavor for the sauce.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the tart raspberries and balances the overall flavor.
Lemon juice: Adds brightness and enhances the natural raspberry flavor.

How does raspberry sauce thicken? Raspberries naturally contain pectin, which is activated by the heat, sugar, and acid from lemon juice, helping the mixture thicken as it cooks. The sugar also draws out moisture and, along with the lemon juice, creates a syrupy texture without the need for added thickeners.

HOW TO MAKE AN EASY RASPBERRY SAUCE?

To make the raspberry sauce, place the raspberries in a pot over low heat and stir gently until they soften and begin releasing their juices. Add the sugar and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Continue stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture thickens to a thin gravy-like consistency.

Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mixture into a tall container that allows your immersion blender to reach the bottom. Pulse with the immersion blender until the mixture becomes mostly pulpy with no large chunks remaining.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another container, scraping the bottom of the strainer to collect any extra sauce. Store the finished sauce in an airtight container—refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.

homemade raspberry sauce in small glass pitcher

3 reasons you’ll love this easy sauce

Make it year-round using fresh or frozen raspberries
Comes together easily with just three ingredients
Packs a colorful, sweet, and sharp punch in every bite

TIPS & VARIATIONS

Depending on the time of year, you can make this easy raspberry sauce with fresh or frozen raspberries. There is typically a little more liquid with frozen raspberries, due to the ice crystals, so they may take a little longer to cook down
Use this recipe with your favorite berries, to make a variety of delicious sauces! Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and more.
As you cook down your sauce, keep in mind that while it will thicken a little more once it cools, it shouldn’t thicken too much more. You want to give the sauce enough time to cook down in the pot to resemble a slightly thinner gravy consistency, so that it’s thick enough to pour but won’t run everywhere
You can serve your raspberrry sauce warm but if pouring over a cake or cheesecake to set, make sure to give your sauce time to chill in the fridge in advance.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, any other blender or food processor will work to purree the sauce before straining.

HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE RASPBERRY SAUCE?

Once made, store your raspberry sauce in an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks and can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months!

MORE RASPBERRY RECIPES

If you love cheesecake, you have to try my White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. It’s my favorite cheesecake recipe and is topped with a delicious layer of raspberry sauce. For one of my favorite classics, make these Lindzer Cookies filled with an easy homemade raspberry jam. Perfect any time of year, cut into a variety of fun shapes. Love a floral and fruity moment? These Lavender Thumbprint Cookies are deliciously simple and filled with white chocolate raspberry ganache!

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Servings 1 cup

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

This easy raspberry sauce is made with just three ingredients—frozen raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice—and comes together in minutes on the stovetop. It’s smooth, tangy-sweet, and perfect for drizzling over desserts, breakfast dishes, or storing for later use.

Equipment

Medium Pot
Spatula
Immersion Blender
Tall container, for blitzing
Fine Mesh Strainer
Measuring Cups

Ingredients

2.5 cups raspberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ lemon juiced

Instructions

Place raspberries in a pot over low heat. Stir until softened and juices begin to release.
Pour in your sugar and lemon juice, stir to combine. Continue stirring until sugar has dissolved and mixture has thickened to a thin gravy consistency
Remove from heat and pour into a tall container (that your immersion blender can fit all the way to the bottom). Using your immersion blender, pulse until mixture is mostly pulpy with no chunks.
Pour mixture into container through fine-mesh strainer, scraping the bottom of the container to grab any excess sauce.
Store airtight in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Enjoy!