Deliciously sweet for summer, this easy cherry compote recipe is so simple to make and feels so decadent! Cook up your cherry sauce in less than 20 minutes and enjoy with your breakfast recipes or to top cheesecake, pancakes, ice cream and fun desserts.
Do check out my apple and blueberry sauce for another fun fruit dessert idea!
Every summer cherry stands pop up on the country roads near where I live, selling punnets of this delicious fresh fruit to enjoy. Of course, I have to stock up and make so many tasty recipes including this fun fresh cherry compote!
Compotes, coulis, sauces and syrups such as my apple pear compote, apple pear sauce, easy mango coulis and homemade lychee syrup are some of my favorite sweet sauces to make, so I had to share this cherry version too! We use just two ingredients of fresh cherries and maple syrup, which makes it a refined sugar free cherry compote. So quick and easy, and so delicious!
Love cherries? Do have a peek at my cherry mango smoothie, cherry mango popsicles and cherry mocktail recipe for more tasty treats!
Jump to:
- ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
- 💭 What is the difference between fruit compote and coulis?
- 📖 How to choose fresh sweet cherries
- 🍒 Ingredients
- 🌰 Swaps and variations
- 🔪 Step by step instructions
- 💭 Recipe tips and notes
- 📋 Frequently asked questions
- 🍽 What to do with cherry compote
- 🥣 Freezing advice
- 🍨 More dessert recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Fresh seasonal sweet fruit. Cherries always feel like the taste of summer to me, and we use this seasonal produce to make a sweet compote that's so delicious.
Versatile. Use this cherry compote to top oatmeal or pancakes in the morning, or french toast, ice cream or cheesecake for dessert!
Minimal ingredients. We use just cherries and maple syrup to make a 2 ingredient cherry compote that takes less than 20 minutes to come together.
💭 What is the difference between fruit compote and coulis?
Fruit compotes are super simple to make on the stove top, where we heat diced chunks of fruit with a sweetener. The fruit is sweet and softened, and you can add a touch of spice if you like! My mango compote recipe is perfect for a summer treat!
There is also the option to make a fruit puree, such as my rhubarb puree, where you cook the fruit and then blend to a thick sauce.
A coulis is similar to a compote or puree as it involves cooking fruit with a sweetener, but it is then strained for a very smooth thin consistency.
📖 How to choose fresh sweet cherries
Cherries are in season during the summer months from June to August and of course we want the juiciest sweetest fruit! If you're picking your own cherries than it's best to choose plump fruit where the stems pull away easily from the tree (Not Far From the Tree).
For store bought cherries, choose plump fruit with smooth skins and no marks or bruising. I use black cherries in this recipe and it's typically the case that darker cherries are sweeter.
🍒 Ingredients
- Cherries - choose fresh, shiny unbruised sweet cherries to make your compote! You can also use frozen cherries, they just may need a few more minutes of cook time.
- Maple syrup - we use maple syrup in this recipe rather than granulated sugar to keep it refined sugar free.
🌰 Swaps and variations
Add a hint of spice. A pinch of ground ginger, cinnamon or cardamom will give a lovely extra touch of flavor!
Add vanilla extract. A half teaspoon adds a delicious sweetness.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this homemade cherry compote recipe requires just a few steps, and is so quick to do!
Step 1: Pit the cherries
Use a cherry pitter or a sharp knife to remove the stones from the cherries (image 1).
Step 2: Add the cherries to a pot
Cut the cherries in half, then add to a pot with the maple syrup and water (image 2).
Step 3: Cook the fruit compote
Bring the cherries to a very light simmer over a medium heat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally (image 3).
Step 4: Enjoy your compote!
Allow to cool, then enjoy your compote on breakfast and dessert recipes (image 4).
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Halve the cherries before adding to the pot, or slice into quarters if they are on the larger side.
- Adjust the amount of maple syrup to taste. Cherries are quite sweet, so you can use less if you prefer less sugar.
- Help the cherries to break down by pressing against them with a wooden spoon in the pot.
- If you like a smoother compote, pulse blend in a food processor until you get the consistency you like best.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Fruit compote is particularly delicious when warm, but can easily be used cold too.
If you prefer a smooth fruit compote, simply blend in a food processor.
Cherry compote can easily be frozen for use another time. Allow the compote to cool, then spoon into small freezer safe containers.
🍽 What to do with cherry compote
- Spoon your compote onto oatmeal as a tasty morning breakfast idea. It would be delicious on my coconut milk oatmeal!
- Use as a topping for so many desserts, including pancakes, cheesecake, ice cream, my rice pudding with oat milk or my honey mug cake.
- Spread onto toast or crackers as an afternoon snack!
🥣 Freezing advice
Cherry compote can easily be frozen to use another time! Simply allow the compote to cool, then spoon into freezer safe containers such as tupperware. Compote can be frozen for up to three months (BBC Good Food).
🍨 More dessert recipes
Find so many tasty desserts, including my 2 ingredient mango sorbet and my fun honey flapjacks. Some recent recipes to try:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ and comment if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Easy Cherry Compote (2 Ingredients)
Equipment
- Blender optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound cherries pitted
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Pit your cherries and remove the stems. I find using a cherry pitter to be easiest but you can also use a sharp knife (watch fingers!). Slice the cherries in half.
- Add the cherries, maple syrup and water to a pot. Bring to a very light simmer on a low to medium heat and cook for for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. To break down the cherries you can use the back of a wooden spoon or fork to press them against the side of the pot.
- Allow the cherry compote to cool then enjoy on your breakfast or dessert recipes!
Notes
- If it works for you, then you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or orange juice. This likely isn't suitable for my low histamine readers.
- Add a hint of spice such as ground ginger or cardamom, or a little vanilla extract for extra flavor.
- Optional: add the cherry compote to a food processor and blend to a smooth compote if you prefer that consistency.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- cherries score 0, with a note, 'controversial'. They are low histamine on other lists, but be mindful of personal sensitivities.
Comments
No Comments