This raspberry coulis recipe is a quick and easy sweet berry sauce you can add to ice cream, pancakes, panna cotta, cheesecake, or use as filling to cakes, tarts, and more! It has 5 ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to whip up a batch so try adding it to your favorite dessert today!
What is Raspberry Coulis?
A Coulis (pronounced Koo-Lee) is french term for a sauce that is thickened and made from pureed and strained fruits or vegetables. Raspberry coulis is one of the most common coulis and is a sweet coulis made from raspberries that is that cooked, thickened, and strained of seeds.
In most instances, raspberry coulis and raspberry sauce are the same things and the terms are used interchangeably.
Ingredients
- Raspberries: Raspberries are the most common but you can use other berries like strawberries blackberries, or a mix of berries. Both fresh and frozen berries work as well!
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is the way to go in this recipe. You can also add more or less sugar to your liking.
- Water: A little bit of water helps the sugar break down the berries.
- Lemon Juice: This adds a bit of tartness to this sauce.
- Cornstarch (optional): This is optional, but helps to thicken the sauce.
How to Make Raspberry Coulis
Step 1: Heat Mixture
First, you heat the berries, lemon juice, sugar, and water over medium heat until the berries start to break down.
Step 2: Thicken
Once the berries have broken down and the mixture looks like a raspberry sauce, you can simmer the sauce over low heat for 5-7 minutes to thicken it up a bit. The pectins in the berries will naturally cause the sauce to thicken but if you want a thicker sauce you can use cornstarch.
Using Cornstarch
Then, make a cornstarch slurry by taking a few tablespoon of the warm mixture and mix with cornstarch until fully combined. Put it slurry back into the saucepan with the remainder of the raspberry sauce, mix, and continue cooking for another minute or two.
Remember: the sauce thickens as it cools. If you've found it's too thick after it's cooled, you can thin it out again with a bit of water, flavored liquor, or orange juice.
Step 3: Strain
Then, while still warm strain out the seeds with a spatula over a mesh strainer. You can even leave the seeds in the sauce if you don't mind them!
Adding Flavors
While this raspberry sauce is delicious on its own it's very common to add flavors to the finished coulis to mix it up and give it a depth of flavor.
The most common flavor additions are 1/2 – 1 tsp vanilla extract and/or 1-2 tbsp Chambord but you could also try adding a slight orange flavor with orange extract or Cointreau, or a splash of orange juice.
Storing and Freezing
This will keep in the fridge for up to a week as long as it's in an airtight container. Raspberry coulis also freezes very well! You can make it ahead and then store it in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container for up to 6 months. When ready to use, defrost in the fridge and then let come to room temperature.
Tips for making this recipe
- Adjust the sweetness and flavors to taste. Depending on the type of berries and season, you might need more or less sugar. Be sure to try a bit and adjust accordingly.
- The cornstarch is optional. Raspberries have pectin in them, which is a naturally occurring fiber in fruits that is used as a thickener for jams. Since raspberries have pectin, it will thicken up a bit if you keep cooking it down. I prefer my raspberry coulis thicker so I have control over the consistency when I serve, so I do add cornstarch. But, if you don't mind a slightly thinner sauce you can let the pectins do their magic and omit the cornstarch. Just cook for a few minutes longer until it's your desired consistency.
- The raspberry coulis will thicken as it cools. If, when you're ready to serve you find it is too thick our you want a thinner coulis, you can add a tablespoon or two of water, orange juice, or flavored liquors to thin it out.
- If you like or don't mind raspberry seeds in your sauce, leave them in! Straining the seeds out of the raspberry coulis is totally optional.
- One pint of raspberries makes about ½ cup of raspberry sauce. You can double or triple the recipe as needed.
What can I use Raspberry Coulis for?
You can use this easy raspberry coulis sauce for so many dishes and desserts.
- Topping: Panna Cotta, Ice Cream, Cheesecake, Brownies, Pancakes or French Toast, Goat Cheese Crostini
- Filling: Cakes, Macarons, Sandwich Cookies
You can even mix into vanilla frosting for a delicious and easy raspberry buttercream. Do you have any favorite ways to make raspberry coulis? Let me know in the comments!
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Raspberry Coulis
Equipment
- Stove and Saucepan
- Strainer (optional)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pint raspberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup sugar more or less to taste
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring raspberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in over medium high heat.
- Turn heat down to medium low and simmer 5-7 minutes to thicken. Occasionally stir and crush the raspberries.
- If adding cornstarch: after it’s cooked down a bit, take a few tablespoon of the hot crushed berry mixture and put into a bowl with the cornstarch. Mix until thoroughly incorporated and then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
- Mix together and bring to a boil and cook for another minute or two.
- Immediately remove from heat and strain out seeds by placing the mixture into a strainer over a medium sized bowl. Scrap the mix along the strainer with a spatula until just the seeds and the raspberry coulis sauce is in the bowl.
- Let cool before covering and refrigerating until ready to use. It will thicken as it cools. This will last up to a week in the fridge or a few months in the freezer. Once you're ready to use you can thin it to the desired consistency with orange juice, flavored liquors, or water.
Notes
- One pint of raspberries makes about ½ cup of raspberry sauce. You can double or triple the recipe as needed.
- Adjust the sweetness and flavors to taste. Depending on the type of berries and season, you might need more or less sugar. Be sure to try a bit and adjust accordingly.
- The cornstarch is optional. Raspberries have pectin in them, which is a naturally occurring fiber in fruits that is used as a thickener for jams. Since raspberries have pectin, it will thicken up a bit if you keep cooking it down. I prefer my raspberry coulis thicker so I have control over the consistency when I serve, so I do add cornstarch. But, if you don’t mind a slightly thinner sauce you can let the pectins do their magic and omit the cornstarch. Just cook for a few minutes longer until it’s your desired consistency.
- The raspberry coulis will thicken as it cools. If, when you’re ready to serve you find it is too thick our you want a thinner coulis, you can add a tablespoon or two of water, orange juice, or flavored liquors to thin it out.
- If you like or don’t mind raspberry seeds in your sauce, leave them in! Straining the seeds out of the raspberry sauce is totally optional.
- This will keep in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Raspberry coulis also freezes very well! You can make it ahead and then store it in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container for up to 6 months. When ready to use, defrost in the fridge and then let come to room temperature.
Sara says
Perfect as a filling for my lemon raspberry layer cake! Thanks!!