Blackberry Sauce | www.floatingkitchen.net

Blackberry Sauce

This post was originally published here on July 29, 2013. I’ve since updated the text and photographs. It’s a quick and easy recipe that I know you’ll love!

There are a lot of things I miss about living in Seattle, WA. The larger-than-life mountains. The availability of craft beer on virtually every street corner. And some of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life. Just to name a few.

But this time of year, I mostly miss the free blackberries.

Blackberry Sauce | www.floatingkitchen.net

Blackberry bushes are an invasive species to the Pacific Northwest. And they are a thing that Seattleites just love to hate. Most of the year, they are considered a nuisance. Their dense, gnarly branches creep into every backyard, parking lot, alley way and hiking trail imaginable. And their thorns aren’t afraid to bite back, leaving you with holes in your clothing and blood on your hands if you attempt to tame them.

BUT! Then late Summer happens and HELLO free blackberries. Ripe for the taking. In the most literal way possible.

I used to pick buckets of blackberries almost every morning (and I had the purple tongue to prove it!) when I was out walking my dog. Now, I’m forced to purchase most of my blackberries from the grocery store (oh the horror). But I still manage to eat (and drink!) more than my fair share each Summer.

Blackberry Sauce | www.floatingkitchen.net

This Blackberry Sauce recipe is one I started making in Seattle, when I had more blackberries than I knew what to do with. And even though my availability of blackberries has reduced significantly, I still love making it today. It only requires 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of time. And it transitions flawlessly throughout the entire spectrum of mealtimes. Try it at breakfast with yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes or waffles. Use it as a topping for grilled chicken, pork or salmon. Or enjoy it with ice cream, cheesecake or pound cake. The possibilities are endless!

Cheers,

Liz

Blackberry Sauce

Blackberry Sauce

At a Glance:
Yield: Makes 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tsp. corn starch
  • 3 cups fresh blackberries, washed
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice and corn starch. Set aside.
  2. In a non-reactive saucepan, cook the blackberries and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the blackberries are broken down and have released their juices. Then stir in the corn starch mixture and bring the sauce to a low boil until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside to cool.
  4. Once cooled, transfer the blackberry sauce to a re-sealable container and refrigerate until you're ready to use it. The blackberry sauce can be stored in your refrigerator for 7-10 days.
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64 comments on “Blackberry Sauce”

  1. I recently googled blackberry sauce and your blog came up in the first page. I made it. I fell in love hard. I cannot stop talking about this sauce. Planning to pick more marionberries so I am able to can many jars of this make me smile goodness. The uses are endless; pork tacos, pork chops, salmon, brie, ice cream, cheesecake, and crepes. Thank-you so much for sharing this creation.

  2. Just made this and it is divine! Wonderful with meringue and cream, thanks for the recipe.

  3. I’m curious…I have a bag of tri-berries in the freezer and I forgot to buy Comstock cherry topping for my cheesecake Have you tried it with other berries, or mixed berries? Yours sounds perfect, and so much better than canned!

  4. Can the sauce be frozen

  5. How easy is this?! I’m thinking I need to add some to my morning yogurt!. You’re right. The possibilities are endless!

  6. LOL – love to hate! I just got snagged by a few thorns this weekend and dang they hurt! So, I was out inspecting a community blackberry bramble, one of many, this weekend. I took a few berries and tasted….. hummm.. they need more time, but they are coming in! I saw mamma and baby deer nomming on them coming home from a walk yesterday. I don’t mind sharing. 😀 I love a good berry sauce, Liz, and yes, the possibilities are endless! The color of these little gems is gorgeous and their seedy bits, crave-worthy. I can totally see stirring this into a BBQ sauce! Mmmmm!

  7. This is blackberry heaven! I love how bright and summery this is! Cannot wait to make it ?! Plus these photos are beautiful!!

  8. Blackberries are my favorite! YUM!

  9. Being in Seattle, we are just hitting peak blackberry season (I have the best memories of picking near my childhood home every summer) and I have a big flat in my fridge just waiting to be turned into this gorgeous sauce!

  10. This sauce is gorgeous!

  11. I’m thinking we go back to Seattle, pick buckets full, and make more do this together. Yes?

  12. I’m SO into this blackberry sauce!

  13. I think I could eat my weight in this stuff!! The color is stunning

  14. I want to pour this blackberry sauce over everything!

  15. This sauce looks divine I love how easy it is to make!

  16. Wow! This is such a delightful sauce recipe. Can I use it as a cake glaze, Liz?

  17. You think it would be good if I add a little rosemary and use it on scallops?

  18. Is it possible to use a sugar substitute?

    • Hi Pat. I have not tried using a sugar substitute. If you try it, please let me know your results. Good luck!

  19. Hello, can l jar this recipe up in masons? And store it for later to use in a cobbler? Also, can l use clear jel instead of baking soda?

    • I have not tried canning this recipe for long term storage. Sorry about that. And there is no baking soda in this recipe, so I’m unsure of the ingredient swap you’re asking about.

  20. Guess what? Me too. I’m from Seattle and miss the free blackberries. After I moved to Long Beach, CA, I saw blackberries in the grocery stores, but could not bring myself to pay what I thought was an exorbitant price for a half basket. Nope. Just couldn’t do it after years of free blackberries. Do you remember wild mountain blackberries? Small, hard to pick, hard to find, intense blackberry flavor. My favorite blackberry.

  21. Made this blackberry sauce today and it tastes amazing.  I love it but not the seeds – is there anyway to remove them without compromising the recipe.  

  22. I’m excited to try this recipe, but I had a quick question, I don’t have any lemon zest could I just use lemon juice or something else like that?

    • Hi Mari. The lemon zest is really just to help brighten the flavor. So you could certainly use a little bit of juice instead!

  23. Can’t wait to try this for my cheesecake! Is it okay if I use frozen blackberries, and should I let them get up to room temperature before making the recipe? Thank you! 

  24. So simple! So delicious!! If a person was to sterilize the jars, this could be preserved,, correct?

    • Hi Marlene. I have not canned this recipe for long term storage so I can’t recommend either way. In addition to the sterilization, I’m also not sure if the sugar/acidity is enough?

  25. I made 1/4 of recipe. I used 2 single brown sugar packets. I/3 of lemon juice. It came out very nice and not overly sweet served on French pancakes. Excellent. 

  26. This sauce is seriously yummy!! I was out of cornstarch so I substituted arrowroot powder and it was still out of this world. Thanks so much for sharing…I will definitely keep this sauce and  put over everything!

  27. I was given Nancy’s Little Wild Blackberry Sauce in a jar several years ago. How long do you think it will be good.  I have never opened the jar.  

    • Hi Louise. I’m sorry I can’t help answer this question. I’m not familiar with this product. I would check the expiration date and when in doubt, throw it out.

  28. I used to live on Vancouver Island.  There are lots of wild blackberries but I planted a thornless blackberry plant in my yard.  Just steps away to pick the berries and no thorns.  I then pruned the plant each year.

    Lynda 

  29. OMG this is amazin! I make a meyer lemon ice cream with a blackberry sauce made from frozen blackberries, Its June in southern california and the berries at Trader Joes were so beautiful I had to try a fresh version. I will never go back to my old recipe – 1000 stars good!

  30. I just made this sauce for yogurt and substituted sugar with honey. Oh my goodness it is delicious and the berries grow wild around the area in Ontario Canada where I grew up and picked them as a child.

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