Got blueberries? Here’s a great way to use them: a homemade blueberry syrup recipe! This simple method results in a thick, glossy syrup that tastes like pure tangy berries. Cook down fresh or frozen blueberries with sugar until they burst, then mix with a little lemon juice to make the flavor pop. It’s so easy and it takes any stack of pancakes or bowl of ice cream to the next level.

Ingredients in blueberry syrup

The concept of homemade blueberry syrup is simple: cook down the berries with sugar on the stovetop until they burst and become a thick, bright purple drizzle. It’s similar to a blueberry sauce or blueberry compote, but the texture is slightly thinner with chunks of fruit. This syrup is perfect for use with pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal and more! Here’s what you’ll need:

BlueberriesGranulated sugarWaterCornstarch Lemon juice

Can you use frozen berries?

Frozen blueberries are perfect for blueberry syrup. Frozen berries are no ideal in baked recipes like muffins and scones because they tend to bleed, which can turn the batter a shade of purple! However, they’re great in cooked recipes like syrups, sauces, crisps and crumbles because they’re cooked down. Either work beautifully here!

How to make blueberry syrup (basic steps)

This blueberry syrup recipe is sweet with chunks of tender fruit, and it’s simple to whip up with an approximately 10-minute cook time. Simply simmer blueberries with sugar until they break down, then add a bit of cornstarch to help make that glossy sheen. Here’s what you’ll do:

Heat blueberries, sugar and water over medium heat in a saucepan.Cook about 10 minutes, until the blueberries break down and form a sauce. The berries contain natural pectin, which thickens the sauce as they cook down!Add cornstarch and simmer another 1 minute, stirring constantly. Make a cornstarch slurry, then pour it into the sauce. It will immediately start to thicken and become glossy. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. The acidic lemon juice adds just the right pop to the flavor.

Ways to use it

There are so many ways to use blueberry syrup: it’s extremely versatile for use with both breakfasts and desserts! Here are some ideas:

Pancakes like Easy Pancakes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Classic Blueberry Pancakes or Lemon Ricotta PancakesWaffles like Perfect Waffles or Blueberry WafflesFrench toast like Best French Toast or French Toast CasseroleOatmeal like Classic Oatmeal Blueberry Baked OatmealYogurt like a Yogurt ParfaitIce cream like over vanilla ice cream or swirled into Cheesecake Ice cream

What other ways would you serve it? Let us know in the comments below!

More blueberry recipes

Blueberries are one of our favorite fruits to cook and bake with! Here are a few more of our favorite blueberry recipes to try:

Bake up Lemon Blueberry Bread or Lemon Blueberry MuffinsTry a pan of the Perfect Blueberry Crumble, Blueberry Bars, or Blueberry French Toast CasseroleStart the day with Easy Blueberry Oatmeal or Blueberry Baked OatmealGo for Classic Blueberry Pancakes, Best Blueberry Waffles or Classic Blueberry MuffinsMake a drink like Blueberry Lemonade, Blueberry Vodka Smash, Blueberry Martini or more Blueberry Cocktails

This blueberry syrup recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. 5 from 3 reviews

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