Mixed Berry Compote

Last Updated on June 3, 2025 by becky

A simple mixed berry compote recipe made from fresh or frozen berries, along with granulated sugar and fresh lemon. The best berry compote for cheesecake, parfaits, and ice cream sundaes!

Why Make This Mixed Berry Compote?

A compote is a sweet, versatile fruit sauce, ideal for drizzling over ice cream sundaes, layering into parfaits, stirring into yogurt, or topping slices of New York cheesecake.

This mixed berry version only requires a handful of basic ingredients (just berries, sugar, water, and a lemon) and takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. To make, simply combine berries, sugar, and water in a saucepan and cook on the stovetop until the fruit breaks down, transforming into a thick, textured sauce.

You can make this mixed berry using any combination of fruit you’d like—in fact, it’s one of my favorite recipes for repurposing an excess of fresh or frozen berries. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Leftover compote will keep in the fridge for about a week, and it also freezes beautifully!

Mixed Berry Compote Recipe Ingredients

To make this mixed berry compote, start by gathering the following ingredients:

• Mixed Berries – You can use fresh berries, frozen berries, or a mix of the two. I used a combination of blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and cherries.

• Granulated Sugar – For sweetening the compote. You can also use caster sugar, measured by weight.
• Lemon – You’ll need fresh lemon juice as well as lemon zest, finely zested on a Microplane. If you don’t enjoy lemon, you can replace it with lime or orange juice instead.

How to Make Berry Compote from Frozen Berries

While fresh berries work beautifully in this recipe, you can definitely make this berry compote from frozen berries, too. In fact, I love this recipe because it allows me to clean out the freezer and use up all of those “odds and ends” of bags of frozen fruit left over from other projects.

I keep a big, resealable food storage bag in the freezer at all times. Whenever I buy fresh berries for a recipe and have a few left over, I toss them in the bag. Once I’ve collected enough, I use my frozen mixed berries to make mixed berry crisp, mixed berry hand pies, or this mixed berry compote.

For compote, you don’t even need to worry about thawing—just toss with the sugar and cook as directed. Keep in mind that frozen berries will take a few minutes longer to come to a boil, and will require a slightly increased cook time, but the end result will be no less delicious than if you’d started with fresh fruit.

Ways to Use Homemade Berry Compote

Some of my favorite uses for this mixed berry compote include:

• Use in this blueberry cheesecake brownie recipe, with mixed berry compote substituting for the blueberries.
• Drizzle on top of homemade ice cream or an ice cream sundae.
• Layer into a parfait, trifle, or mixed berry Eton Mess.
• Spread on toast, muffins, or homemade scones.
• Stir into oatmeal, Greek yogurt, smoothie bowls, or overnight oats.
• Use as a cake topping (it’s the best berry compote for cheesecake, and a fun alternative to traditional cherry compote!)
• Pair with coconut whipped cream for a simple dairy free, gluten free, and vegan dessert.

Mixed Berry Compote Tips and Tricks

Pay attention to texture. As it cooks, the compote will break down and thicken, but with some pieces of berry remaining. A compote should be thinner than a jam or jelly, but not totally liquid.

Use a heat proof spoon. For stirring hot compotes (and other hot liquids, like sugar syrups and caramel sauce) a heat proof spoon makes a worthy addition to your kitchen.

Add citrus. Fresh lemon balances the tartness of the berries and cuts the overall sweetness of the compote. If you don’t enjoy lemon, you can use orange or lime zest and juice instead.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Refrigerate mixed berry compote in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve cold, or rewarm in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.

To freeze: Scoop mixed berry compote into an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Other mixed berry recipes you might enjoy:

Mixed Berry Crisp
Miniature Berry Tart Recipe
Mixed Berry Hand Pies
Eton Mess Recipe with Mixed Berries
Mixed Berry Muffins

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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