Easy Berry Compote Recipe (Rote Grütz)

Enjoy this quick, easy, and versatile berry compote recipe on its own or as a topping for breakfast or dessert! Rote Grütz adds a delicious pop of flavor to almost any dessert.

Mixed berry compote only uses three simple ingredients and is easy to make in under 30 minutes. Use it as a topping for waffles or oatmeal, or even with yogurt, ice cream, or cake!

What is a berry compote?

Compote uses whole or cut-up fruit cooked in syrup. The fruit cooks slowly at a low temperature to keep its shape, giving the compote a chunky texture.

This delicious mixed berry compote can be made with dried, fresh, or frozen berries.

Traditionally, compote is made with a simple sugar syrup, but you can add many spices and flavorings to your berry compote recipe according to taste.

Many cuisines and cultures use berry compote in both sweet and savory dishes, whether to top pancakes, ice creams, or even meat.

In Northern Europe, berry compote is called “Rote Grütze” when it uses red berries and “Lila Grütze” when purple berries are added.

What’s the difference between compote and jam?

The main difference between a compote and a jam is that a compote is only cooked in sugar syrup. A jam usually has added pectin, a thickening agent, or a higher quantity of sugar.

The fruits in a compote remain chunky in liquid syrup. Jam reduces further until the syrup becomes thick and sticky, and the fruits lose their shape.

Berry Compote Recipe Ingredients

Making a Rote Grütze requires only a few ingredients:

• Fresh or frozen berries (use a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, cranberries,… it is up to you!)
• Brown sugar
• Lemon juice
• Optional: spices like cinnamon or ground ginger and flavorings such as vanilla.

For this recipe, I use a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

RECIPE TIP: Remember, you can use fresh, frozen, or dried berries when making the compote. It will be delicious no matter which way you make it!

How to Make Berry Compote

Making mixed berry compote is both ridiculously easy and super quick. It does not require any prep, especially if you use frozen berries. To make this Rote Grütze, simply:

1. Clean, cut and remove the stems from the berries if you are using fresh ones.
2. Place the mixed berries, lemon juice, and brown sugar in a small pot on low heat.
3. Cook for 5 minutes with the pot lid on then for another 10 to 15 minutes without the lid.
4. Remove from the stove, leave to cool down for a few minutes, then transfer into a sealed jar. Keep in the fridge or freeze when cold.

Can I use frozen berries for a compote?

Absolutely! Not only will using frozen berries make the process even easier as you won’t need to cut or core the fruits. We have a great guide on how to freeze strawberries.

Frozen berry compote is also perfect if you want to enjoy Rote Grütze all year long, even when the berries you want aren’t in season!

How long will fruit compote last in the fridge?

When stored properly in a sealed jar, this berry compote will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

You can also freeze it in a plastic container or freezing bags for a few months. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to eat.

Can berry compote be canned?

Although you can technically can this Rote Grütze recipe, it is not recommended. Because of its low sugar content, the compote will not preserve as well as jams or other cooked fruit recipes that have a higher ratio of sugar to fruit.

For recipes that can be canned, try these strawberry jam recipes: Strawberry Rhubarb Jam and Strawberry Vanilla Jam.

What do you eat strawberry compote with?

There are so many delicious dishes you can eat this compote with, whether it is for breakfast, dessert or even with savory meals. Here are a few ideas:

For breakfast:

• With fresh berries over this Dutch Baby Pancake
• On toasted Rhubarb Bread
• Drizzled over these Gluten Free Banana Pancakes
• With Rhubarb Cake or Rhubarb Muffins

For dessert:

• Over a Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake
• Inside these Strawberry Crepes
• With Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
• To go with some Red Wine Poached Pears

Quick, easy, wholesome and versatile, this recipe is perfect for kids and adults alike. With so many different delicious ways to enjoy this mixed berry compote, it should soon become a fridge staple in your house!

Love this strawberry compote recipe as much as we do? Try these other sweet recipe ideas…

• How to Make Strawberry Sauce
• Spiderman Web Berry Dessert
• Butterscotch Sauce Recipe
• Banana Raspberry No Churn Ice Cream

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Photography by Sylvie Gruber