Blueberry Compote with Cardamom

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This Blueberry Compote is an easy, all-season blueberry sauce to liven up your breakfasts, snacks and desserts? This Blueberry Cardamom Compote is just what you're looking for. Made with frozen blueberries (fresh berries work, too!) and naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey, this delicious sauce is one you're going to want to have on hand at all times.

An overhead shot of a spoonful of blueberry cardamom compote resting over a jar.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe is sure to become a refrigerator staple because:

It's so easy to make. Just toss a handful of ingredients in a saucepan and it's done in about 10 minutes!
The recipe calls for frozen blueberries so you can make it all year round.
It's so versatile! Breakfast, snacks, desserts.....this tasty blueberry compote is here to perk things up for you.

The Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Blueberry Cardamom Compote.

Frozen blueberries. If you aren't already stocking a bag of frozen blueberries in your freezer, I highly encourage you to do so. Not only are they the key ingredient in this delicious compote, they make great smoothies and can be used in baked goods like blueberry muffins without having to thaw them first. I also use them in the filling for these buttery Blueberry Rye Crumble Bars and in my Swedish Blueberry Soup (Blåbärsoppa). They are a must-have staple in my kitchen! That said, if you have fresh blueberries on hand and would like to use them, feel free to do so. Both work beautifully in this recipe and are completely interchangeable.
Maple syrup or honey. The choice of sweetener is up to you. I love the combination of maple syrup and blueberries but honey is a nice fit here, too.
Ground cardamom. Cardamom is a spice found in many Scandinavian sweets and baked goods, and I love its Nordic touch in this recipe.
Fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. The acid from the lemon juice and just a bit of salt round out all of the flavors and really finish things off nicely.

How to Make This Recipe

Combine all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a sauce pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down and become syrupy.

Blueberries, cardamom and maple syrup in a saucepan.

Blueberry compote in a saucepan with a rubber spatula

Add the lemon juice and let the mixture cool. Spoon into a jar and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

Blueberry Cardamom Compote in a jar next to blueberries.

See how easy that was!

Expert Tips

There isn't much to say to ensure your success with this Blueberry Compote Compote. It couldn't be simpler and only requires a stir now and then to keep it from sticking to the pan.

FAQs

What is a fruit compote?

A compote is a fruit preserve that is cooked slowly over low heat in a sweet syrup. Typically compotes are not as sweet as jams or preserves and are more rustic in appearance, perhaps with some of the chunks of fruit remaining intact.

How do I store this Blueberry Compote?

It will keep in the refrigerator tightly sealed in a jar or other container for about two weeks. For longer storage, spoon the cooled compote into a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze it for up to two or three months.

How to Serve Blueberry Cardamom Compote

Overnight oats topped with blueberry compote and granola.

While this list is hardly exhaustive, here are a few ideas for putting this Blueberry Compote to good use. Try it:

on top of overnight oats (the image above) or any breakfast porridge (oatmeal, barley porridge, steel cut oats....all are delicious);
on cream cheese-smeared crispbread or a toasted English muffin;
spooned over vanilla ice cream (my husband's favorite);
mixed into skyr or yogurt and topped with granola;
on top of Nordic Buttermilk Waffles with a dollop of Whipped Vanilla Skyr Cream alongside; and
served alongside Swedish pancakes filled with vanilla pastry cream (see the image below).

Swedish pancakes topped with blueberries and powdered sugar.

Looking for more easy compote ideas? I've got several recipes to take you through the seasons of the year here on the blog:

I hope you give this Blueberry Compote a try! It is simply delicious and a fun thing to have on hand to perk up your breakfast, afternoon snack or dessert.

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