• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

True North Kitchen

  • Recipes
  • Browse by Category
  • About Me
  • Contact/Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Browse by Category
  • About Me
  • Contact/Work with Me
×

Home » Recipes

Creamy Vanilla Sauce (perfect for dessert!)

Published: Sep 20, 2022 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Creamy Vanilla Sauce is an easy and delicious compliment to all sorts of desserts including bread pudding, cobblers, crumbles, crisps and pies and cakes. Or simply spoon it over a bowl of ripe berries (or straight into your mouth, quite honestly)! It is a versatile, luxurious vanilla cream sauce that goes with just about anything sweet!

With a short list of easy-to-find ingredients, you are just 10 minutes away from enjoying this custard-like vanilla sauce. Ready to get started? Keep reading for step-by-step instructions!

Creamy vanilla sauce on a spoon over a bowl of sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

  • It is made with wholesome, everyday ingredients you are likely to have on hand and comes together in less than 10 minutes.
  • The custard-like vanilla sauce is a welcome compliment to a variety of desserts.
  • The sauce is rich (but not overly so) and full of creamy vanilla flavor.

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Creamy Vanilla Sauce.
  • Half and half is my dairy ingredient of choice for this recipe. You could use whole milk or even cream if you prefer.
  • Two egg yolks provide richness without giving the sauce an overly eggy flavor.
  • Sugar brings sweetness and vanilla extract the flavor. You could also use a vanilla bean if you prefer!
  • A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness of the salt, and cornstarch serves as the thickener.

Special Equipment Needed

  • FIne mesh strainer

How to Make This Recipe

  • Combine the half and half, egg yolks, sugar, salt and cornstarch together in a large saucepan. Heat over medium low, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
Vanilla sauce in a saucepan next to a whisk and a towel.
  • Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Vanilla sauce in a strainer over a glass bowl.
  • Serve the sauce warm, cold or room temperature on top of your favorite dessert!
Slice of Swedish Apple Pie topped with Vanilla Sauce next to a fork and apples.

Expert Tips

  • Be sure to keep a close eye on the sauce while it cooks, ideally whisking it the entire time. Any dairy-based sauce such as this one can easily scorch on the bottom on the bottom of the pan.
Creamy Vanilla Sauce in a pitcher with a spoon.

FAQs

Can I make this Creamy Vanilla Sauce in advance?

Yes! This sauce can be made up to three days ahead of time. Simply store it tightly covered in the refrigerator. It can be served warm or cold so you can either enjoy it straight from the refrigerator OR you can warm it in the microwave or the stovetop.

What desserts go well with this sauce?

Really anything that would go well with vanilla ice cream would be an excellent pair with this sauce. Think cobblers, crumbles, pie, cake, bread pudding.....you name it. See a full list of recipe suggestions below!

What to Serve with Creamy Vanilla Sauce

I gave a few general suggestions above, but as far as specific recipes go, consider some of the following delicious options:

  • Gingerbread Cobbler with Apples and Pears
  • Cardamom Peach Cobbler
  • Swedish Apple Pie (pictured above)
  • Swedish Apple Cake
  • Spice Cake with Dates and Rye (use in place of the caramel sauce)
  • Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake
  • Swedish Spice Cake
  • Old-Fashioned Norwegian Rhubarb Crumb Cake
  • Rustic Strawberry Rhubarb Rye Galette
  • Pear Cardamom Bundt Cake
  • Finnish Strawberry Almond Tart

Related Recipes

Looking for more sweet sauce ideas? Check out these blog favorites:

  • 3 Ingredient Salted Caramel Sauce
  • Blueberry Cardamom Compote
  • No Cook Lingonberry Sauce (Stirred Lingonberries)
  • Easy Spiced Pear Compote
Close up of Creamy Vanilla Sauce.

Creamy Vanilla Sauce

This Creamy Vanilla Sauce is an easy and delicious compliment to all sorts of desserts including bread pudding, cobblers, crumbles, crisps and pies and cakes. Or simply spoon it over a bowl of ripe berries (or straight into your mouth, quite honestly)! It is a versatile, luxurious vanilla cream sauce that goes with just about anything sweet!
Print Pin Rate
Course: desserts, sauces
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Swedish
Keyword: easy vanilla sauce recipe
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups half and half or whole milk or cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Combine the half and half, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a large saucepan and heat over medium low. Whisk the mixture constantly until it begins to simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

This sauce can be made up to three days ahead of time. Simply store it tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 35mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 0.2mg

If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your ________________ and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.

More Nordic/Scandinavian Recipes

  • Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cinnamon
  • White Swedish Glögg with Elderflower Liqueur (Mulled White Wine)
  • Homemade Pickled Mustard Seeds
  • Danish Apple Trifle

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi, I'm Kristi! Welcome to my cozy Nordic kitchen! More about me

SEARCH RECIPES:

The cover for Scandinavian Baking Favorites e-book

Enter your email below and receive a copy of my free ebook, Scandinavian Baking Favorites!



Scandi Breakfast Ideas

A close up of a berry smoothie topped with blueberries and lingonberries

Nordic Wild Berry Almond Smoothie

Baked oat and rye porridge with blueberries and almonds in a pan

Baked Nordic Oat and Rye Porridge

Toast with sliced egg, avocado and pickled beets on a plate

Nordic Avocado Toast with Pickled Beets and Egg

Oatmeal in a bowl with a spoon on a napkin

Simple Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Cream

Close up of a bowl of Creamy Barley Breakfast Porridge with a spoon.

Creamy Barley Breakfast Porridge

Close up of a glass of overnight oats topped wit bananas, blueberries and strawberries next to raw oats and a spoon.

Vanilla Overnight Oats with Cinnamon

Top Posts

Stack of flatbreads on a plate next to herbs and a spiked rolling pin.

Soft Swedish Flatbreads with Garden Herbs (Tunnbröd med Trädgårds Örter)

Sliced rye bread on a marble surface.

Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers in a jar next to peppercorns and fresh dill sprigs.

Quick Swedish Pickled Cucumbers

Slice of bundt cake on a plate with a fork.

Swedish Cardamom Cake (Kardemummakaka)

Sliced Swedish Almond Cake on a marble plate

Simple Swedish Almond Cake

Swedish pancakes on a plate drizzled with lingonberries.

Swedish Pancakes with Lingonberries

Crispbread and a rolling pin and kitchen towel

Easy Sourdough Rye Crispbread (Knäckebröd)

Rye bread slices on a plate next to a loaf of rye bread and a wooden knife with butter

Sourdough Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

Categories

Footer

^ back to top

About
Work with Me
Contact
Disclosure and Privacy Policy
Accessibility Statement

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 True North Kitchen