Creamy Vanilla Sauce (perfect for dessert!)

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!

I developed this recipe with my Swedish Apple Pie recipe in mind, but it is a perfect match for almost any dessert. 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!

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

• Half and half is my dairy ingredient of choice for this recipe.
• Two egg yolks provide richness without giving the sauce an overly eggy flavor.
• Sugar brings sweetness.
• A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness of the sugar.
• Vanilla extract adds flavor.
• Cornstarch serves as the thickener.

See the recipe card below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.

Substitutions

• Substitute whole milk or cream for the half and half. The whole milk version will be a little less rich and the cream will be more so.
• Use the paste from a vanilla bean in place of the extract.

Variations

• Almond Vanilla Sauce: Add a just a few drops of almond extract in with the vanilla.
• Spiced Vanilla Sauce: Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, cardamom and/or nutmeg to the sauce. This is a lovely variation for autumn!
• Vanilla Bourbon Sauce: Add a splash of bourbon or whisky to the sauce.

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.

• Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.

• Serve the sauce warm, cold or room temperature on top of your favorite dessert!

Expert Tip

• 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.

Recipe FAQs

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

Recipe

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!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: desserts, sauces

Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian, Swedish

Keyword: easy vanilla sauce recipe

Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes 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