This blueberry glaze is a sweet, glossy sauce made from blueberries, lemon juice, butter, vanilla and agave nectar. It’s so simple to make and perfect for drizzling on cakes, pastries, and other desserts.
It can also be used as a topping for savory dishes, such as grilled chicken or pork or as a salad dressing.
This glaze is brightened up with some lemon juice but you can absolutely have some creative freedom here by subbing in another fruit juice or even adding a bit of spice like cinnamon!
If you are looking for recipes to dip and drizzle this blueberry glaze on, try this Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Cinnamon Sugar Donuts and these Lemon Chia Seed Muffins!
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries?
Both fresh and frozen blueberries can be used to make this blueberry glaze. The choice between using fresh or frozen blueberries will largely depend on what you have stocked in your fridge!
Fresh blueberries: If you are using fresh blueberries, you will need to wash and drain them before adding them to the saucepan. Fresh blueberries are at their peak of ripeness during the summer months, but they can be found in supermarkets year-round.
Frozen blueberries: All you need to do is remove the desired amount of blueberries from the bag and add them to the saucepan. Frozen fruit is a convenient option because they are available year-round and can be stored in the freezer until you are ready to use them.
Although they may take slightly longer to cook down and release their juice, so you may need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes if you are using frozen blueberries.
Also, frozen blueberries may release more juice than fresh blueberries, so you will just need to adjust the cooking time to allow the excess liquid to evaporate and reach the desired glaze consistency.
Overall, either fresh or frozen blueberries can be used to make a delicious blueberry glaze.
What Can Blueberry Glaze be Used For?
Blueberry glaze is a versatile sauce that can be used in a both sweet and savory dishes. Here are a few ideas:
- Topping for cakes and pastries: Blueberry glaze can be used as a topping for cakes, muffins, scones, and other baked goods. Simply drizzle the glaze over the top of the baked goods for a sweet, fruity flavor.
- Filling for cakes and pastries: Try using it as a filling for cakes and pastries. Simply spread a layer of the glaze between layers of cake or pipe it into doughnuts for a juicy filling.
- Topping for ice cream and frozen desserts: Blueberry glaze can be used as a topping for ice cream, sorbet, and other frozen desserts. Simply drizzle the glaze over the top of your frozen dessert for a fruity finish.
- Topping for oatmeal and yogurt: Try topping your oatmeal, yogurt, and other breakfast foods with it. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the oatmeal or yogurt for a sweet and fruity flavor.
- Sauce for grilled meats: Blueberry glaze can also be used as a sauce for grilled meats, such as chicken, pork, or lamb. Simply brush the glaze over the meat as it grills or roasts.
- Dressing for salads: You can also use it as a dressing for salads. Whisk the glaze with a little bit of oil and vinegar to create a sweet and fruity dressing for your salads.
Chunky or Smooth?
The texture of your blueberry glaze can easily be made either way and is based on personal preference!
Chunky blueberry glaze: Cook the blueberries with the other ingredients and leave them whole or only lightly mash them. This will create a glaze with bits of whole or partially mashed blueberries, giving it a chunky texture.
Smooth blueberry glaze: Use a blender (or immersion blender) to puree the reduced glaze and other ingredients until smooth. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher or fork to mash the blueberries until they are fully broken down and the glaze is smooth.
Ingredients
- Blueberries. You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe and feel free to sub in whatever berry you want! Raspberries, strawberries or blackberries would be delicious!
- Salted Butter. For that silky, glossy finish! I love using salted butter here because that added salt helps punch up that juicy sweetness of the glaze.
- Lemon. For a bright, citrusy tang! Can you use another citrus here? Sure. Orange juice would be delicious! I’m sure lime could be tasty but it probably wouldn’t be my first choice. Don’t have lemon? No worries! It’s not really necessary to the recipe so just add a few tablespoons of water instead.
- Agave Nectar. This will give the glaze all that sweetness. I tend to have agave nectar stocked in my pantry but honey or maple syrup will work just as well. if you don’t have any of those, a regular granular white sugar is a great option!
- Vanilla. We’re using just a splash of vanilla for some cozy glaze vibes. Vanilla isn’t necessary to the recipe so if you don’t have any, don’t stress about it. But, a splash of vanilla is always a great touch in most glazes!
How to Make Blueberry Glaze
- Step 1. Combine the blueberries, butter, lemon juice, agave nectar, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat, and whisk the ingredients together frequently as the glaze reduces.
- Step 2. Continue to heat the mixture until the glaze reduces, which should take about 10 minutes. The glaze will reduce as the water in the blueberries evaporates and the mixture becomes thicker. As the glaze reduces, you may need to lower the heat to medium or medium-low to prevent the mixture from boiling over or burning.
- Step 3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the glaze to a small, pourable container. You can use a little creamer pitcher or any other container with a spout or handle that makes it easy to drizzle the glaze over your cakes, pancakes, muffins, oatmeal, or yogurt.
- Step 4. The glaze will add a sweet, fruity flavor to any finished recipe! Simply drizzle the glaze over the top of the dish and serve. You can also use the glaze as a filling for cakes or pastries, or as a topping for ice cream or other frozen desserts. The glaze can be stored in the refrigerator for several days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Does this freeze well? Sure does! It freezes and reheats so nicely and keeps for about one month.
Can I use any berry? Absolutely! Raspberries and blackberries are some of my favorites but strawberries would probably work too. Strawberries may require a bit more mashing to break them down and reducing into a glaze.
How can I get the color lighter? Add a bit of cream to reach your desired color. You can always add more cream, so once your glaze is reduced to the desired consistency stream a tablespoon of cream into the saucepan and stir it in.
Help! I cooked it too long and now it’s too thick!! No worries! Just whisk in some water to thin it out.
Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container for up to a week. It may thicken or congeal in the fridge so feel free to reheat it to thin it out and whisk in water as needed.
This can also be frozen for about 1 month. Store in the freezer in an airtight container. Reheat and add water as needed to thin it out.
Gorgeous Glossy 10-Min Blueberry Glaze
Blueberry glaze is the perfect fruity finish for anything from yogurt, pancakes, cheesecake and more! Only 10 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 tablespoons agave nectar (honey or maple syrup works)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the blueberries, butter, lemon juice, agave nectar, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking frequently.
- Continue to heat until the glaze reduces, about 10 minutes. If it ends up reducing too much, feel free to add some water to thin it out.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a small pourable container such as a little creamer pitcher. Drizzle on cakes, pancakes, muffins, oatmeal, yogurt, and more!
Tips
Food photography by Dalya Rubin.
Nutrition Info:
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 72
- Sugar: 7.3g
- Sodium: 33mg
- Fat: 4.7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
Dalya Rubin says
I love how easy this glaze is!! And it’s super delicious!
Lindsay Grimes Freedman says
Yay!! I’m so glad you loved it!! xo