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Delicious 4 Ingredient Homemade Blueberry Syrup

I could eat this homemade blueberry syrup all day long.

Let me count the ways… Blueberry syrup on pancakes or waffles in the morning. On ice cream at night and even mixed into salad dressing as a vinaigrette for lunch.

Obviously, my homemade blueberry syrup disappears quickly in my house! This post includes affiliate links which earn me a commission if you shop through them.

Homemade blueberry syrup being spooned from a jar

When I go out to eat, I usually order something that I can’t – or don’t – make at home. Eating out is special, and I want something different and unique.

The wee ones tend to be the same way, which explains why Mister Man loves ordering French Toast.

Though I make an awesome French Toast, I don’t like French Toast, so I rarely make it. And when they find French toast with homemade blueberry syrup is on the menu? They jump for joy!

But now? I discovered the secrets of blueberry syrup from scratch – yep, homemade blueberry syrup.

It’s so easy and has so few ingredients – especially compared to commercial brands. My kids no longer covet it when we go out to eat.

Instead, we enjoy the blueberry syrup at home on everything from yogurt to ice cream to pancakes and yes, even French Toast. It makes a fantastic topping over homemade crepes, too.

Blueberry syrup on crepes

I made this because I had a huge bag of organic blueberries in my freezer from when the wee ones and I went blueberry picking this summer. It’s the happy problem when you visit a U-Pick farm.

I needed something to do with the berries, and I needed something that would not go bad quickly. Initially I debated making blueberry crumble, but I vetoed that in favor of syrup. Boy am I glad I did.

This is definitely a recipe I’ll be making again and again, and only partly because it is so incredibly easy to make and quick to come together – and I’m not exaggerating. This was done and in mason jars in under a half hour, start to finish.

Are you a visual learner? Watch the video tutorial to help.

Blueberries in a liquid measuring cup.

Can I use frozen blueberries to make blueberry syrup?

You absolutely can. I used the blueberries that I’d frozen this summer, but store bought frozen blueberries work, too. I have found that the wild blueberries – the smaller ones – taste better than the “standard” ones, but both work well.

And the fact that Costco just starting stocking a triple cherry frozen blend? Those cherries inspired my homemade cherry syrup, too!

Cherry syrup in a jar with a spoon scooping some out.

You don’t even need to thaw the blueberries before you start working on your blueberry syrup, although it may take a little longer to come to a boil. If you thaw them, however, make sure that you get all the juice into the pan.

Can I double this recipe?

This recipe is also easily scaleable. I doubled the recipe knowing I wanted to make more to give away, a this makes a fantastic teacher or holiday gift.

A single recipe makes about two and a half cups of syrup, which is perfect for family use. It stays good in the fridge for at least two weeks.

If you want to halve the recipe to make less syrup, that works, too.

Can I use this syrup in drinks?

Oh heck yes, you can use this homemade blueberry syrup in anything that calls for blueberry syrup or compote or flavoring.

However, think about what you plan to make. If it isn’t getting pureed or muddled, would you want the whole blueberries in it?

For example, some things I would strain the freshly made syrup through a fine mesh strainer first, pushing as much juice and syrup from the blueberries as I could.

What if I don’t know how to can?

Guess what? Neither do I. It’s just not something I’ve ever done, so this syrup is meant to be refrigerated and consumed.

It is not – let me repeat NOT – shelf stable.

The good news is that you can absolutely make this homemade blueberry compote and not have to worry about figuring out how to can it safely. Regardless, always always make sure your glass jars are cleaned and sterilized before you put any food into them.

If you do know how to can, you can process this recipe to make the syrup shelf stable. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve had many readers reach out to tell me they’ve successfully done so.

How to Make Homemade Blueberry Syrup

Clean and sterilize your mason jars. A single recipe makes four 4 ounce jars, but scale it up to make some for gifts!

Taste your blueberries. If they’re fairly tart, add a little more sugar to your syrup. If you chose great, sweet blueberries, stick with this.

You may want to adjust the sweetness once your syrup has boiled down some. Just make sure to let your taste cool enough to not burn your tongue!

Wash your blueberries well, and pick off all the stems – or at least as many as you can find.

Measuring blueberries for syrup.

Place the berries into a heavy saucepan, and add 1/2 cup of water and the sugar.

Blueberries in a pot with sugar on top.

Stir to dissolve and cook on medium high heat. As you stir, keep watching for stems and other detritus to pop up and carefully pick them out with a clean hand.

As much as I swear I cleaned the blueberries, stems always still appear. I am pretty sure I got them all before the syrup got too hot to handle.

Stems from already cleaned blueberry mixture on a finger over the cooking syrup.

Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. You’ll notice that the berries continue to change color and texture. They’ll swell, some will break, and they’ll turn a deeper, richer purple.

Simmering blueberry syrup in a pot.

While the mixture simmers, mix together the cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup of cold water, using a fork to ensure it all dissolves and there are no clumps. This helps thicken your syrup.

Stirring cornstarch slurry in a small white bowl with a fork.

Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the syrup, stirring constantly while you do so to ensure it all gets mixed in. Simmer for a total of 15 minutes or until the syrup reduces to the thickness you desire.

Add the lemon juice and stir to incorporate, then remove the syrup from the heat. Taste your blueberry syrup and determine if you need any more sugar. Add a teaspoon at a time until it taste right for you.

Thickened blueberry compote sticking to a spatula over the pot.

Because I like the idea of whole blueberries in my syrup to add a rustic and homemade touch, I immediately place into clean jars rather than straining out the whole blueberries, and I recommend doing the same.

If you want a smooth syrup, to use in drinks or because you prefer a smooth texture, just strain it. Use a fine mesh strainer, and push the syrup through using a spatula.

Homemade blueberry syrup being spooned from a jar.

Your homemade blueberry syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can also process it in a hot water bath, but I’m just not a canner – yet.

What will you eat with your homemade blueberry syrup?

Homemade blueberry syrup being spooned from a jar

Homemade Blueberry Syrup

Yield: 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Homemade blueberry syrup is far easier than you ever imagined, and much tastier than store bought. Four ingredients, and you're ready to go!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups blueberries, either fresh or frozen
  • 3/4 cup water, separated
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Wash blueberries well, and pick off all the stems.
  2. Place berries into a heavy saucepan, and add 1/2 cup of water and sugar. Stir to dissolve and cook on medium high heat.
  3. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
  4. While mixture simmers, mix together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup of cold water with a fork.
  5. Slowly pour cornstarch mixture into syrup, stirring constantly while you do so to ensure it all gets mixed in.
  6. Continue simmering for a total of 15 minutes or until the syrup has gotten to the thickness you desire. Add the lemon juice and stir to incorporate, then remove the syrup from the heat.

Notes

  • Taste your blueberries before making this. If they're a little tart, add some extra sugar. If they're good and sweet already, follow the recipe and taste test at the end to see if you need to add a teaspoon more at a time.
  • Because I like the idea of whole blueberries in my syrup to add a rustic and homemade touch, I immediately place into clean jars rather than straining out the whole blueberries. I recommend doing the same. You can puree the syrup if you prefer or strain it to remove the blueberries.
  • For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 31Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 0g

This site uses an outside source to provide nutrition as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.

Did you make this recipe?

Please rate the recipe above and save it on Pinterest so you can find it to make again and again. Leave me a comment to let me know what you think about it, too!

Homemade blueberry syrup collage with top having syrup in a ar and bottom partially cooked.

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  1. B.J.E. says:

    Awesome recipe! I used domino blend instead of sugar which uses one half the called for amount and there was not a drop left. 3 of us had on blueberry pancakes and used sparingly and everyone raved repeatedly! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipe!

    • Michelle says:

      Oh I am so happy to hear that. Comments like this make my day. I love the blueberry syrup, and I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, as well. It does work beautifully on pancakes! Browse around and see if you find anything else that strikes your fancy 🙂

  2. […] it’s easy to make your own like the strawberry lemonade preserves I used this time around or homemade blueberry syrup I generally have lurking somewhere in my fridge. If you don’t make your own, you can […]

  3. […] made blueberry syrup and cherry syrup for the swap before, and those had gone over fairly well, so naturally, strawberry […]

  4. I love blueberry jam. Looks so simple even I can make this (and trust me when I say EVEN I). Thanks!

  5. Amanda says:

    Love how easy this is. I have never done this with blueberries (not sure why) but have with blackberries, raspberries and even apples. This would be delicious to make to put on top of cheesecake! Yum 🙂 I am hungry now.

  6. Patty says:

    Being a canner I will tell you that cornstarch does not hold up to canning – it breaks down and separates. There is a product called sure jel that is made to take the heat of canning. It’s also more shelf stable. If it can be canned, I can it – so don’t leave anything near me you don’t want sealed in a jar. Bwahahahaha

    • Karen Hattori says:

      @Michelle, Be warned that Clear Gel is a modified food starch . If you ,or anyone you are going to feed this to, has food allergies or, gut issues like IBS, you could make them very sick. I use a little pectin instead. About one third of what you would use for jam. It holds up in the canner and comes very jewel clear.if you ar3 not going to can it ,then the non gmo corn starch is great ! Keeps in the freezer for at least a year. Mine never makes it any longer than that. Yummmmm

      • Michelle says:

        Good to know on the allergy front. I appreciate the tip on that. Mine doesn’t even make it to the freezer with the corn starch (yes, non GMO here!) because my family devours it so quickly. So glad you enjoy it!

    • Michelle says:

      Thank you – That is a good call out. I am NOT a canner and definitely don’t pretend to be 🙂 Do you use about as much sure jel as you do cornstarch, or what is the ratio? For the day when I start to can everything in sight, of course!

      • Dawn says:

        It is called Clear Jel not sure gel. Sure gel is used to make jelly and jams. However, clear jel is substituted 1 for 1 in recipes that need to be thickened and canned. Clear Bel is approved for canning. I don’t keep cornstarch on hand anymore, as I use clear jelly to thicken whatever I need.

        • Barb says:

          I use the Clear Gel when I can apple pie filling. I had to order it online, as I could not find it anywhere locally. We have wild blueberries on our property, and we decided that we should make and can syrup this year. Last year was a bumper year, so, even after several batches of jam, several blueberry sour cream pies and 4 blueberry mouse cakes, I still have probably 30 cups of blueberries frozen. Plenty to work with!

          • Michelle says:

            I’m now adding Clear Gel to my list of ingredients to get and play with. I’m so jealous of all your blueberries. I wish we had something like that where I am. Definitely try the syrup recipe, too! 🙂

        • Michelle says:

          Love it! Thank you so much for clarifying that for me. As I said, I don’t pretend to even can and simply refrigerate what I make. I may have to pick some up and play with this though, especially if it has allergen friendly ingredients. I have a good friend whose kids love to eat what I make but one has a severe corn allergy, so he’s limited on some of the fun stuff like this. Thanks again!

  7. Yummy yummy yummy! i love blueberry syrup and now I want to make some! I learned how to can with my sister-in-law, but I think I would eat it so fast, it wouldn’t need to be canned.

  8. Kimberly Broom says:

    Do you think instead of sugar you could use stevia? Or at least do half sugar and half stevia to make it a little more low calorie?

    • Michelle says:

      Well, yes, you could… but definitely use less because Stevia is pretty potent. I tend to be a purist, so I don’t use any substitutes, partly because I can detect the flavor profiles of them strongly. If you’re good with Stevia though – go for it!

  9. This looks delicious! My kids will love this over waffles. I can’t wait to try it. Did you can it for the swap?

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