The Best Homemade Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake
This delicious Homemade Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake recipe is quick and easy, made with fresh strawberries, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla. Ready in minutes, this simple strawberry sauce also works beautifully as filling for a layer cake, to top waffles or pancakes or to stir into a yogurt bowl.
Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries. I sliced mine into small pieces, but you can slice them as large or small as you like, depending on how chunky you want your finished sauce to be.
Add the strawberries, honey, and lemon juice to your saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the strawberries soften and release their juices (about 6 to 8 minutes)
Turn the heat down to low, stir in the vanilla, and let simmer for a couple more minutes or until thickened.
Remove from the heat and allow the strawberry sauce to cool. It will thicken more as it sits.
Once the sauce is fully cooled, you can serve at room temperature over cake or chill in the refrigerator for later.
For a smoother strawberry topping, lightly mash the strawberries with your spatula while cooking.
Taste and adjust while cooking. If your sauce isn't as sweet as you like, you can add a little more honey or a teaspoon or two of granulated sugar.
If your sauce doesn't thicken up enough, you can make a cornstarch slurry. To make a slurry, add 1 tbsp of cornstarch or arrowroot starch and 1 tbsp cold water to a small bowl until dissolved. Pour into your strawberry mixture gradually to thicken. You may not need the entire amount, stop halfway, stir and decide if it still needs to thicken before adding the rest.
