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Just a fancy name for a delicious, super versatile raspberry sauce, this Ridiculously Easy Raspberry Coulis pairs fabulously with chocolate, lemon and a zillion other desserts! Along with being ridiculously easy, it's also ridiculously delicious!
I can't remember when or where it was, but the first taste of raspberry coulis had me totally smitten. It was more than the sweet, vibrant flavor and the delicious, intense raspberry essence that enchanted me. The gorgeous crimson color also made a huge impression as I love to serve food that has beautiful eye appeal.
What I didn't know, was how amazingly easy this gourmet sounding raspberry coulis is to make! So easy that it definitely falls into our ridiculously easy recipe category. You can read in more detail about our ridiculously easy recipes in this post but, in a nutshell, they're all recipes that require minimal work, while making you (and me) look like a cooking rock star.
This raspberry coulis is almost too easy to be considered a recipe although I have learned some little tricks over the years to share with you. I know you'll find the results super delicious!
What is a coulis?
What's a coulis? Coulis (pronounced koo-LEE) is French for a thick sauce that's made from puréed and strained vegetables or fruits. The original, classical use of the term was a meat sauce that was reduced three times. These days, savory coulis made from puréed veggies and sweet coulis, from just about any kind fruit are more common. Restaurant chefs often use coulis as a delicious garnish for both entrees and desserts.
What do you do with raspberry coulis?
This Easy Raspberry Coulis is one of those wonderful culinary magic tricks I love to have up my sleeve and can be used in lots of delightful ways.
- It pairs deliciously with chocolate desserts like this easy Chocolate Obsession Cake or this wonderful Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake.
- It also goes well with anything lemon (like this French Grandmother's Lemon Yogurt Cake or this Limoncello Lemon Tart)
- Drizzle it over ice cream, pound cake, cheesecake and or meringues.
- Serve it with fresh fruit. It's wonderful with fresh peaches, bananas, pineapple, melon, strawberries, etc.
- A little raspberry coulis drizzled over yogurt or oatmeal is a fabulous way to start the day.
- Try it as a unique and beautiful topping for baked brie. Drizzle the warm brie with raspberry coulis, then add a few fresh raspberries and a scatter of thyme or basil leaves. Serve with crackers for an appetizer that will bring rave reviews!
Don't believe such a fancy sauce could be easy? We created a little video so you could see for yourself:
Café Tips for making this Easy Raspberry Coulis
- This raspberry coulis will keep well in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. If you won't use it up within a week, it also freezes beautifully and can be pulled out for a quick and easy dessert drizzled over ice cream (or any of the suggestions above in the post).
- This coulis recipe is fabulous on its own but for a fun depth of flavor, add a splash of Chambord, Framboise (both raspberry liqueurs) or Grand Marnier (orange liquor).
- You can either drizzle this raspberry coulis over a dessert or, for something different, serve the dessert on a pool of the delicious raspberry sauce. Either way, it will be a winner.
- I make a simple syrup in the microwave when preparing this sauce. You could also make the syrup on the stovetop.
- You can you fresh raspberries for this coulis but I really like frozen better. It's funny, I find that the color is not as pretty with fresh. If you use fresh, you may need to add a tablespoon more liquid when pureeing.
- Any blender or food processor will work well for this recipe. I use my Wolf High-Performance Blender to make my raspberry coulis. This is truly a dream machine that's a workhorse in my kitchen for so many tasks. It's similar to the Vitamix, but to me is built a lot stronger and sturdier. I use it for soups, sauces, smoothies, nut butters and a myriad of other things. If you're in the market for a high-quality blender that will literally blend everything from soup to nuts, this is a fabulous machine.
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One of our favorite ways to use this raspberry coulis is paired with this crazy delicious, incredibly moist Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake that could possibly elicit marriage proposals - or at the least, lots of ooohs and aaaahs!
This Easy Raspberry Coulis recipe was originally published in January of 2018. We've updated the post and images and added a video so we're sharing it again for your culinary pleasure. Bon Appétit!
Just a fancy name for a delicious, super versatile raspberry sauce, this Easy Raspberry Coulis pairs fabulously with chocolate and a zillion other desserts!
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons water or orange juice
- 12 ounces frozen raspberries thawed
- 1 tablespoon Chambord Framboise or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional)
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Combine sugar and water (or orange juice) in a 1 cup (or larger) microwave-safe cup or bowl. Stir to combine. The mixture will be very thick.
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Cook in the microwave on high power for two minutes. Stir for 5-10 seconds to ensure that the sugar crystals are dissolved.
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Combine frozen raspberries and hot syrup in a blender container. Blend until the mixture is smooth and pureed.
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Pour puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium-size bowl. Stir and push on the solids with the back of a rubber spatula until all of the liquid has been extracted. This will take several minutes as the mixture will be thick.
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Discard the seeds. Add the liqueur, if using and stir to combine.
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Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.
Sandy Krawec says
Thanks for the recipe,I have been trying to find this for sale online but l will certainly make it. The trial will be this wknd.,wish me luck!Sandy
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
You can do it! Let us know how it turns out, Sandy!
Michelle Allaire says
I am thinking of making this and using it warm to melt a chocolate sphere revealing a brownie and homemade raspberry ripple ice cream. Do you believe this recipe will work served warm? Not sure how thick it ends up being.
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michelle, this would be fairly thin when warm but it should work. What a beautiful idea - wish I was invited 😋
Malaika says
Do you mean powdered sugar?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Malaika, no, it's regular granulated sugar. ENJOY!
Malaika says
Great, thank you! Can’t wait to try
Michelle Davis says
I made this with your ridiculously easy orange olive oil cake. And WOW was the coulis a winner! I only had Grand Marnier instead of Chambord, and I also used water instead of orange juice as I did not want an overbearing orange flavor on top of the orange cake. My husband tested it and loved it even before I strained it through the mesh and added the liqueur. In fact, the seedy jam left over afterwards he kept for bagels the next morning. 🙂 After straining it and adding the liqueur though, I was in love. It was for my mother-in-laws 71st birthday, and everyone loved it so much! Everyone was asking for extra of the coulis, raving about it, and asking how I made it. It was so simple and easy to make. I still have some left and might serve it over pancakes! I can think of a million different uses, actually, it is just so versatile. This may be a new refrigerator staple that I just keep around. Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thanks so much for letting us know, Michelle!
Hope says
Made this recipe with our family cheesecake for a couple years now. Water is better than OJ, and we usually don’t have the right alcohol on hand but it’s always the star of the show. People beg me for it- little do they know how simple it really is!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know, Hope!
John D. says
The above is one of the most ridiculous negative posts I've EVER read. It's absurd to believe that so little alcohol could have such an effect on a child. The poster must think we're all stupid enough to believe such nonsense. My take is it's just a fictional story trying to rile up gullible readers. Shame!
Julia S. says
Just made this, tried it over chocolate ice cream and also over mango sorbet. Easy peasy. Both are great. Going to have to make more, but with the optional Chambord you mention in the recipe. 😉
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Julia!
Jaye ( Australia ) says
I just made this sauce and it is delicious and so easy - definitely my go to raspberry sauce. I didn’t have the appropriate alcohol but it clearly states * OPTIONAL* so I left it out - still delicious.
Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Jaye!
Rachel says
I just made this and it was absolutely delicious! I had no idea a coulis was so easy. I made it for a flourless chocolate cake, which usually feels a bit dry. This took it to the next level! I used frozen strawberries and orange juice. I did a double recipe, but with only 3/4 cup sugar. I think that lets the raspberry flavor come through better. Huge hit! And now I'm going to drizzle it over pancakes :).
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Rachel!
Debra says
Just one question: Will pureeing the raspberries make it taste funny from macerating the seeds while pureeing? I am only asking because I made another desert which required pureeing fresh raspberries, and it tasted gamy and off, we suspected it to be the seeds that got pureed. Which was a crying shame, because honestly, those were best flavored fresh raspberries I have ever tasted in my 52 years (and I am cherry and berry connoisseur during their season), and we anticipated the recipe was going to be fantastic, only to throw it out and ruin all those amazing raspberries. I only have a Kitchen-aid food processor/blender--so nothing too fancy, but I can run the food processor speed when using my blender which is what I did. Did that mess it up? I just don't want to try to make another fresh raspberry dish to have it be ruined. Any insight is appreciated. I had some raspberry colis at a local fine dining establishment and OMG..it was the best ever. I am hoping your recipe is as good, but I am scared to ruin more good fruit. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Debra, I've never had that issue with this recipe. Give it a try, I think you'll love it!
Alex Dyall says
This recipe RUINED my holidays. We were unaware that this recipe included alcohol and as a result my 5 year old son Jaden was manic the entire night. He threw up multiple times and was sick for THREE days (the entire length of our trip!) And yes, a doctor did inform us that it was alcohol poisoning. Save yourself and your children by giving this recipe a 1 star review. I am VERY disappointed.
Chris Scheuer says
Hello Alex, first of all, let me say that I'm very sorry your child was sick. Especially over the holidays and on a trip, that makes things very difficult.
Regarding the Raspberry Coulis, the liqueur that is recommended for this recipe is Chambord which is, first of all very low in alcohol, 16.5%. Secondly, there is 1 tablespoon for the entire recipe which equates to ¼ teaspoon per 2 tablespoon serving. Thirdly, the Chambord is noted as optional in the recipe.
Whoever makes and serves a recipe is responsible (and is fully aware of what the recipe contains) to their guests. It might have been a good idea for your host to make you aware that each serving contained ¼ teaspoon of low alcohol liqueur. Or perhaps, if your child is super sensitive, you should have inquired of your host what was being served.
I highly suggest that your child NEVER eat anything with vanilla extract as vanilla is very high in alcohol - a minimum of 35 percent alcohol, the same proof as Captain Morgan rum.
Kind Regards,
Chris
Sarah says
What on earth? When Karen below leaves a glowing reiew, you know that something like this has to be some kind of rolling attempt. Eitherway, I've not made this yet but plan on doing so this weekend. 5 starts in advance, if only just for this fabulous reply. Keep it up Chris!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Sarah.💕
Sue S says
This is a simple and delicious recipe.
BUT… You are a woman who makes all of womanhood look stupid. How ridiculous. Maybe you should look at what else your child had to eat or drink. If he/she had “alcohol poisoning”, it was certainly not from this, even if the child drank the WHOLE batch! Did your child perhaps get into REAL alcohol? AND what was their blood alcohol level if they truly had “alcohol poisoning”? Sorry, this is a ridiculous comment and smacks only of the idiocy of the mother, not of the truth. And, yes, I can comment with some authority because I have an MSN in the Pediatric Nursing.
Joy Bertrand says
Agreed, Sue. The nominal amount of alcohol in this recipe -- 1 Tablespoon -- wouldn't be enough to send a child into a "manic" state, particularly with one serving on a plate. The recipe makes 12 servings.
AND -- that's before we note that Chambord, like all alcohol, is. . . alcohol. It's sold in the alcohol department of stores and would require an ID of someone over 21 to buy it. What did Alex think it was?
penelope says
Hi! made this today. First time. Used frozen (for all the suggested reasons). Used Grand Marnier. after making, I tasted and found it to be quite tart. Was wondering if the sugar takes Time to permeate, after left in refrigerator for a while. I confess I added the simple syrup after I deseeded the purée…just wondering. I plan on using with dark chocolate lava cakes, where I expect it to shine. thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Penelope, it may be that your raspberries were just a little tart to start with. You could add a bit more sugar and put it in the microwave for a minute or two to dissolve it or add a little honey.
Patty Lynn says
Are YOU KIDDING ME…?
Alcohol poisoning from 1 Tbsp. of “An OPTIONAL addition” 16.5% alcohol by vol.
Putting it nicely, you’re full of it .
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Patty 🙂
Kristie says
Your child had alcohol and you blame the recipe? Seriously? And then state that everyone should give one star? Ridiculous!
Made this recipe for a French patisserie. Beautiful. Have been enjoying the leftovers over vanilla ice cream through out this week. Delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Kristie!
William says
Children's cough syrup has more alcohol than Chambord, Alex. If you're unaware of the existence of alcohol in liqueur, you're an idiot. Maybe don't blame a cooking blog for your poor parenting, because if it was truly alcohol poisoning, your child was drinking something else. 😂
Fantastic recipe, Chris! My guests and I LOVED it over the truffle cake we served. Super easy too. Will definitely be making this again.
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, William! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Emilie Hardy says
If you made the recipe would you not have been aware that it had alcohol? Thereby knowingly letting your child consume alcohol? That sounds like more of a parenting problem than a recipe problem.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Emilie.
craig says
It says "optional" . Don't blame the recipe because the maker didn't tell you there was alcohol in it. There wouldn't be enough in this recipe to make your child that sick from this alone. Who let's their kids just eat anything without being aware of what's in it?
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Craig.
Kathy says
This is the most ridiculous review I have ever read bar none. You are blaming a recipe that YOU made for having alcohol in it? What were you thinking when you added the alcohol to the recipe? Whatever happened to personal responsibility? This recipe has a tiny bit of alcohol per serving in it. As someone else suggested, you should check to see what else the child ate. Additionally, was the blood alcohol level ever checked? I would be more inclined to believe an over abundance of sugary desserts over the holidays. Who kept an eye on this child? The same person who bought and added the alcohol, perhaps? Signed: ICU RN
Chris says
Alex,
That is the most moronic review I’ve ever seen. Your child didn’t get sick on the small amount of alcohol in the recipe. Maybe little Jimmy broke into a bottle of scotch. Seriously “save yourself and your children”. Drama much Karen?
Sam says
I high doubt this recipe made your son manic and drunk, especially with the small amount of alcohol.
Alcohol cooks out in heat and you're left with the taste. Put this back on you, why did you give it to your son if you knew there was alcohol in it? Especially when the recipe says that it's **OPTIONAL**.
Take some personal responsibility and just tell the OP you're sorry for throwing wild accusations and that it was you who didn't watch what little johnny was eating and wanted a scapegoat.
Ugh... Americans
Karen says
I made this raspberry coulis to go with a Belgian chocolate cake. Everyone was scraping their plates, and a few people requested extra sauce! Of course, I added the Chambourd!
Love, love, love all your recipes! I literally have never been disappointed! Now if I could just get in a trip to the French Alps…! 🥰
Kitt says
I made this fabulous recipe last week with frozen raspberries. We had it over good vanilla ice cream and just picked fresh peaches and some whipped cream. The colors were gorgeous together and the raspberry sauce was the star of the show. I added some Chambord which made it extra special. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks so much for letting us know, Kitt!