This homemade vanilla cream sauce is better than whipped cream if you love desserts. This is an old-fashioned sauce for a cake you don’t want to miss! Not only is this sauce a winner on cakes and pies, but it is the perfect vanilla sauce for bread pudding!
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This creamy homemade vanilla sauce is made from scratch in just minutes. I found this recipe years ago in my Grandmother’s recipe box. It is made from simple, wholesome ingredients because fresh is always better than store-bought!
This vanilla cream sauce is so good for desserts. Feel free to drizzle it on some of these Gluten Free Dessert Recipes.
Why we love this creamy homemade vanilla sauce:
- This sauce is versatile, quick, and easy to make.
- It is the classic vanilla cream sauce recipe that my Grandmother used to make.
- This old-fashioned vanilla sauce is so easy to make that I can say it is foolproof.
It’s delicious! I’ve also made it without lemon and using brown sugar instead of white and half and half instead of water which is good on spice cake, gingerbread cake and bread pudding.”
marie, blog comment
Allergen Information:
This homemade vanilla sauce is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oat-free.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Vanilla Beans – Let’s talk vanilla, as it is the most important ingredient for this recipe. Vanilla comes from a pod full of vanilla beans. Each pod has to have the vanilla beans scraped out. Using vanilla beans is the best way to get the pure vanilla flavor to shine in this dessert cream sauce.
- Cornstarch – You can substitute tapioca starch for cornstarch.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter. You can use coconut oil if you are dairy-free.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
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Step 1: Add sugar and cornstarch to a small pot. Add a little hot water and whisk to blend the sugar sauce.
Step 2: Add the rest of the hot water, butter, vanilla, and a lemon slice and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Simmer until the vanilla sauce thickens. Use a wire whisk to blend it.
Step 3: Cool and serve. I love that this vanilla cream sauce is made without heavy cream!
You will love serving my easy vanilla sauce over your favorite desserts. Try it on my Grandma’s Homemade Bread Pudding recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions:
This sauce is naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan if you substitute coconut oil instead of butter. It is perfect for those who have food allergies.
Store this vanilla sauce in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
This homemade vanilla sauce also makes a great edible gift!
More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes:
- Gluten Free Banana Bread Pudding – The vanilla cream sauce is incredible over this bread pudding!
- Gluten Free Sweet Crepes – These crepes are another great way to use this vanilla sauce.
- Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake – If you haven’t tried vanilla cream drizzled over a cake, it is one of my favorites.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Homemade Vanilla Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- In a small sauce pan, add 1/2 cup cane sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
- Pour in a little of the hot water and whisk quickly to blend.
- Turn on the stove onto low heat and add the rest of the water, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla beans, and 1 slice of lemon.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
Nutrition
Notes
- You can use tapioca starch or arrowroot starch instead of corn starch.
- This vanilla sauce will keep up to 6 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze it up to 4 months.
- Slather this cream sauce on pie, ice cream, and cakes.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
This recipe was updated from an old August 2018 post with more recipe details.
It’s delicious! I’ve also made it without lemon and using brown sugar instead of white and half and half instead of water which is good on spice cake, gingerbread cake and bread pudding.
I am so glad you tried this sauce. It is such a great cream base for desserts and all sorts of flavors. I will have to try it next time with brown sugar.
At what point do you add in the vanilla seeds?
Hi Sue, they are added to the pan with the lemon. It is in the third step of the recipe card directions.
How does it turn out without the lemon?
I haven’t tested my recipe with out lemon.
It is so good and so easy! One thing I changed…cornstarch dissolves in cold water, so I used cold water instead of boiling water (It makes it so much easier). I brought it to a boil after all of the ingredients were added and then let it simmer for a few minutes.
I didn’t think to dissolve the cornstarch in cold water, thank you for the tip! I am glad you loved this simple vanilla sauce, Wendi :-).
Thank you for the tip!
Can you can this sauce for longer keeping
Hi Dale, I have never canned anything so I am not sure I can answer your question accurately.
On my. Just found you. My gransmother made hard sauce which we slathered on cherry or BlackBerry cobbler. It was so good. I am making this soon. Thanks for great food memories
I am so glad you found my recipes, Debbie. This vanilla sauce recipe has been in our family as far back as I can remember. I love you slathered it on cobbler!!
If you’re using a vanilla bean versus the extract, how much of the bean do you use?
Hi Shannon, I use a full bean when I use fresh vanilla beans.
If I were to make a larger batch, could it be canned, say, a 10 minute boiling water bath so that the vanilla cream sauce could be given in Christmas gift baskets?
Hi Shasta, I have no experience with canning and I am not able to answer this. I don’t want to give the wrong advice so best to ask a canning expert.
when do you add the salt???
Hi Joan, you would add it in while it is simmering. Enjoy!
I’m allergic to corn. Can I use arrowroot starch instead of the corn starch?
Hi Caroline, you can easily use arrowroot instead of corn starch. Enjoy!
This looks interesting. Has anyone tried this with a sugar substitute such as Lakanta Monkfruit which is a 1-1 ratio to sugar? My husband must limit his sugar.
Hi Jenny, I have not experimented with monkfruit. I think it would depend on the melting point of monkfruit? Maybe someone else has tried it and will respond.
Would love to try this out! What does the lemon do to the flavor? If I excluded the lemon would it completely change the taste?
I haven’t tried it without the lemon but I assume it would still be delicious. Please let us know if you try it :-).
I bet the salt cuts the sugar so that it is not too sweet. I left the lemon in and it is a delicious sauce.
I am so glad you liked it Debbie. If you have time, I would love it if you could give it a star rating so others can see.
This is a recipe my mother used to make, though she never added lemon. I love that addition and will try it this Christmas on our Gingerbread cake … that was what this sauce was always made for in our home.
I love the ideas recommended here. Sounds like it is time for me to start back to making bread puddings!
Thanks for a great new version to an old recipe!
My grandmother made this vanilla sauce all of the time. I am so glad to help bring a fond memory back for you. Have a wonderful holiday.
I think thos the recipe for a vanilla sauce that we poured over chocolate cake (bowls, for sure). This was my whole families birthday cake. I think I wlll double it and have as a surprise for Thanksgiving. Thanks!!!!!
I am so glad you like this recipe Robin. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know 🙂