If you love desserts, this homemade vanilla cream sauce is better than whipped cream :-). Drizzle it on your favorite desserts. Not only is this sauce a winner on your favorite dessert, but it is the perfect vanilla sauce for bread pudding!
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This vanilla cream sauce is made from scratch in just minutes. This is made from wholesome ingredients because fresh is always better than something canned!
This vanilla cream sauce is so good for desserts. Feel free to drizzle it on some of these Gluten Free Dessert recipes.
Why you need to make this vanilla sauce:
This sauce is versatile and quick and easy to make. It is the classic vanilla cream sauce recipe that my Grandmother used to make. Although this vanilla sauce recipe is great for bread pudding, you can use it over pie and ice cream too!
Ingredient notes:
Let's talk vanilla as it is the most important ingredient for this recipe. Do you love vanilla beans? If you do, then you will love this simple vanilla sauce. Vanilla comes from a pod full of vanilla beans. Each pod has to have the vanilla beans scraped out, which is really labor-intensive.
Pure vanilla is more expensive, but it is really worth the price. Imitation vanilla extract just doesn't taste as good. You can use vanilla extract in this recipe, but you will lose some of the sweetness. A better alternative would be to use a vanilla bean paste.
Recipe step by step directions:
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, and a lemon slice and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Simmer until the vanilla sauce thickens.
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 all of your favorite desserts. Try it on my Grandma's Homemade Bread Pudding recipe!
Recipe FAQ:
This is the perfect vanilla sauce for this old-fashioned gluten free bread pudding or this gluten free bread pudding (using vanilla instead of caramel).
This sauce is naturally gluten free and this sauce can be made vegan if you substitute coconut oil instead of butter. It is perfect for those who have food allergies.
This homemade vanilla sauce will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator
This homemade vanilla sauce also makes a great edible gift!
More delicious gluten free desserts to try:
Reader Jax said "Perfect! Made for an amazing dessert drizzled over pound cake and berries. Loved it!"
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Vanilla Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch * see note
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 slice of lemon
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- tiny dash salt
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, add sugar and 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, butter, vanilla, and lemon.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
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.
Nutrition
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Shasta
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?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
joan
when do you add the salt???
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Joan, you would add it in while it is simmering. Enjoy!
Caroline
I'm allergic to corn. Can I use arrowroot starch instead of the corn starch?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Caroline, you can easily use arrowroot instead of corn starch. Enjoy!
Jenny B
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.
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Bailey
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?
Sandi Gaertner
I haven't tried it without the lemon but I assume it would still be delicious. Please let us know if you try it :-).
Debbie
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.
Sandi Gaertner
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.