--- title: "Compote: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Compote is fruit cooked gently in sugar syrup until soft but still in pieces. See how it differs from jam and how long it keeps in the fridge." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/compote" --- # Compote Compote is fruit cooked gently in sugar syrup until soft but still in pieces. See how it differs from jam and how long it keeps in the fridge. Also called Fruit compote, Stewed fruit, Kompott. Compote is fruit cooked slowly in a little sugar and liquid until it is soft but still in pieces. It is less sweet and looser than jam, and it is not meant to set. You can serve it warm or cold, on its own or with yogurt, porridge, pancakes, cake or ice cream. ## How to do it 1. Cut fresh or frozen fruit into bite-size pieces. Berries can stay whole. 2. Put the fruit in a pan with sugar. Start with about 1 part sugar to 5 parts fruit by weight and adjust for the fruit's sweetness. 3. Add a splash of water, juice or wine, enough to stop the fruit sticking. 4. Add flavor if you like: lemon zest, a cinnamon stick, vanilla, or star anise. 5. [Simmer](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/simmer) gently, stirring now and then, until the fruit is soft and the juice is syrupy. Berries take about 5 to 10 minutes. Apples and pears take 15 to 20. 6. Take it off the heat and let it cool. It thickens as it cools. ## How to tell it is done The fruit is tender when pierced with a knife but has not all turned to mush. The syrup is glossy and runs slowly off a spoon. ## How to store it Cool it, then keep it in a clean, covered jar in the fridge for about a week. It also freezes well for a few months. Compote has less sugar than jam, so it does not keep at room temperature unless you can it properly. ## Common mistakes * Boiling it hard. The fruit breaks down into a purée. * Adding too much sugar at the start. You can always add more later. * Stirring too much. Soft fruit like berries falls apart. ## In recipes "Compote" means chunky cooked fruit. A [coulis](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/coulis) is cooked or raw fruit that is blended and strained smooth. In Nordic cooking, _kompott_ is common, and stewed [lingonberries](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/lingon) are served with meat. Some recipes [macerate](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/macerate) fruit in sugar without cooking and call it a "raw compote". ## Where it comes from The word is French, from the Latin for "put together". It is related to "compost". ## Compote recipes 12 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Blueberry-Compote-05.jpg)Blueberry Compotewww.skinnytaste.com · 17 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/blueberry-compote/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Simple-Compote-SQUARE.jpg)Simple Berry Compoteminimalistbaker.com · 20 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/simple-berry-compote/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Whole-Grain-Griddle-Cakes-with-Blueberry-Orange-Compote.jpeg)Whole Wheat Griddle Cakes with Blueberry Orange Compoteminimalistbaker.com · 25 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/whole-wheat-griddle-cakes-with-blueberry-orange-compote/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/strawberry-rhubarb-compote.jpg)Strawberry Rhubarb Compotewww.skinnytaste.com](https://www.skinnytaste.com/strawberry-rhubarb-compote/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/How-to-make-Easy-Chia-Pudding-SQUARE.jpg)How to Make Chia Puddingminimalistbaker.com · 365 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-chia-pudding/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Plantain-Pancakes-SQUARE.jpg)Grain-Free Plantain Pancakes (1 Blender!)minimalistbaker.com · 15 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/grain-free-plantain-pancakes/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Whole-grain-vegan-pancakes-SQUARE.jpg)Easy Whole Grain Vegan Pancakesminimalistbaker.com · 25 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-whole-grain-vegan-pancakes/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Yogurt-Waffles-SQUARE.jpg)Coconut Yogurt Waffles (Vegan + GF)minimalistbaker.com · 30 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/coconut-yogurt-waffles-vegan-gf/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Strawberry-Chia-Pudding-SQUARE.jpg)Strawberries & Cream Chia Puddingminimalistbaker.com · 125 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/strawberry-chia-pudding/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Whole-Grain-Pancake-Mix-SQUARE.jpg)Whole Grain Vegan Pancake Mix (6 Ingredients!)minimalistbaker.com · 10 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/whole-grain-vegan-pancake-mix/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Chia-Seed-Pudding-SQUARE.jpg)Peanut Butter and Jelly Chia Puddingminimalistbaker.com · 90 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-and-jelly-chia-pudding/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Rhubarb-Pop-Tarts-SQUARE.jpg)Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Pop-Tartsminimalistbaker.com · 45 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-strawberry-rhubarb-pop-tarts/) ## Related terms * [CoulisA coulis is a smooth, pourable purée of fruit or vegetables, strained to remove seeds and skins. Raspberry coulis takes ten minutes and few ingredients.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/coulis) * [SimmerA simmer is liquid kept just below boiling, with small, gentle bubbles rising to the surface. It cooks soups, stews and sauces without toughening them.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/simmer) * [MacerateTo macerate is to soak fruit in sugar, alcohol or juice so it softens and releases its own syrup. It takes 15 minutes to a few hours and needs no heat.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/macerate) * [CrumbleA crumble is baked fruit under a sandy topping of flour, butter and sugar. Get the topping ratio, the bake time and how to keep it crisp.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/crumble) * [LingonLingon are small, tart red Nordic forest berries, served as jam with meatballs and pancakes. What they taste like and what to use instead abroad.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/lingon) [More in dishes](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/dishes)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)