Scoop this delicious blackberry compote recipe onto pancakes or over ice cream. You could also serve it with gamey meats, such as venison and elk, or use it to create a glaze for meatballs.
Ingredients
- 2 cups blackberries, washed and patted dry
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried monarda
Directions
- Combine half the berries with the other ingredients in a sturdy pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gently mash some of the berries while stirring but allow some to remain whole. They’ll cook down, but the chunks of fruit will create the best texture for the compote. Add the remaining blackberries and simmer an additional 8 to 10 minutes until the compote reaches desired consistency. Remove the herb sachet.
Picture the tasty morsels of summer: blackberries hanging from laden brambles, blueberries swollen with sweet juice, and tart and crunchy crab apples dangling from branches just above our heads. Let’s eat our fill while these fruits are fresh, but let’s also craft these treats into sweet and savory jams and jellies that will elevate our breakfasts and teatimes deep into the winter months.
This creation is a simple blackberry compote, infused with flavorful monarda (Monarda fistulosa). Also known as “bee balm” or “wild bergamot,” monarda has a strong flavor, and it will have a forward presence in this compote. The flavor of monarda is often compared to oregano, but it also offers a slight citrus note alongside its bold, peppery profile. Use the leaves, the flowers, or a combination of both. A small portion is all that’s needed to impart a pungent taste to our sweet berries. This recipe calls for dried herbs, but you can certainly use fresh ones; Just double the quantity. Measure your herbs, and then put them into a muslin cloth sachet, or wrap them securely in a cheesecloth bundle.
Find more food flavored with flowers:
Crab Apple Jelly Recipe with Clover
Rose Petal Jam Recipe with Blueberry
Bevin Cohen is an herbalist, author, owner of Small House Farm, and host of the popular “Seeds & Weeds” podcast. He’s a food and garden writer whose work has appeared in many national publications, and he’s the author of more than 10 books, including The Artisan Herbalist and Herbs in Every Season.
Originally published in the August/September 2026 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS and regularly vetted for accuracy.
