Easy Oven Baked Fruit Compote with Rhubarb, Strawberries & Maple Syrup
This easy oven baked fruit compote with tender rhubarb, strawberries, orange, and maple syrup is perfect over ice cream, yogurt, or pancakes.
This easy oven baked fruit compote with rhubarb and strawberries is one of those flexible go-to recipes I turn to whenever produce gets a little… neglected. It’s more of a formula than a fixed recipe—just this much maple syrup for that many cups of fruit—so it’s perfect for using up soft berries, spotty stone fruit, or that wilting rhubarb we all pretend not to have. I love that it bakes in the oven and doesn’t require any stovetop hovering (I’m a baker and a mom—I’m all about hands-off). As it bakes, the fruit turns soft and jammy, and the syrup it creates is pure gold. I pour it over pancakes, spoon it onto yogurt or ice cream, or swirl it into sparkling water. It’s simple, adaptable, and a great way to give tired fruit a second chance.
Why You’ll Love This Oven Baked Fruit Compote
What started as my favorite simple rhubarb compote quickly became my go-to for using up whatever fruit’s about to go off. No regrets, just yummy compote. Plus an extra-infused syrup that’s great on pancakes, yogurt, or sparkling water. Zero waste, zero drama, all clear conscience.
How to Make the Easiest Maple Fruit Compote
01
chop the fruit:
Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Clean, hull and chop the strawberries. Wash the rhubarb, trim the ends and dice into small bites, roughly the same size.
02
grate orange zest:
Wash an organic orange and finely grate the zest over the berries and rhubarb. Pour over the maple syrup and mix everything together.
03
bake until tender:
Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for at least 30 minutes. Carefully lift the foil (don’t burn your fingers!) and poke the rhubarb with a fork. If it needs more time, cover it back up and keep baking until tender.
04
let cool completely:
Once the rhubarb is tender, remove the baking dish from the oven, keep it covered and let it cool down to room temperature. Move to the fridge once completely cool.
05
serve:
Spoon over ice cream, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. Leftover syrup can be stored separately in the fridge. It’s great on pancakes!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This recipe started as a simple rhubarb compote, but it works beautifully with a variety of fruits. You can mix in berries like strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries, or try stone fruits such as peaches, plums, cherries, and apricots—they all bake down nicely, though softer fruits will yield a looser compote. For a citrus twist, feel free to swap in different citrus zest; lemon zest and lime zest both work great.
This is a zero waste recipe at heart—perfect for using up any fruit that’s past its prime but still delicious. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks. For a little extra flavor, try adding a splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of warming spices like cinnamon or cardamom. Some favorite flavor combos to try:
- Blueberry & peaches — sweet and juicy with a nice balance of flavors.
- Rhubarb, orange & cardamom — tart and slightly spicy with a touch of citrus.
- Raspberry & lime — sweet and tangy, though the raspberries break down completely.
Tips for the Best Compote
- Choose a baking dish that’s big enough to hold all your fruit without crowding, and leave some space so the foil doesn’t touch the fruit.
- Fresh citrus zest makes a big difference—skip the dried stuff if you can.
- Let the compote cool before serving or storing to let the flavors settle.
- If syrup pools at the bottom, just give it a quick stir before serving.
If you make this oven baked fruit compote…
I’d love to hear how it turns out!
P.S. If you’re into rhubarb and strawberries, you might love this Rhubarb, Strawberry and Almond Sourdough Galette as well! Or give my All-Discard Sourdough Pancakes a try—they’re perfect with the compote or just the syrup!
Easy Oven Baked Fruit Compote with Rhubarb, Strawberries & Maple Syrup
Equipment
- small or medium roasting dish
Ingredients
- 2½ cups mixed chopped rhubarb and strawberries
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- zest of 1 orange (finely grated)
Instructions
Prep the fruit:
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Wash and hull the strawberries, then chop into small, bite-sized pieces. Trim and dice the rhubarb to roughly the same size.
Add zest and maple syrup:
- Finely grate the zest of a washed organic orange over the fruit. Pour in the maple syrup and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Bake:
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully lift a corner of the foil and check the rhubarb with a fork—if it’s not tender yet, re-cover and continue baking until soft.
Cool:
- Once tender, remove the dish from the oven and let it cool completely, covered. Transfer to the fridge once it reaches room temperature.
Serve:
- Spoon the compote over yogurt, ice cream, or cottage cheese. Store any leftover syrup separately—it’s delicious on pancakes or swirled into sparkling water.
Notes
- Use a baking dish that fits your fruit with room for foil to cover without touching.
- Fresh lemon or lime zest works best—skip dried if you can.
- This recipe is a flexible formula: swap in berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) or stone fruits (peaches, plums, cherries, apricots).
- Cover to keep fruit juicy; baking uncovered is fine for berries/stone fruits but dries out rhubarb.
- Keeps up to 2 weeks in the fridge, especially if submerged in syrup.
- Optional: add cinnamon, cardamom, or vanilla for extra flavor.
FAQs: Fruit, Foil, and Finishing Touches
