Easy German Vanilla Sauce Recipe (Vanillesoße)

Vanillesoße is king! In my family, it was never about the dessert, it was about the German vanilla sauce. It's the anticipation of watching the warm sauce drizzle over apple strudel, Rote Grütze, or dumplings.

Then the first bite: the warm vanilla aroma hits your taste buds in a way that calls you home. In short, this silky sauce makes any dessert taste better. Let me share my authentic German recipe for vanilla sauce with you.

You can buy it in sachets - Dr Oetker Vanillesoße (affiliate link) on Amazon. However, it is especially flavoursome when you make vanilla sauce from scratch without any artificial flavourings.

What is German Vanilla Sauce?

German vanilla sauce is a thin dessert sauce made from milk or cream, a vanilla pod, eggs, and some starch.

In German, it's called Vanillesoße (also spelled Vanillesosse or Vanillesauce), pronounced vah-NIL-uh-zoh-suh. You'll sometimes see it written as Vanille Sauce too, they all mean the same thing.

Is Vanillesoße the Same as Custard?

German vanilla sauce might at first be confused with British custard, but there are some clear differences. Vanilla sauce is thinner and can be made with milk or a combination of milk and cream. Traditional British custard, made from scratch, has a thicker, creamier texture and often includes cream for richness.

The bigger difference is in the thickening. Vanilla sauce relies mainly on starch with just a touch of egg yolk. British custard varies more: the classic homemade version leans on egg yolks (with a little cornflour to stabilize it), while the everyday custard most Brits grew up with, the kind from a powder like Bird's Custard, is thickened with cornflour and doesn't use eggs at all.

How to make German Vanilla Sauce

There are several different methods of making this sauce. The traditional method includes a vanilla bean (affiliate link) which can be expensive and may be difficult to find. You can substitute the vanilla pod with vanilla extract (affiliate link) or vanilla sugar (see homemade vanilla sugar recipe). 

I am also going to show you a version on how to make vegan vanilla sauce further down below. 

Ingredients You'll Need

For the detailed instructions and exact measurements, please jump to the printable recipe card

For this recipe you'll need whole milk, cornflour (cornstarch), sugar, a pinch of salt, a vanilla pod (or swap in vanilla extract (affiliate link) or vanilla sugar if you don't have one on hand), and egg yolks.

Since we're using all-natural ingredients, this sauce won't turn out quite as bright yellow as instant mixes. If you'd like it a touch more golden, stir in an optional pinch of turmeric or a teaspoon of yellow food coloring, neither will affect the flavor, just the color.

Vanillesoße Recipe Steps

1. Mix the cornstarch with a splash of the milk to form a smooth paste, this keeps your sauce lump-free later.
2. Heat the rest of the milk with a little sugar and salt in a saucepan.
3. Scrape in the vanilla (pod, extract, or vanilla sugar, whatever you're using) and bring everything to a gentle boil.
4. Stir in the cornstarch paste and let it bubble for a minute until it thickens. A pinch of turmeric here gives it that classic golden color.
5. Temper the egg yolks by whisking in a little of the hot milk first, then stir everything back into the pot.
6. Serve it warm, or chill it for a cold version, either way, this Vanillesoße is ready to drizzle over your favorite German dessert.

Want to Make This Vanilla Sauce Vegan?

Making this sauce vegan is more than just swapping the milk. Since we're leaving out the egg yolks, this version uses a bit more cornstarch to make sure the sauce still thickens up nicely and gets that same silky texture.

Use 500 ml/ 2 cups soya or almond milk, 3 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tabslespoon sugar, and a pinch of salt. Follow the same method as above, just stir in the cornstarch paste right after boiling the milk, since there's no egg yolk to temper at the end.

What to eat with Vanilla Sauce?

The possibilities are endless, in Germany, this sauce often takes the place of whipped cream. My favorite way to enjoy it is drizzled over warm German dumplings, whether that's Dampfnudeln mit Vanillesoße or Germknödel, but it's just as wonderful with apple strudel, Rote Grütze, rice pudding, or bread pudding. It also makes a lovely topping for German Waffles with fresh fruit, Apple Cake, or a warm Baked Apple (Bratapfel mit Vanillesoße).

How to store Leftovers

If you have leftover sauce, pour it into a jar or airtight container and store it in the fridge, it'll keep for up to two days.

Because this recipe uses egg yolks, the sauce shouldn't be reheated, doing so risks scrambling the yolk and ruining the texture. It's best enjoyed cold straight from the fridge, or made fresh if you want it warm.

The vegan version is more forgiving since it's egg-free, so it can be gently reheated on the stove over low heat if you'd like to serve it warm again.