How to Thicken Fruit Juice with Cornstarch

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: January 21, 2024 References

Thickening fruit juice is helpful if you're making delicious foods like pies or tarts, as well as canned fruit juices or fruit sauces. Cornstarch is a popular thickener because it creates a shiny filling without clouding the colors of the fruit juice. If your recipe calls for a dry ingredient like sugar, you can easily mix cornstarch with this dry ingredient before following the rest of the recipe. If your recipe doesn't have a dry ingredient, it's best to mix the cornstarch with water before adding it to the fruit juice. With just a few minutes of time, your fruit juice will be thick and ready to cook with.

Ingredients

Heating Cornstarch with a Liquid

1 US tbsp (15 ml) of water
1 tbsp (7.5 g) of cornstarch
1 cup (240 ml) of fruit juice

Incorporating Cornstarch into Dry Ingredients

1 tsp (2.5 g) of cornstarch
1 cup (240 ml) of fruit
Dry ingredient (like sugar)

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Heating Cornstarch with a Liquid

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1
Mix 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of water and 1 tbsp (7.5 g) of cornstarch in a bowl. Measure out equal amounts of cool water and cornstarch and pour them into a bowl. Stir the cornstarch and water together in the bowl with a spoon.^{[1]
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- This recipe uses 1 cup (240 ml) of fruit juice, but you can alter the measurements so the ratio stays the same. For example, if your recipe called for 2 cups (470 ml) of fruit juice, you'd mix together {{convert|2|tbsp|ml|abbr=on} each of water and cornstarch.
- If another liquid is used in the recipe you're using besides fruit juice, it’s okay to use this liquid instead of water.
2
Add the cornstarch mixture to the fruit juice. Once the water and cornstarch are thoroughly combined, pour them into another bowl that has 1 cup (240 ml) of fruit juice in it. Stir all 3 ingredients together so they’re mixed well.
- Avoid adding cornstarch to hot fruit juice so it doesn't clump.
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3
Cook the fruit juice on the stove top over medium heat until it’s thick and bubbly. Pour the fruit juice mixture into a pan or pot and bring the heat to medium. Stir the fruit juice as it heats up and watch for bubbles to start forming in the juice. These bubbles mean that the juice is thickening.^{[2]
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- It shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes for the liquid to bubble.
4
Cook the fruit juice for 2 more minutes to cook the cornstarch. While you can remove the fruit juice from the heat once it starts bubbling, you might be left with a cornstarch flavor. To get rid of the cornstarch taste, let the fruit juice mixture keeping cooking for 2 more minutes before calling it done.^{[3]
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- If your fruit juice is heated or stirred for too long, it can start to lose its thickness.
- Use your thickened fruit juice in a pie or other yummy recipe.
5
Follow your recipe's instructions to add the fruit juice to your dish. Once the cornstarch is added to your fruit juice, follow the regular recipe and do whatever it says to do with the fruit juice. For example, if your recipe says to heat fruit juice and pour it into a pie crust, you can add your heated cornstarch and fruit juice mixture to the crust normally.
- It's okay if the recipe doesn't mention anything about adding cornstarch to thicken the juice.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Incorporating Cornstarch into Dry Ingredients

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Use a measuring spoon to measure out the cornstarch you'll need for your amount of fruit juice, but don't add the cornstarch to the fruit just yet. Cornstarch works best if it's mixed in with another dry ingredient first.^{[4]
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2
Mix the cornstarch with another dry ingredient first, if possible. If your recipe includes another dry ingredient like sugar, add the cornstarch to this ingredient before adding it to the fruit juice. Stir the cornstarch in with the sugar to help separate the cornstarch granules so they don’t clump together.^{[5]
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- Sugar is the most common ingredient to mix in with cornstarch.
- Adding the cornstarch in with another ingredient first will make it easier for the cornstarch to mix evenly with the fruit juice.
3
Add the cornstarch mixture to the fruit juice and stir them together. Once your cornstarch is mixed with another dry ingredient, pour it into your fruit juice. Stir the ingredients together with a spoon to help the fruit juice thicken.^{[6]
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- It’s okay if you don’t add the cornstarch to another dry ingredient first, but it might not work as well.
4
Follow your recipe normally to cook the fruit juice and cornstarch. Once you've mixed the cornstarch into the fruit juice, there aren't any more special steps. Keep following your recipe to put the fruit juice into a pie or other type of mold before cooking it to create a delicious dish or treat.^{[7]
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- When the fruit juice is cooked or baked, it will thicken correctly.