Ukrainian Kompot (компот)

This classic sweet fruit drink is easy to make and perfect on those hot summer days. Ukrainian kompot can use a variety of fruits, but my recipe uses those found outside babusya’s house in Khmelnytskyi region.

Traditional Ukrainian Kompot (компот) recipe

Within minutes of entering Alona’s grandmother’s house I’m offered a cold glass of traditional Ukrainian kompot. This is a very simple drink, and one of the most popular beverages in the country.

My favorite thing about Ukrainian food is how salt-of-the-earth it is. Very few recipes are fussy, and the best ones are passed down by memory. Simple village cooking is oftentimes where the best foods are. In fact most of the Ukrainian recipes on the blog are from Alona’s grandmother.

I know those cherries look like the fake ones you get in jars, but I didn’t touch the saturation slider on this pic at all. They really are neon red like this (also the direct sunlight doesn’t help.

Of course the most important part of any Ukrainian Kompot is going to be the fruits. The ratio grandma taught me was 8:2:1, which means two liters of water, 500 grams of fruit, and 250 grams of sugar. I used a mix of cherries, plums, and blueberries. This gives the final drink a beautiful red color. You can bet I’m going to make a few cocktails with компот in the near future.

While you can use any mix of fruits, I do recommend at least using cherries. Cherries are in many Ukrainian recipes, like the famous Ukrainian cheesecake, and they even fill sweet varenyky!

To start, just add all the ingredients to a pot and turn the heat on. When I first heard the name of the drink I thought they were referring to a compote as we would understand it, however the fruits here are only boiled for a few minutes. We are NOT reducing this to a syrupy consistency.

My 2L pot takes about 5 minutes to reach a rolling boil, and when that happens I immediately turn the heat off. Then I let the pot sit without touching it until it reaches room temperature. In the couple hours it takes to go back to room temperature, the water gets more and more infused with great fruit flavor. Then I simply put the kompot in a huge jar fruit and all. When serving you can just give the juice, and when you are all out of juice use the leftover fruit for pies.

бабусині kompot recipe

Ukrainian Kompot (компот)

Kompot is a traditional drink here in Ukraine, often served with meals. It is refreshing and easily altered depending on what fruits are available.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Eastern European, Ukrainian
Servings 2 liters
Calories

Equipment

  • Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 2 liters Water
  • 200 grams Plums
  • 150 grams Cherries
  • 150 grams Blueberries
  • 250 grams Sugar white, granulated

Instructions
 

  • Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil turn off the heat. Let cool to room temperature.
  • Pour the kompot into a large jar, fruit and all. Keep chilled.

Notes

The types of fruits and weights I used are completely customizable. Feel free to experiment with whatever fruits you want.
Keyword Kompot, Ukrainian Kompot (компот), компот
бабусині kompot recipe
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