Strawberry Shortcake
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Get ready to fall in love with dessert all over again with my all-time favorite Strawberry Shortcake recipe! A fluffy, sweet biscuit layered with juicy, zesty strawberries and crowned with a dollop of homemade whipped cream – it’s a classic summer dessert that’s absolutely irresistible and ready to impress at your next gathering.
Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Hold on to your hats, we’re stepping into the delightful realm of Strawberry Shortcake. A biscuit so soft and perfectly crumbly, it harmonizes with the lemon-kissed strawberries creating a taste sensation that’s out of this world.
The whipped cream? Pure bliss! A cloud of sweetness that brings balance and elevates this shortcake to something truly extraordinary. This dessert isn’t just a sweet treat, it’s a sublime summer symphony you’ll want to replay over and over again.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Shortcake
- Simple Ingredients, Extraordinary Taste: This recipe uses basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen to create a dessert that’s absolutely mouthwatering. It’s proof that you don’t need complicated or exotic ingredients to make something truly delightful.
- Perfect for Summer: With the freshness of strawberries and the light, fluffy cream, this is the ultimate summer dessert. It’s a fantastic way to make use of strawberry season and enjoy a refreshing, fruity treat.
- Impress Your Guests: Despite its simplicity, strawberry shortcake is a classic dessert that always impresses. Whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ, a family dinner, or just treating yourself, this is a showstopper that will leave everyone asking for seconds.
- Strawberries: The star of the show, adding that sweet, juicy fruitiness. You can substitute with other berries like raspberries or blueberries.
- Sugar: Helps to draw out the juices from the strawberries and sweeten them up.
- Lemon zest and juice: Adds a pop of citrusy brightness to the strawberries. Lime can work if you’re out of lemons.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of our biscuits. If you’re out, use a blend of half cake flour and half whole wheat.
- Sugar: Sweetens the biscuits. Feel free to adjust to your preference.
- Baking powder: Gives our biscuits their rise. Can’t substitute this one – it’s crucial for the right texture!
- Salt: Balances out the sweetness in the biscuits.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavor to the biscuits. If you only have salted, just reduce the additional salt.
- Milk: Brings the dough together. If you’re out, half-and-half or a non-dairy milk will do.
- Whipping cream: Forms the base of our homemade whipped cream. A good substitute is chilled full-fat coconut milk (for a dairy-free version).
- Powdered sugar: Adds a delicate sweetness to the whipped cream. You can also use granulated sugar if that’s all you have.
- Vanilla extract: Gives the whipped cream a touch of warm flavor. Almond extract or a splash of bourbon can be a fun twist!
This Strawberry Shortcake is a breeze to make! It’s all about simple steps and quality ingredients. So, let’s jump right in!
Start off by tossing your chopped strawberries in a bowl with sugar, and a sprinkle of lemon zest and juice. This will start to draw out the juices and intensify their sweetness. Let them hang out in the fridge while we move onto the biscuits.
Now, onto our beautiful biscuits. In a large bowl, mix your flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in your chilled butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs – don’t worry if it’s not perfect! Then pour in the milk and stir until you’ve got a soft dough.
Time to roll! Flour your surface, roll out the dough to about half an inch thick and cut into rounds.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop them in the oven. After about 12-15 minutes, they’ll be golden brown and smelling heavenly.
While the biscuits are cooling, let’s whip up our cream. Just beat your whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until you’ve got fluffy, billowing peaks. And voila – homemade whipped cream!
Now comes the fun part, assembly! Slice a biscuit in half, spoon on some strawberries, add a dollop of cream, and cap it with the other half of the biscuit. Repeat with the remaining biscuits, and don’t forget to top each one with a final spoonful of strawberries and whipped cream.
Pro Tip
For the best Strawberry Shortcake, make sure your butter is cold and your whipped cream is thoroughly chilled before whipping. These two elements will give you perfectly flaky biscuits and lusciously thick cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the biscuits ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make the biscuits up to two days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Just assemble with the strawberries and whipped cream right before serving.
My whipped cream isn’t forming stiff peaks. What can I do?
Ensure your whipping cream and the bowl you’re whipping it in are both very cold. If it still isn’t forming peaks, it may not have been whipped long enough, so keep going. Be careful not to overwhip, though, as it can turn into butter!
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, you can! Just thaw them out in the fridge and drain any excess liquid before adding the sugar and lemon. Keep in mind, frozen strawberries might make your topping a bit more watery than fresh ones.
What if I don’t have a biscuit cutter?
Not a problem at all. You can use a drinking glass of similar size to cut out your biscuits or just drop spoonfuls of dough onto your baking sheet for a more rustic shortcake.
Expert Tips
- When making your biscuits, don’t overwork the dough. This will keep them light and flaky. If it’s mixed too much, the biscuits may turn out tough.
- Always use cold butter for the biscuit dough. The little bits of cold butter create pockets of steam as they melt in the oven, which results in a light and flaky biscuit.
- Let your strawberries sit with the sugar and lemon for at least 30 minutes to macerate. This process draws out their juices and intensifies their flavor, giving you a more delicious strawberry topping.
- For the whipped cream, ensure both your cream and mixing bowl are very cold. This helps the cream whip up better and hold its shape longer.
- Don’t assemble the shortcakes until you’re ready to serve. This prevents the biscuits from getting soggy from the strawberries and whipped cream.
Storage
For the best results, store each component of the Strawberry Shortcake separately.
- Strawberries: Keep the macerated strawberries in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Biscuits: Store the baked biscuits at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days to keep them fresh.
- Whipped Cream: Whipped cream is best used immediately, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Give it a quick whip before using to freshen it up.
When you’re ready to serve, simply assemble the strawberry shortcakes with the biscuits, strawberries, and whipped cream. This will prevent the biscuits from getting soggy from the strawberries and cream.
Other Delicious Desserts You’ll Love
- Strawberry Cobbler
- Fig Tart
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- Éclair Recipe
- Creamy Flan Recipe
- Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
For Strawberry Topping
- 1 pound strawberries (stemmed and chopped)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
For biscuits
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter (unsalted, chilled and cut into small pieces)
- 1 cup milk
For Whipped Topping
- 2¼ cups whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar ((icing sugar))
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- In a medium sized bowl, mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss well and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ⅓ cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the chilled butter to the bowl and use a pastry cutter or your hands to mix the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the milk and stir until a soft dough forms.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ½ inch thickness. Cut out 10 rounds with a biscuit cutter.
- Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.
- In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- To assemble the shortcakes, slice each biscuit in half horizontally. Place a spoonful of strawberries on the bottom half of each biscuit, followed by a dollop of whipped cream. Top with the other half of the biscuit and another spoonful of strawberries and whipped cream.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Cold ingredients are key for the biscuit dough. This will result in flakier biscuits.
- Feel free to swap out strawberries with any berries of your choice for a different flavor profile.
- Biscuits can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Assemble the shortcakes right before serving to avoid the biscuits becoming soggy.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Hi Jo:) What is the difference between the shortcake and scones?
Hi there! Great question. Both shortcakes and scones fall under the same family of pastries and they are quite similar. The main difference typically comes down to sweetness and richness. Shortcakes are often a bit sweeter and less rich compared to scones. Shortcakes, like in this recipe, are usually softer and more cake-like, and they pair wonderfully with sweet fruit and cream. On the other hand, scones tend to be more buttery, slightly crumbly, and often have additions like fruit or chocolate mixed into the dough. They are perfect with a spread of clotted cream or jam. Both are delicious in their own way!
Thank you for the clarity. I’m loving your recipes. I’m from South Africa. 🙂 They are well written and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing them with us. Wishing you more success a thousand fold.
My pleasure and thank you!