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This Strawberry Shortcake is about to be your new go-to summer dessert. With layers of flaky, sweet biscuit, tart strawberries, and whipped cream, you really can’t go wrong!
Featured with this recipe
This strawberry shortcake recipe is sweet and even adorable to look at. Whatever you are serving up for dinner this summer, I promise that strawberry shortcake is the perfect dessert to go with it. The biscuit layers are flakey and sweet, the strawberries taste tart and juicy, and the whipped cream tops it off to perfection.
Layer these ingredients together to make for a light and tasty dessert! This is the perfect way to end the night with a dessert that is not too heavy. It is easy to make and comes together in just a few steps. Great for making ahead of time and sharing with a crowd of people. This will be the best strawberry shortcake recipe!
Ingredients in Strawberry Shortcake
These ingredients can be made from scratch or all store-bought. Fresh strawberries are best but there are other variations to making this strawberry shortcake several other ways. Pick and choose the ingredients you have on hand or is easy to have year-round from the store.
- Shortcake – In this recipe, we use a sweet biscuit for the cake layer. You can short-cut the shortcake by using a store-bought sponge cake, pound cake, or an angel food cake loaf. Simply slice the cake or loaf into slices and use one slice for the top, and one for the bottom.
- Strawberries – Strawberries are the star of the show! When strawberries are in season and at their sweetest, you may want to skip the sugar. If not, a little sugar is added to sweeten them up just a bit.
- Whipped Cream – Even though store-bought whipped cream in a canister and Cool Whip are easily available, we highly recommend real, homemade whipped cream. It takes a little longer, but the results are worth it.
Step by Step Instructions
First, you need to prepare and make the biscuit dough. This can be done in a few steps and then bake them ahead of time. While it is baking slice and prepare the strawberries. Mashing the strawberries tastes like syrup that can be poured and absorbed into the biscuits. Mix together the ingredients for whipped topping and assemble for a homemade bite of heaven in your mouth!
- Sift – You will want to make the biscuits. Sift together all of the dry ingredients and then add your cold butter. And make sure that the butter is cold. I like to grate the butter into the mix because it is easier to combine. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, mix until crumbly.
- Knead – Next, add the heavy cream. Using your hands, mix until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about a minute. Roll the dough out until it is about ½ inch thick and then cut into biscuits. I usually just use the mouth of a glass.
- Bake – Place the biscuits on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet with parchment paper and cook for 20-30 minutes at 375. Cook until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Preparing strawberries – While the biscuits are baking, slice your strawberries. Take about ¼ of the strawberries and mash them up to release the juices. Add the mashed strawberries back in with the sliced strawberries. Sprinkle sugar over the top, stir, and let rest until ready to serve.
- Mixing – The last thing to do before assembling is to make your whipped cream. Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl or a stand mixer, and use the whisk attachment on an electric mixer whisk until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Assemble – Finally, when all the elements are ready, assemble your shortcakes. Cut a biscuit in half and spoon strawberries over the bottom half – make sure you spoon some of the juices over the biscuit as well. Then, add whipped cream and place the top half on top. Top with more whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations for Strawberry Shortcake
Try these tips for the perfect biscuits every time and variations for different fruits!
- Fruits – Strawberry shortcake is only famous for strawberries! For more of a fruity shortcake add raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries.
- Fresh – When choosing and finding ingredients, make sure they are fresh for the best results and longer-lasting.
- Strawberries – Change the strawberries to strawberry jam, strawberry syrup, or strawberry slices in a gelatin.
- Dough – It is best not to overmix the dough when making the biscuits. It will give them a tougher texture.
- Buttermilk – You can substitute the cream for buttermilk in the biscuits.
- Chill – If there is some time for you to refrigerate the dough before rolling it out that will help firm up the dough and add a more flakey biscuit.
- Baking – Make sure to watch the baking times. Not all ovens are the same. You do not want to overcook the biscuits. Once they are golden brown take them out to finish baking.
- Wire rack – Place baked biscuits on wire racks for cooling.
“Really enjoyed this delicious treat! Nothing better than strawberries and whipped cream plus the flaky layers of the biscuits were perfect!”
-Brandy
Frequently Asked Questions
Strawberry shortcake is a layered dessert. It has an angel food cake base, biscuit, or white or vanilla cake. Top it off with fresh strawberries that are coated in granulated sugar to make a sauce. Then garnish with whipped topping.
For this recipe, we used granulated sugar. You can also use honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar as a substitution.
Cake batter is a little more dense and crumbly whereas shortcakes are thicker and are made with ingredients similar to biscuit dough.
It can be an angel food cake or a white cake. It is a lighter type of cake that has less sugar and more eggs in the recipe.
Make Ahead
Strawberry shortcakes are perfect for preparing ahead of time. The biscuits are good for two to three days then the strawberries are great for 24 hours. Make the whipped cream ahead of time and have that stored in the fridge for three days. When timed perfectly you can either have this dessert more than once or made ahead of time for a party or gathering!
More Strawberry Favorites
The strawberry season is coming and we have lots of delicious strawberry recipes to share with you! Fresh strawberries are what summer is all about! Try some of these delicious strawberry recipes and take advantage of these plump summer berries!
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake
Video
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Sifter
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
For the Biscuits
- 4 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ cups butter chilled
- 1 ½ cups whipping cream
For the Strawberry Filling
- 2 pounds strawberries rinsed
- ½ cup sugar
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 pint whipping cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Grate or slice butter and add to the dry mixture. Using your hands or a pastry cutter, combine the dry ingredients and the butter until the mixture is crumbly and all of the butter pieces are pea-sized or smaller. Add whipping cream and use your hands to form the mixture into a soft dough.
- Once the dough forms, knead for 1-2 minutes. Roll out onto a floured surface until the dough is about ½ inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter or the mouth of a glass, cut into biscuits. Place biscuits onto a greased baking sheet and brush the tops with a little bit of melted butter.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.
For the Strawberry Filling
- Hull and slice strawberries. Mash up about ¼ of your strawberries to release the juices. Add the mashed strawberries back to the sliced strawberries. Sprinkle sugar over the top and let rest until ready to assemble the shortcakes.
For the Whipped Cream
- Mix whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix until combined.
To Assemble the Strawberry Shortcakes
- Cut a biscuit in half and spoon strawberries over the bottom half – make sure you spoon some of the juices over the biscuit as well. Then, add whipped cream and place the top half on top. Top with more whipped cream if desired. Enjoy!
Really enjoyed this delicious treat! Nothing better than strawberries and whipped cream plus the flaky layers of the biscuits were perfect!
This is the best dessert. Simple to make and so amazing! It is requested often in my home!
oh my those look heavenly. If you could just push a couple this way!
These look like cute little delicious dessert options. Strawberry is my favorite seasonal fruit and I just love the way you have presented these shortcakes with the yummy creamy topping.
Strawberry shortcake really is such a quintessential summer dessert! I’ve actually never made my own biscuits for it, though – a crime, I know! Thanks for the great walk-through of exactly how to get this right, every time!
Wow this whole recipe is just WOW!!!! And these photos!!!! I could just reach out for these shortcakes from my computer screen!!!!!! Just making me drool left, right and center!