Name: Recipe "Strawberry Shortcake"
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1.5 lb strawberries (stemmed and sliced or quartered); 0.33 cup granulated sugar; 3 cup all-purpose flour; 0.25 cup granulated sugar; 2 tbsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 0.75 cup unsalted butter (cold, cut into small pieces); 1.33 cup heavy cream (cold); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 2 tbsp heavy cream (for brushing on shortcakes); turbinado sugar (for sprinkling on shortcakes); 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 3 tbsp confectioners' sugar; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; pinch salt

Worth adding to the list: Peach Cobbler, Sugar Cookies, Snickerdoodles, or Fudgy Brownie.

Why This Strawberry Shortcake Recipe Is My Go-To Spring Dessert

This strawberry shortcake recipe is the one I turn to every spring when strawberries hit their peak. I’ve been making it since I was a kid, partly because I loved the Strawberry Shortcake TV show (yes, I had the dolls that smelled like strawberries). But honestly, it’s the combination of tender, flaky biscuits, juicy sweet strawberries, and billowy whipped cream that keeps me coming back.

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Shortcake

The biscuits are crisp on the outside and soft inside, a perfect contrast to the juicy macerated strawberries.
It comes together in about an hour, with most of that time hands-off for chilling and baking.
You can prep the strawberries and whipped cream while the biscuits bake, so assembly is quick.

Key Ingredients for Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberries: Look for bright red, fragrant berries that are firm but give slightly to pressure. If fresh aren’t good, frozen thawed work but will be mushier. Macerate with sugar to release juices.
Butter: Use unsalted, cold straight from the fridge. Salted butter would make biscuits too salty. Cut into small cubes for even distribution.
Heavy cream: For both biscuits and whipped cream, use heavy cream or whipping cream with at least 36% fat. It whips better and yields a richer biscuit.

Kitchen Tools for Strawberry Shortcake

Biscuit cutter (2.5-3 inch round)
Pastry blender or two forks for cutting butter
Large baking sheet
Stand mixer or hand mixer for whipped cream
Pastry brush for cream wash

Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

For perfect biscuits, start with cold butter and cold heavy cream. Sift the dry ingredients to remove lumps, then cut the butter in until it resembles pea-sized pieces. When you add the cream, stir just until combined, overmixing makes tough biscuits. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead a few times to bring it together. Pat it into a 1-inch thick circle and cut rounds with a biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Place the biscuits on a lined baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes. Before baking, brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 425°F until golden, 15-20 minutes, then let cool completely.

Expert Tips for Juicy Strawberries and Fluffy Whipped Cream

To get the most juice from the strawberries, toss them with sugar and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. If your strawberries are exceptionally sweet, you can reduce the sugar slightly, but the sugar draws out the liquid, so don’t skip it. For the whipped cream, chill your bowl and beaters beforehand, it whips up faster and stays stiffer. Stop whipping as soon as you see stiff peaks; if you go too far, it’ll turn into butter.

Strawberry Shortcake Variations to Try

If you want to mix up the fruit, try a blend of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, great for a red, white, and blue Fourth of July dessert. For a different texture, you can make drop biscuits instead of cut rounds: just drop spoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet and bake 2-3 minutes longer. If you prefer a less sweet shortcake, reduce the sugar in the biscuits to 2 tablespoons and use unsweetened whipped cream. For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut cream for the heavy cream in the biscuits and whipped cream, though the biscuits will be slightly denser.

Serving Suggestions for Fresh Strawberry Shortcake

Serve the shortcakes with extra strawberries and a big dollop of whipped cream on top. For a fancier presentation, drizzle with strawberry sauce or a balsamic reduction. These also make a great base for a breakfast treat, just skip the whipped cream and add a dollop of Greek yogurt instead.

How to Store Leftover Strawberry Shortcake

Store the biscuits, macerated strawberries, and whipped cream separately in the refrigerator. The biscuits will keep for up to 2 days, the strawberries for 3 days, and the whipped cream for 1 day (rewhip if it deflates). Assemble just before serving to keep the biscuits from getting soggy.

Can You Freeze Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits?

You can freeze the unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time. Baked biscuits can also be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw at room temperature and warm in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Do not freeze the assembled shortcake, the strawberries and cream will become watery.

How to Reheat Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

If you’re using leftover biscuits, the best way to refresh them is to split them and toast cut-side down in a skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or warm them in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Then top with fresh strawberries and cream. Never microwave the biscuits, they’ll turn rubbery.

Strawberry Shortcake FAQs

How do I keep my biscuits from spreading too much?

Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. Cold butter creates steam pockets that lift the biscuits, and cold dough holds its shape better in the oven.

Can I use a different fruit?

Absolutely. This shortcake works with any berry, raspberries, blackberries, or a mix. Peaches and nectarines are also great when sliced and macerated with a little sugar.

Why do I need to chill the biscuits?

Chilling solidifies the butter again after handling, which prevents the biscuits from spreading too flat and ensures they rise tall and flaky.

Can I make strawberry shortcake ahead?

You can prep all components: bake biscuits, macerate strawberries, and make whipped cream. Store separately in the fridge, then assemble up to an hour before serving. The biscuits will soften slightly but still taste great.

Recipe

Strawberry Shortcake

The BEST strawberry shortcake recipe with homemade biscuits, fresh strawberries, and sweetened whipped cream. The perfect dessert for spring and summer!

mediumVegetarian

40 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

Servings

Dessert

Course

American

Cuisine

913 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

1.5 lb strawberries, stemmed and sliced or quartered
0.33 cup granulated sugar
3 cup all-purpose flour
0.25 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
0.75 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1.33 cup heavy cream, cold

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream, for brushing on shortcakes
turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on shortcakes
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp confectioners' sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch salt

Instructions

1
Slice or quarter the strawberries and place them into a large bowl. Cover with granulated sugar and stir. Cover and refrigerate the strawberries while you make the shortcakes so they can get juicy.
2
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
3
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix in the salt. Add the small pieces of cold butter and use a pastry blender, fork, or your clean hands to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Mix until you have pieces that are the size of peas.
4
In a small bowl, stir together the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture over the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead the dough together to incorporate all of the crumbly dough pieces. Do not overmix.
5
Press the dough into a circle, about 1-inch thick and cut into rounds, using a biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill the biscuits for 20 minutes before baking.

6
Use a pastry brush to brush the chilled biscuit tops with heavy cream. Sprinkle tops generously with turbinado sugar.
7
Bake the biscuits until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely.
8
While the biscuits are cooling, make the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt together until the cream reaches stiff peaks.
9
To assemble the shortcakes, cut the biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon the strawberries over the bottom of the biscuit and add a dollop of whipped cream. Top with the other biscuit half. Add more strawberries and whipped cream on top, if desired. You can also break up the biscuits and top them with strawberries and whipped cream or leave them whole and add strawberries and whipped cream on top.

Nutrition (per serving)

913kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein6%58 kcal

Fat48%440 kcal

Carbohydrates46%428 kcal

How this was calculated — 15 of 15 ingredients matched

strawberriesBeverages, Strawberry-flavor beverage mix, powder, prepared with whole milk599 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated305 kcal

all-purpose flourFlour, wheat, all-purpose, enriched, bleached2635 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated231 kcal

baking powderLeavening agents, baking powder, low-sodium29 kcal

saltSalt, table0 kcal

unsalted butterButter, salted1291 kcal

heavy creamCream, fluid, heavy whipping1085 kcal

pure vanilla extractVanilla extract14 kcal

heavy creamCream, fluid, heavy whipping102 kcal

turbinado sugarSugar, turbinado4 kcal

heavy whipping creamCream, fluid, heavy whipping816 kcal

confectioners' sugarSugar, turbinado180 kcal

pure vanilla extractVanilla extract14 kcal

saltSalt, table0 kcal

Serving size ≈ 300 g · 8 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

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Keyword: american, dessert, Oven Baked, strawberry, vegetarian

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