Strawberry shortcake—made with tender, sugar-crusted biscuits, sweet macerated berries, and heaps of whipped cream—is one of my go-to desserts once the weather warms up. And it goes without saying: the best version of this dessert is made entirely from scratch. So say goodbye to store-bought pound cake and tubs of Cool Whip—there’s just no substitute for homemade biscuits and real whipped cream.
If making strawberry shortcake from scratch sounds daunting, don’t worry—my biscuit recipe is simple and foolproof, even for beginners. It comes together in one bowl, and instead of rolling and cutting the dough, I shape it into free-form balls. Not only does this make things easier, but it gives the biscuits a craggy texture that soaks up the strawberry juices without getting soggy.
What You’ll Need To Make Strawberry Shortcake
- All-purpose flour and Cornstarch: This combination is used to give the shortcake biscuits their structure and texture. Adding the cornstarch softens the proteins in the dough, yielding a more tender biscuit. It’s meant to mimic White Lily flour, the flour used in true Southern biscuits.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Leavening agents that help the biscuits rise, making them light and fluffy. Make sure yours are fresh so you get the right effect—they generally last about six months once opened.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the biscuit dough, strawberries, and whipped cream.
- Cold butter: “Cut” into the biscuits so that when baked, the cold pieces melt creating steam pockets that rise, leading to a flaky, rich texture. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of the biscuits. Remove the butter right before you need it, so keep it cold so you achieve the proper texture.
- Buttermilk: Adds a slight tang and moisture to the biscuit dough, contributing to the tender texture and rich flavor. If you’d rather not buy a whole carton for this recipe, you can make homemade buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Turbinado sugar: Sprinkled on top of the biscuits before baking, providing a sweet, crunchy crust.
- Strawberries: The classic choice for shortcake, but you can make this dessert with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or mixed berries. I don’t recommend using frozen strawberries for this recipe.
- Seedless raspberry jam: Enhances the strawberries with additional sweetness and gloss, adding depth to the berry flavor.
- Heavy cream: Whipped into cream for filling the shortcake, adding a rich element to contrast with the freshness of the berries and the texture of the biscuits.
Strawberry Shortcake Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Shortcake BiscuitsStep 1: Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk them together to evenly disperse the ingredients.
Step 2: Add the cold butter. Add the pieces of butter to the bowl and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. You are aiming for it to look similar to the texture in the bowl below.
Step 3: Add the buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula, stir the buttermilk into the flour and butter mixture until the dough comes together into a sticky, shaggy mass. A word of caution—don’t overmix the dough as it may make the biscuits tough.
Step 4: Shape the biscuits. Form the dough into into 8 craggy-looking balls using lightly floured hands and place on the prepared baking sheet. Each biscuit should be bigger than a golf ball but smaller than tennis ball. Don’t worry about making them perfect—it’s better if they are a little rough around the edges. Sprinkle the tops with the turbinado sugar.
Step 5: Bake. Bake the biscuits for 13 to 15 minutes, until the biscuits are golden, then remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool while you prepare the strawberries.
Prepare the Strawberries
Step 1: Mash some of the berries. Put one-third of the berries in a medium bowl and use a potato masher or a fork to mash them into a chunky purée.
Step 2: Mix in remaining ingredients. Add the remaining cut berries, along with the raspberry jam and granulated sugar.
Step 3: Macerate. Let the berries sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. As they sit the strawberries will release their juices, mixing with the jam and sugar, and turning more saucy.
Make the Whipped Cream
While the berries macerate, whip up the homemade whipped cream. Simply whip the heavy cream using an electric mixer or by hand until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the sugar over the cream and beat until soft peaks return. Careful not to overwhip!
Assemble the Strawberry Shortcake
When all the components are ready, assemble the strawberry shortcakes. Use a serrated knife to split the biscuits in half horizontally and place the bottoms on 8 dessert plates. Spoon about three-quarters of the macerated berries and their juices over the biscuit bottoms—it’s totally fine if some of the berries spill onto the plate. Add a big dollop of whipped cream, then top with the other half of the biscuit. Finish with a little more berries and cream on top, and serve right away.
Can I make strawberry shortcake ahead of time?
- The Biscuits: You can mix the dough ahead an hour ahead of time but don’t bake the biscuits. Instead, refrigerate the unbaked biscuits for up to an hour. For longer storage, you can freeze the unbaked biscuits for up to three months. When ready to bake, you can bake them directly from the freezer, just remember to add a few extra minutes to the usual baking time.
- Whipped Cream: The whipped cream can be made a few hours before serving. If you do so, remember to under-beat it slightly at first. Keep the under-beaten cream covered in the refrigerator, and before serving, give it a final whip by hand to achieve that soft, pillowy consistency.
Strawberry Shortcake
Serves 8 Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Total Time: 55 Minutes- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- 2 pounds strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 13x18-in baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt.
Add the pieces of cold butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together into a sticky, shaggy mass. Do not overmix.
With lightly floured hands, form the dough into 8 craggy-looking balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. (They should be bigger than golf balls but smaller than tennis balls.) Don’t worry about making them perfect—it’s better if they are a little rough around the edges. Sprinkle the tops with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the biscuits are golden.
For the Strawberries
Put one-third of the berries in a medium bowl and, using a potato masher or a fork, mash them into a chunky purée. Mix in the remaining berries, along with the raspberry jam and granulated sugar. Let the berries sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, until saucy.
For the Whipped Cream
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or beaters), whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the cream and beat until soft peaks return. Do not overbeat. (Alternatively, the whipped cream can be beaten by hand in a deep mixing bowl with a whisk.)
To Assemble
To assemble the shortcakes: Using a serrated knife, split the biscuits in half horizontally and transfer the bottoms to 8 dessert plates. Spoon about three-quarters of the macerated berries and their juice evenly over the biscuit bottoms. Let some of the berries spill out onto the plate. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and cover each with a biscuit top. Spoon more berries and cream over each shortcake and serve immediately.
Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add milk to the 3/4-cup line and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly curdled and thickened.
Make Ahead: The unbaked biscuits can be refrigerated for up to 1 hour before baking. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze: place the unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until solid. Remove the firm biscuits from the freezer, place in an airtight bag, and store in the freezer. Bake the biscuits directly from the freezer, allowing a few extra minutes baking time. The whipped cream can be made a few hours before serving but err on the side of under-beating. Store it covered in the refrigerator and give it a final whip by hand to get it to a pillowy consistency just before serving. The strawberries cannot be made ahead.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (8 servings)
Serving size: 1 strawberry shortcake, Calories: 565, Fat: 32 g, Saturated fat: 20 g, Carbohydrates: 67 g, Sugar: 35 g, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 6 g, Sodium: 533 mg, Cholesterol: 100 mg
