Strawberry Shortcake
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Classic strawberry shortcake made with homemade biscuits topped with sugary strawberries and homemade whipped cream. This is one dessert that is a must for summer!
This post is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
This strawberry shortcake recipe is the very best way to use up those freshly picked strawberries. It’s so light and fresh tasting!
I’m all about strawberries this summer! I have already made a fresh strawberry cake, strawberry shortcake cake, no bake strawberry cheesecake, and strawberry mousse cake. I’m just loving strawberries this year!
They’re even better when paired with a tender biscuit and freshly made whipped cream.
The biscuit is probably the most important part since it is the “bed” for the other ingredients. I teamed up with Bob’s Red Mill to bake a better biscuit using their Organic All-Purpose Flour.
Why this recipe works
- I used my very popular soft scone recipe for the strawberry shortcake biscuits. It yields a supremely tender interior with a crisp exterior. The contrast is perfection with the juicy strawberries.
- You could also use my basic biscuit recipe and add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the dough.
- Bob’s Red Mill All-purpose Flour makes all the difference in the biscuit’s texture.
- The biscuits are frozen before baking to ensure they have the softest, fluffiest texture.
What you need
This easy strawberry shortcake recipe uses a biscuit base. I used my plain scone recipe to make the biscuits because they should be richer than regular biscuits. Let talk about the ingredients…
Ingredients
- Flour: Using Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour will yield the best results because it is a quality flour.
- Sugar: I used regular granulated sugar. Coconut sugar would be great as well and would complement the strawberries nicely!
- Leavener: Baking powder and baking soda are used to give the biscuits rise.
- Salt: Just a tad for balancing the flavors.
- Butter: Unsalted sweet cream butter will give you the most epic results.
- Buttermilk: Full-fat buttermilk works best!
- Egg: The egg adds richness to the biscuit.
- Vanilla extract: Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Heavy cream: I like to brush the tops of the biscuits with a little cream just before baking. This promotes gorgeous browning.
- Course Sugar: Totally optional but I like the extra crunch it provides.
How to make Strawberry Shortcake
This recipe for could not be easier! The biscuits are made in one bowl so clean up is a breeze. The homemade whipped cream takes just a few minutes to make. And the strawberries only need to be tossed in a little sugar before topping the biscuits.
Step 1: Make the biscuit dough
Unlike most baking recipes, the ingredients for the biscuits need to be cold instead of room temperature. This is perfect because you don’t need to set them out to come to temp before using them.
- Add all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to stir it together very well.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender, fork, or two knives to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
ⓘ A few larger pieces of butter left behind is perfectly okay but try to keep those large bits to a minimum.
- In a 2 cup measuring cup with pour spout, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla together.
- Drizzle ¼ of the mixture into the flour mixture and toss with a fork to combine.
- Repeat this process until you’ve added just enough liquid for the dough to hold together when squeezed. You don’t want to wet, sticky dough. It should be moist but not stick to your hands too much.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it until it comes together to form a shaggy ball. It should only take about four to five turns of the dough.
- Pat the dough ball into a ½-inch thickness. Any thinner and the biscuits will not bake up as tall.
Step 2. Cut the biscuits
- Use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits. Don’t twist the cutter! This will pinch the sides of the biscuit together which will make the rise all wonky. Just press the cutter down firmly then lift up.
- Reroll the leftover dough and continue cutting the biscuits until you’ve used all the dough. You should get six to seven biscuits.
- Place the biscuits on a baking sheet line with parchment paper. I like to set them right next to each other as I find this promotes a higher rise.
- Set the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the biscuits for 30 minutes. Just like with my scones, the biscuits need to go into the oven as cold as possible.
ⓘ The quick blast in the freezer will ensure the butter is cold enough to create steam inside the biscuits during baking. This is how you get super soft interiors.
Step 3. Bake the biscuits
- While the biscuits are freezing, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Right before putting the biscuits in the oven, brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle them with coarse sugar.
- Bake them for 15-20 minutes, until they are golden brown on top. Cool them completely on a wire rack.
Step 4: Prepare the strawberries
- Trim the green parts off the strawberries and chop the berries into quarters. Place them in a bowl and toss them with sugar.
- Let the strawberries sit for about 20-30 minutes until they begin to release their juices.
Step 5: Make the whipped cream
- Add heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla to a medium bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. This will take just a few minutes of whipping at medium-high speed.
Step 6: Assemble the strawberry shortcake
- Cut the biscuits in half so you have a top and bottom half.
- Spoon a dollop of whipped cream over the bottom half of the biscuit.
- Add a spoonful of strawberries over the cream.
- Drizzle a little strawberry juice from the bowl over the top.
- Set the top half of the biscuit over the berries and cream or angle it on the side.
Enjoy right away!
Jen’s best tips
- Use quality ingredients! As mentioned above, this recipe was developed using Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour which is a premium flour. It’s will give your shortcakes the best texture.
- Properly measure the flour. Don’t scoop the flour directly out of the bag with the measuring cup. Since flour compacts, this method will add too much flour to the recipe.
- Don’t skip freezing the biscuits before baking them. This will ensure a higher rise and fluffy interiors.
Storing & freezing
The shortcakes can be made ahead of time. Prepare the biscuits earlier in the day or up to two days before. Keep them in an airtight container until they are ready to be assembled.
The unbaked biscuits can be refrigerated overnight. Or seal in an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. Add about two minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen.
The strawberries can be prepared and kept in the refrigerator overnight. Keep the bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap.
The whipped cream will hold up for up to two hours after it’s made. Keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use.
I’m pretty sure you are going to enjoy these crisp classic strawberry shortcakes. They are simple to make and contain only the best ingredients!
More strawberry desserts
Strawberry shortcake
Ingredients
For the biscuits
- 2 ¾ cups (358 g) Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, cold
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream, or milk
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
For the strawberries
- 3 cups (432 g) chopped strawberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
For the whipped cream
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the biscuits
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.
- Whisk the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla together and gradually add it to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all the buttermilk. Add a little at a time until the mixture is moist enough to stick together but not wet and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough 4 or 5 times. Pat the dough flat to a 1-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter and cut out the biscuits. Reroll scraps and repeat until you have 6-7 biscuits.
- Arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Position the oven rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Make the strawberries
- Add the strawberries to a large bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and stir until the strawberries are evenly coated with sugar.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20-30 minutes until the strawberries begin to release their juices.
Make the whipped cream
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream and sugar together on medium speed until the sugar has dissolved and the cream is foamy.
- Add the vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Assemble the shortcakes
- Slice each biscuit in half so you have a top and bottom piece of biscuit. Layer strawberries and whipped cream over the bottom half of the biscuit. Set the top of the biscuit over the top of the berries and cream. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Flour: Make sure to properly measure the flour. Lightly spoon it into the measuring cup then level it off with the back of a knife. Or weigh it for more accurate measurements.
- Sugar: Coconut sugar is also a great option if you are looking for something different than refined sugar.
- Buttermilk: Full-fat buttermilk will give you the best texture.
- Whipped cream: Try this whipped coconut cream if you want something other than whipped cream for topping.
- Baking the biscuits: When placing the biscuits on the baking sheet, set them right next to each other as pictured above. This will promote a higher rise.
- Unbaked biscuits can be refrigerated overnight. Or seal in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Add about 2 minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen.
- Baked biscuits will keep for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator or for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- The strawberries can be prepared 1 day in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
- The whipped cream can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
That’s such a gorgeous dessert and so perfect for summer! I love baking with fruits 🙂
Strawberry shortcakes are such a classic dessert. This one is the best because the biscuit is enriched and tastes fabulous!
Strawberry shortcakes are such a classic dessert. This one is the best because the biscuit is enriched and tastes fabulous!