5 from 3 votes
Pin Recipe Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy

When summer rolls around, my family loves when I bring home fresh berries to enjoy. There’s only one thing that could be better than fresh strawberries though…this strawberry shortcake recipe! It’s the dessert my kids and husband love most of all. The freshness of the berries, the homemade biscuits and whipped cream all come together for a dessert to treat your family or guests to on a hot summer night!

Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

I admit it…I once bought the store bought strawberry shortcake kits. But what’s all that junk in them? When I started looking into it, I thought it would be best to find a wholesome way to make them. After all, they’re made with fresh strawberries. Shouldn’t the rest of the dessert be just as fresh too? With this traditional strawberry shortcake recipe, it’s all about the freshness!

What are the ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake?

  • Strawberries – Well, that’s obvious! The most important of all the strawberry shortcake ingredients.
  • Whipped cream – You’ll make it from scratch with vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream, and sugar.
  • Biscuits – The strawberry shortcake cake is made with all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy whipping cream, a pinch of sea salt, and sparkling sugar for sprinkling the finishing touch!

Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Don’t be intimidated by the biscuits! Trust me, you want to make them yourself and these come out so good everyone will be wowed. It’s not something you likely have time for on a weeknight but on the weekend, grab the kids and let them help you put this satisfying and fresh dessert on the table!

What do you call a sad strawberry? A blue berry.
Anonymous

How do you Make Strawberry Shortcake from Scratch?

Making a strawberry shortcake recipe from scratch all starts with getting the strawberries ready. Combine them with sugar, cover, and refrigerate. Then make your biscuits with your food processor. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse briefly. Then add the cubes of butter and pulse until there are large crumbs. Next, add this to your large bowl and add buttermilk, folding it in. The dough should now look shaggy where you can roll it out on a floured surface. Flatten it and fold it (see the full steps with photos below) and then use a glass or biscuit cutter to cut out 12 biscuits. Brush them with the heavy whipping cream and sprinkle with the sugar. Then bake them at 375 for about 20 minutes until golden. Let them cool, then make your whipped cream. Slice the biscuits and layer them with the strawberries and cream, then serve!

Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Strawberry Shortcake Every Time

  • Be precise with measurements. While strawberry shortcake is a great one to start with for those new to the kitchen since the dough is more forgiving, you still need to get your measurements right to get the best results.
  • Don’t overmix! When you knead the dough needlessly, it will ruin the texture of your biscuits.
  • Stick by the oven. It’s a max of 20 minutes for your biscuits to get golden. Keep an eye on them so you don’t wind up with burnt biscuits.

What is the difference between cake and shortcake?

Shortcake is really just a biscuit made sweeter. Cake is ultra-rich and has the distinction of containing eggs and being topped with icing.

What is the difference between shortcake and biscuits?

Shortcake is very similar to biscuits, but the difference is that shortcake has a sweeter taste that makes it perfect as a dessert.

What is the difference between strawberry cake and strawberry shortcake?

Strawberry cake tends to be layered and large. It also has the strawberries cooked into it whereas strawberry shortcake layers the uncooked berries with cream between cooked layers of shortcake.

What is the difference between shortcake and shortbread?

Shortbread is a type of cookie that is rich with a buttery taste while shortcake is a biscuit with a sweet flavor.

What makes a cake a shortcake?

To be a shortcake, this biscuit must be sweet and short. It has a crumbly texture but is less dense and crunchier than regular cake.

Can strawberry shortcake be made in advance?

You can prepare the strawberries, the shortcake, and the whipped cream about 4 hours prior to when you plan to serve it however, you should not assemble it until you’re just about to serve it. Trying to get ahead of the game this way will result in a soggy dessert.

How do you keep strawberry shortcakes from getting soggy?

The key to keeping your strawberry shortcake from getting soggy is not to assemble it together until you’re ready to serve it. You can prep all items separately earlier in the day and then make your layers right after you clear your main course.

What goes well with Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake is the perfect finish to a summery meal. Think steaks on the grill or even roasted chicken. It’s bright and cheery, and while the biscuits lend some substance, the berries and cream keep things light. As such, adults may find that a little Moscato is a great pairing for this dessert.

How to Store Strawberry Shortcake

The components of strawberry shortcake need to be stored separately in your fridge. Leaving them together will result in the biscuits soaking up all the cream and the berries staining the biscuits. It just won’t be the same so only assemble as many strawberry shortcake servings as you need at the time and store the ingredients separately from there.

How Long Does Strawberry Shortcake Last?

When stored with ingredients separated, strawberry shortcake will be good for about 2 to 3 days in your fridge.

Can You Freeze Strawberry Shortcake?

Yes, BUT! It can only be the biscuits that you freeze. Don’t freeze the berries or the cream. When you freeze the biscuits, you can use them for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Strawberry Shortcake?

If you’ve frozen the biscuits, let them thaw in your fridge overnight. You can warm them up in the oven if you’d like at 350F for about 5 minutes or stack your strawberries and cream on a room temperature biscuit as you see fit.


Watch How To Make Strawberry Shortcake (Video)

Classic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 478
These homemade Strawberry Shortcake recipe (Cups) uses fresh strawberries, with easy homemade shortcake layered with fluffy whipped cream to make the perfect summer dessert!

Ingredients

Strawberries/Whipped Cream

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Biscuits

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • pinch sea salt
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
  • sparkling or coarse sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions 

  • First, prepare the strawberries. Add the strawberries and 1/3 cup of granulated sugar into a large bowl and stir well to fully combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  • While the strawberries refrigerate, prepare the biscuits. Preheat the oven to 375F. In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and pulse until just combined. Add in the cubed butter and continue to pulse until large crumbs form. Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and pour the buttermilk on top. Fold the buttermilk into the mixture until a shaggy dough forms. Place the dough on a floured work surface and flour your hands liberally. Gently bring the dough together and then flatten into a 3/4 inch to 1inch thick rectangle. Once its reached 3/4 of an inch, fold the two sides into the center. Flatten into a 3/4 inch rectangle again then fold again. Repeat this flattening and folding process 3 more times. Cut the rectangle into 3 inch circles with a glass or a biscuit cutter, placing the cutter directly into the dough without twisting. The rectangle should yield about 12 biscuits. Place your biscuits on a baking sheet and brush with heavy whipping cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375F for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits achieve a golden brown color. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  • While the biscuits cool, make the whipped cream. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed with a hand mixer. Beat for about 4 minutes or until soft to medium peaks form. Be careful not to over whip your whipped cream and make butter! Once the biscuits have fully cooled, slice them in half. Layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Calories: 478kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 347mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 907IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 2mg

More strawberry shortcake recipes:

Never Miss A Recipe!

Join thousands of HowToCook.recipes subscribers and get our best recipes delivered each week!

Yes! Send me the newest recipes by email

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

Author Megan Miller

I’m a mom of two, food and wine lover, and recipe creation enthusiast. Good food brings families together. Which is why I’m devoted to sharing my best recipes that are simple enough for even the beginner cook that your family will love!

Write A Comment

Recipe Rating