Summer’s Greatest Dessert!
These homemade Strawberry Shortcakes remind me of childhood in the best way possible! Tender, flaky biscuits are topped with sugary, sweet fresh strawberries and a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream. The quintessential summer dessert!
You may not know this, but growing up in Florida, we actually got a day off from school to attend the strawberry festival. I’m 100% not making this up. It was essentially a town fair, but where the focus of the food was strawberry shortcakes! Can you even imagine?!
If you’re looking for more easy dessert recipes for summer and cookouts, be sure to try my mini Key Lime cheesecake parfaits, this light as air coconut cream pie recipe, or an easy homemade blueberry crisp!
What You’ll Need
- Fresh strawberries, that are sweetened with a little granulated sugar, then season with Kosher salt and fresh lemon juice.
- Homemade biscuits: For classic strawberry shortcakes, I like the biscuits to be tender and flaky, but hold their shape. You’ll need: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest, Kosher salt, butter, heavy whipping cream, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and (optional) turbinado sugar.
- Homemade whipped cream: A must! Made with heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and a little vanilla extract.
In addition to a mixing bowl, you’ll also want to grab a rolling pin and a round biscuit cutter.
Ingredient Substitutions
- You can use all-purpose gluten-free flour if wanted. I like Bob’s Red Mill One-For-One Gluten-Free Flour.
- You can add additional berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries, if wanted!
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, increase the amount of heavy cream to 1 cup then stir in 1 Tbsp of vinegar or fresh lemon juice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Full quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Prep the strawberries! Add sliced or quartered berries to a bowl, then toss with sugar, lemon juice, and Kosher salt to macerate the strawberries.
- Make the biscuits: Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in grated cold butter (this is the key to flaky biscuits!). In a measuring cup, whisk the wet ingredients, then pour into the dry ingredients. Use a fork or spatula to gently mix until the biscuit batter comes together. It will be crumbly.
- Form the biscuits. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then roll out until it’s 1-inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter (really any size you want!) to cut the biscuits.
- Bake the biscuits. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, then brush with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 400°F until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Make the whipped cream. Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until medium peaks form.
- Assemble the shortcakes. Split each biscuit in half, then top with strawberries and whipped cream. Place the top biscuit half on top, then enjoy!
Rules To Follow When Making Biscuits
- Don’t turn the biscuit cutter as you press down into the dough. Just press straight down, then lift up. This helps give them a taller rise!
- You can combine leftover biscuit dough and re-roll it out until you’ve used all the dough. Just don’t overwork it too much.
- The biscuits can be baked in a large cast-iron skillet brushed with melted butter if preferred.
More Helpful Tips
- Use the coldest butter possible for the biscuits. This ensures they will be light and fluffy.
- Don’t overmix the biscuit dough! Overmixing leads to tough biscuits.
- Let the macerated strawberries sit for at least 15 minutes, but longer is even better. The longer they sit, the more flavorful the accompanying strawberry syrup will be.
- If using frozen strawberries, thaw completely, then drain off any excess juice before using. They may be softer than if you’d used fresh berries, but still delicious!
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: The strawberries can be prepped up to a day in advance, as well as the biscuits — bake, then store them separately in a fridge. When ready to serve, make fresh whipped cream. Assemble the shortcakes just before serving.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover assembled shortcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed within 1-2 days. Just note that once assembled the biscuits will absorb excess liquid from the strawberries and cream, and will likely soften as they sit.
Can you freeze strawberry shortcakes? While you can freeze the biscuits individually, it’s best not to freeze assembled shortcakes as the texture of the whipped cream and strawberries may suffer upon thawing.
Serving Suggestions
These are truly so perfect as is. I love to serve them after a summer barbecue or cookout for a seasonal dessert. You can add a little fresh mint if you like — the pop of green is beautiful and mint and berries always taste delicious together!
Otherwise, feel free to drizzle a little melted chocolate on top or flavor the whipped cream: a lemon whipped cream or almond whipped cream would be amazing.
Truly the most perfect summer dessert! If you make this Classic Strawberry Shortcake recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! Don’t forget to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio and upload your photos below! We love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Tell Us What You Think!
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to leave a review and rating—we value your feedback and it helps us keep creating (and sharing!) free recipes. Your support means the world!
Rate this Recipe
Classic Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Whipped Cream
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the strawberries
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from ½ a medium lemon
- Pinch of Kosher salt
For the biscuits
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon zest, from ½ medium lemon
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- 10 Tbsp (141g) cold butter, grated or cubed
- ½ cup (118ml) + 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, very cold, divided
- ½ cup (118ml) buttermilk, very cold
- 2 large (100g) eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Turbinado sugar, optional
For serving
- 1½ cups (355ml) heavy cream, cold
- 3 Tbsp (6g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Macerate the berries. Place 2 cups of quartered strawberries in a bowl, then toss to combine with ¼ cup (50g) sugar, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of Kosher salt. Set aside.
- Prepare the biscuits. Combine 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50g) sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp lemon zest, and ½ tsp Kosher salt in a bowl, then whisk well. Stir in 10 Tbsp (141g) grated cold butter. (If using cubed, use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until there are mostly pea-sized pieces of butter.)
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together ½ cup (118ml) heavy cream, ½ cup (118ml) buttermilk, 2 large (100g) eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients, then pour the buttermilk mixture in the center. Use a fork or spatula to gently mix the batter until it begins to clump together to form a dough. It will be crumbly.
- Form the biscuits. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then roll it out until it’s 1-inch thick. Use a 2½ -inch biscuit cutter (or a large glass) to cut out biscuits. You can combine the leftover dough and re-roll it out until you’ve used all the dough.
- Bake the biscuits. Preheat an oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet, then brush the tops with the remaining 2 Tbsp heavy cream. Optional: sprinkle with a little turbinado sugar if you like! Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whip the cream. Place 1½ cups (355ml) heavy cream, 3 Tbsp (6g) confectioners’ sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form. If you prefer stiff peaks, beat it a little longer.
- Assemble the shortcakes. Split each biscuit in half, then place on a plate or in a bowl. Spoon a generous amount of the strawberries on the bottom half. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, then add the top biscuit. Enjoy!
Notes
- The biscuits can be baked in a large cast-iron skillet brushed with melted butter.
- To make-ahead: The strawberries can be prepped up to a day in advance, as well as the biscuits — bake, then store them separately in a fridge. When ready to serve, make fresh whipped cream. Assemble the shortcakes just before serving.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftover assembled shortcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed within 1-2 days. Just note that once assembled the biscuits will absorb excess liquid from the strawberries and cream, and will likely soften as they sit.
- I do not recommend freezing assembled shortcakes. However, you can bake the biscuits in advance then freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in a fridge, then assemble the shortcakes fresh.
Nutrition
Photography by: Cambrea Bakes
Fantastic! The biscuit was so lovely – crisp outside, tender inside and I couldn’t stop eating the whole thing once we started. Everyone loved them.
(Review provided by an employee of wellseasonedstudio.com.)
The ideal summer dessert! xo, Ari