Easy Strawberry Shortcake (simple & delicious)
Summer calls for a classic dessert, such as strawberry shortcake. The sweet and tender biscuit is topped with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream. This is the perfect treat to make for friends and family!
Summertime and berries are in season! Strawberries are seriously the best in early summer. They are juicy and ripe with flavor—perfect for dessert. Strawberry shortcake is a summer classic and one of my favorite treats to make when entertaining. People love a personal size dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. The biscuit dough comes together in minutes and can easily be made ahead of time. Whipped cream and strawberries are the only other thing you need.
- Seasonal recipe. Strawberry shortcake is a popular summer dessert because the berries are juicy and ripe! Next, try my strawberry cobbler.
- Individual size. The single serving makes this dessert great for entertaining!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Use unsalted butter that is cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Cold butter is the key to flaky biscuits.
- Egg: To help bind the ingredients and give structure to the biscuits, add an egg to the dough.
- Baking powder: This leavening agent helps the biscuits rise. Make sure it’s fresh and not expired.
- Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar for the biscuits, strawberries and whipped cream.
- Strawberries: Use fresh strawberries (not frozen). Remove the stem and cut into quarters.
- Heavy cream: Make the whipped cream from scratch using cold heavy cream. It’s also used in the biscuits to create a tender texture.
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Use different berries. Raspberries, blackberries and blueberries work just as well for shortcakes. Sliced peaches are also a good seasonal choice. You can also use blueberry sauce!
Add some toppings. Shortcakes taste delicious with some chocolate shavings or chopped nuts. You can also add a dollop of lemon curd.
Double the recipe. Make 16 servings by doubling the recipe.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake
- Whisk together dry ingredients together—flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut cold butter pieces into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter.
- Separately, whisk half and half and eggs together in a measuring cup. Pour over dry ingredients.
- Stir wet and dry ingredients together until dry clumps form. Transfer to a floured surface and knead a couple times until dough comes together. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut round biscuits. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush biscuits with half-and-half. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 F or until golden. Cool completely.
- Toss sliced strawberries with sugar. Let the fruit sit for 30 minutes to release the juices. For the whipped cream, whisk heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble shortcakes by slicing the biscuits in half. On top of the bottom half of the biscuit, add a dollop of whipped cream and spoonful of strawberries. Add the top biscuit half. more whipped cream and berries. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
Use cold ingredients. This makes a tender, flaky biscuit that is moist and fluffy! I keep all the ingredients in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Dip the biscuit cutter in flour before cutting the dough. This will prevent the biscuit dough from getting stuck on the cutter. Push the biscuit cutter straight down and avoid twisting. Place biscuits close to each other on the pan (about 1 inch apart) to help them rise and get extra height.
Use a cold bowl for the whipped cream. Put a metal bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes. This helps keep the cream cold, which results in thick and fluffy whipped cream!
Wait to assemble until serving. If left assembled for too long, the strawberry juices will seep into the whipped cream and biscuits making for an unappealing presentation.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make ahead the biscuits and store wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours or in the freezer for 1 month. Bake from frozen for 14 minutes.
Store strawberry shortcakes (unassembled) for best results. Biscuits will last for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Whipped cream and strawberries should be stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQ
Not really. They are similar, but biscuits are typically less sweet and often made with buttermilk. Shortcakes use a little more sugar and cream for a rich, sweet taste.
Strawberry cake is soft, fluffy and flavored with strawberries. Shortcakes are tender on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside. They have a shorter baking time (hence the name) and are topped with strawberries prior to serving.
Most likely the dough was overworked. Its important to mix just until combined and keep the dough cold. It’s also possible the ingredients were not measured properly. I suggest using a kitchen scale.
Related Recipes
Here are some more delicious berry recipes to love!
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Get the Recipe: Easy Strawberry Shortcake (simple & delicious)
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
Shortcakes
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar, separated
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon (135 mL) half-and-half, (or whole milk), cold
- 1 large egg, cold
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream, cold
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Strawberries
- Cut up strawberries into quarters (remove stems). Place in a large bowl and sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar over the berries. Gently toss them with a spoon until evenly coated. Let strawberries sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours to allow juices to release.
Sweet Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl (see notes for food processor instructions), whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Add cold butter and use a pastry cutter to blend butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized butter pieces form. Work quickly so butter stays cold!
- In a measuring cup, whisk together 1/2 cup half-and-half and egg. Pour egg mixture over the flour mixture. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to combine ingredients. Mix until large clumps form.
- Transfer biscuit dough to a floured work surface and knead a few times until the dough comes together in a ball (this step is important, but work quickly so the dough stays cold). Use your hands to press dough into a rectangle 9-inches by 5-inches. Dust a 3-inch biscuit cutter with flour and cut 6 round biscuits out of the dough. Rework remaining scraps and cut 2 more biscuits. Place biscuits 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Brush biscuits with remaining tablespoon of half-and-half. Sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake biscuits at 425° F for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set. Allow biscuits to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.
Homemade Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine heavy cream, sugar and vanilla. Turn mixer on low and mix for about 30 seconds until bubbles form. Slowly start turning the mixer up until it reaches medium-high. Beat until stiff peaks form and the whisk leaves a trail in the whipped cream, about 2 more minutes.
- Cut biscuits in half (it's okay if they are still slightly warm). Layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
8 Comments on “Easy Strawberry Shortcake (simple & delicious)”
This really is the ideal summer treat! Love fresh summer strawberries with sweet biscuits.
I’ve tried plenty of strawberry shortcake recipes and this one is the best!!! Our favorite way to enjoy strawberry season!
This is one of my favorite summer strawberry treats! This recipe was SO yummy – my whole family loved it!
I love strawberry shortcakes, and these look absolutely perfect! I’ll definitely be making these little treats all summer long.
They look SO good! What a wonderful summer dessert. Yum!
This recipe was delicious. I’ve always made a strawberry shortcake but never with a biscuit. Game changer for my youngest son.