Description
Cozy, bakery-style Strawberry Shortcake built on flaky, buttery biscuits that stay sturdy under juicy macerated strawberries and soft, lightly sweet whipped cream. Bright, clean flavors (sweet-tart berries, vanilla, and butter) meet great texture contrast: crisp-edged biscuits, plush centers, syrupy fruit, and billowy cream. Weeknight-friendly, make-ahead components, and flexible enough for swaps, scaling, and seasonal twists.
Ingredients
For the strawberries
– 2 quarts strawberries, hulled and sliced
– 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
– 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For the biscuits
– 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 tablespoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1 teaspoon fine salt
– 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
– 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
– 1 large egg
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
– 1 cup milk (or 1 cup buttermilk; both work)
– 2 teaspoons milk + 2 teaspoons sugar, for topping (optional)
For the whipped cream
– 1 cup heavy cream, cold
– 2 tablespoons sugar, to taste
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
1. Macerate the strawberries
In a large bowl, combine sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice. Toss well. Let sit 45–60 minutes, stirring once or twice, until a ruby-colored pool of juices gathers at the bottom of the bowl. Taste and adjust sugar if needed.
2. Preheat the oven
When the berries have been resting for about 20–30 minutes, heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Mix dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 3 tablespoons sugar until the leaveners are evenly dispersed.
4. Cut in the butter
Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, fingertips, or a food processor in short pulses, work the butter into the flour until you have pea-sized bits with some smaller crumbs. Visible butter pieces are good—they create flakiness.
5. Add the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the egg, vanilla, and 1 cup milk (or buttermilk). Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a fork or spatula just until the flour is hydrated and a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix; you want to keep those butter pockets intact.
6. Shape the biscuits
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently bring it together and pat into a 3/4-inch-thick slab. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8–9 squares (or use a biscuit cutter for rounds, pressing straight down without twisting). Transfer biscuits to the prepared sheet pan, spacing them slightly apart.
7. Top and bake
If desired, brush the tops with 2 teaspoons milk and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar for a glossy, crunchy finish. Bake 10–12 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden on top, edges are lightly crisp, and centers spring back when gently pressed. Cool slightly on a rack; they’re best served warm.
8. Whip the cream
While the biscuits bake or cool slightly, add cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high until soft peaks form—billowy and spoonable, not stiff. Taste and adjust sweetness.
9. Assemble the shortcakes
Split warm biscuits in half. Place bottoms on serving plates. Spoon macerated strawberries and some of their juices over each bottom. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream, then cap with the biscuit tops. Finish with more berries and cream on top if you like. Let sit 2–3 minutes so juices seep into the biscuits, then serve.
Notes
– Flavor balance: Taste the berries after macerating and adjust with an extra squeeze of lemon, pinch of salt, or spoon of sugar as needed. Small tweaks make the flavors pop.
– Substitutions: Use mixed berries or raspberries; swap in a neutral plant milk in the biscuit dough if needed (you may need a touch more or less liquid). For dairy-free, use vegan butter in the biscuits and whipped coconut cream on top.
– Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Handle dough gently and be ready to add an extra tablespoon or so of milk if the dough feels dry.
– Shaping: Square-cut biscuits avoid rerolling scraps, which keeps them tender and helps them bake more evenly.
– Make-ahead: Macerate berries up to 3–4 hours ahead (refrigerate after the first hour). Bake biscuits earlier in the day and keep wrapped at room temperature; rewarm at 350°F (175°C) for 5–8 minutes. Whipped cream can be made up to 2 days in advance and re-whisked briefly if it softens.
– Storage: Store components separately—biscuits at room temp 2–3 days, berries up to 24 hours in the fridge, whipped cream up to 2 days in the fridge. Assemble right before serving for best texture.
– Freezing: Freeze baked, cooled biscuits for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then refresh in a 350°F oven before serving.
– Troubleshooting:
• Too salty: Balance with more lemon and a bit of extra sugar in the berries.
• Too bland: Slightly increase salt in the biscuits and add lemon to berries; whip cream with a touch more vanilla.
• Too watery: Drain some berry juices, simmer briefly to reduce, then spoon the thickened syrup back over the biscuits.
• Overbaked biscuits: Brush with a little cream or reserved berry juice, then cover loosely so they steam and soften.
– Variations:
• Lemony Herb: Add lemon zest to biscuit dough; garnish with mint.
• Spicy Chipotle: Add a tiny pinch of chipotle and drizzle of honey to the berries, balancing with extra lemon.
• Savory-Sweet Brunch: Sprinkle biscuit tops with a little grated parmesan before baking and keep the berries lightly sweet.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American