Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake—the kind made with sugar-crusted biscuits, sweet, juicy strawberries, and heaps of whipped cream—is one of my go-to desserts once the weather warms up. And when everything is made from scratch, it’s hard to beat (so say goodbye to store-bought pound cake and Cool Whip!).

If baking biscuits from scratch sounds daunting, don’t worry. Mine are easy to make, even for beginners. The dough comes together in one bowl, and instead of rolling it out and cutting it into rounds, I simply shape it into free-form balls. The result is a craggy texture that’s perfect for soaking up all those delicious strawberry juices without getting soggy. And homemade whipped cream is a cinch.

What You’ll Need To Make Strawberry Shortcake

• All-purpose flour and Cornstarch: This combination is used to give the shortcake biscuits their structure and texture. Adding the cornstarch softens the proteins in the dough, yielding a more tender biscuit. It’s meant to mimic White Lily flour, the flour used in true Southern biscuits.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Leavening agents that help the biscuits rise, making them light and fluffy. Make sure yours are fresh so you get the right effect – they generally last about six months once opened.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the biscuit dough, strawberries, and whipped cream, while turbinado sugar is sprinkled on top of the biscuits to create a sweet, crunchy crust.
• Cold butter: “Cut” into the biscuits so that when baked, the cold pieces melt creating steam pockets that rise, leading to a flaky, rich texture. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of the biscuits.
• Buttermilk: Adds moisture to the biscuit dough, contributing to the tender texture and rich flavor. If you’d rather not buy a whole carton for this recipe, you can make homemade buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
• Strawberries & Raspberry Jam: Combined to make a sweet, juicy berry filling. The jam gives the berries a little extra sweetness and helps create a spoonable sauce.
• Heavy cream: Whipped to make a light and creamy filling for the shortcake.
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Can I Use Other Berries?

Absolutely—raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a mix all work here. Keep the same total weight of fruit, and mash a portion as directed to help create the sauce.

How To Make Strawberry Shortcake

Combine dry ingredients for the biscuits: Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk them together to evenly disperse the ingredients.

Add the cold butter: Add the pieces of butter to the bowl and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. You’re aiming for it to look similar to the texture in the bowl below.

Add the buttermilk: Using a rubber spatula, stir the buttermilk into the flour and butter mixture until the dough comes together into a sticky, shaggy mass.

Pro Tip: Stop stirring as soon as you don’t see any more streaks of dry flour. Over-mixing the dough can make the biscuits dense.

Shape the biscuits: Using lightly floured hands, form the dough into 8 craggy-looking balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Each biscuit should be bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball. Sprinkle the tops with the turbinado sugar.

Pro Tip: Don’t worry about making them perfect—it’s better if they’re a little rough around the edges. Those edges catch the turbinado sugar, which turns into caramelized bits in the oven.

Bake: Bake the biscuits for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden, then remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool while you prepare the strawberries.

Mash some of the berries: Put one-third of the berries in a medium bowl and use a potato masher or fork to mash them into a chunky purée.

Mix and macerate: Add the remaining strawberries, raspberry jam, and sugar. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, until the berries release their juices and the mixture becomes saucy.

Make the whipped cream: While the berries macerate, whip the heavy cream using an electric mixer or by hand until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the sugar over the cream and beat until soft peaks return. Careful not to overwhip!

Assemble: Split the biscuits in half horizontally with a serrated knife and place the bottoms on 8 dessert plates. Spoon about three-quarters of the strawberries and their juices over the biscuits, letting some spill onto the plates. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream and the biscuit tops. Finish with the remaining berries and cream, and serve immediately.

Make-Ahead & Freezing

A little prep ahead means you can spend less time in the kitchen when it’s time for dessert. Get the biscuits ready in advance, whip the cream a few hours early, and save the berries and assembly for just before serving.

• Biscuits: Shape the biscuits and refrigerate for up to 1 hour before baking. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked biscuits on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, allowing a few extra minutes in the oven.
• Whipped cream: Make it a few hours ahead, stopping just short of the finished consistency. Cover and refrigerate, then give it a quick whisk by hand before serving.
• Strawberries and assembly: Prepare the berry mixture shortly before serving, allowing about 10 minutes for the juices to develop. Keep the components separate until you’re ready to assemble so the biscuits don’t get soggy.