This classic strawberry shortcake dessert is the herald of summertime! When I can finally make this with fresh, field picked strawberries I know that summer has truly arrived! Layers of citrus flavored shortcake, fluffy homemade whipped cream, and sweetened strawberries make this easy dessert a staple of summer recipes!
If you love strawberry shortcake, try my bite-sized version Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Cups!
These super easy to make desserts are one of my summer favorites! I can't remember not having fresh strawberries to pile onto these wonderfully tasty shortcakes for the perfect summer treat!
I'm going to give away how old I am when I say that I actually was one of those kids that picked strawberries in the summer for money. Since there was always a certain amount of grazing that happened, you would think that I would have had enough of these luscious berries!
But no, never!
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I make due with frozen and freeze dried strawberries over the winter months, even off-season strawberries are good. The fresh picked berries though, they're where it's at. Yum!
Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
This is another one of my Granny Janny's recipes that I will forever treasure. Not only as a fond childhood memory, but also, quite simply the very best strawberry shortcake you could ever possibly make!
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
Grab a baking sheet, mixing bowl, and cutting board to get this flavorful strawberry recipe started!
How To Make Strawberry Shortcake
- To get started, preheat your oven to 425ºF (218ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice your rinsed strawberries and place them into a small bowl, then add the sugar and 2 tablespoon of the reserved lemon juice from the zested lemon.
- Set the bowl aside and allow the sliced strawberries to sit at room temperature while you make and bake the shortcakes.
- In a small to medium bowl, or the bowl of your food processor, combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the lemon zest. Combine the dry ingredients.
- Then add the cold, cubed butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter or your food processor until you have crumbles that are roughly pea-sized.
- Stir in the buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute), until you have a thick batter but all of the flour has been incorporated. The batter will be lumpy.
- Next, drop the shortcake dough onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches spacing between the shortcakes, and divide the dough out to make 6-8 shortcakes.
- Top the dough off with some sprinkled coarse sugar. If you don't have bakery style coarse sugar, both raw organic sugar and cane sugar will work just as well.
Bake, Assemble & Serve
- Bake the shortcakes at 425ºF (218ºC) for 15-18 minutes, or until they are turning a lovely light golden brown color.
- Remove from the oven and allow the shortcakes to cool to room temperature, so that you don't end up with runny whipped cream.
- Make the whipped cream: beat the heavy cream on low setting until bubbles are formed. Increase speed to medium until soft peaks are formed. Add the vanilla extract and gradually add the confectioners' sugar until it has all been incorporated into the cream mixture. Continue on medium speed until stiff peaks are formed and your whipped cream holds it's shape.
- Once cooled, slice the shortcakes in half and layer the whipped cream and sliced strawberries on the bottom half.
- Place the top half of the shortcake on top, then add more whipped cream and a drizzle of the strawberry juices (optional). Or place a slice of fresh strawberry on top of the layered shortcake.
Garnish with a fresh mint leaf, if desired. Enjoy!
🍓 More Great Strawberry Treats!
- Tanghulu
- Strawberry Lush
- Strawberry & Cream Scones
- Apple Strawberry Crisp
- Tarte aux Fraises (French Strawberry Tart)
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📋 Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
Macerated Strawberries
- 3 cups strawberries (fresh, sliced)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 large lemon (juice and zest, reserve the zest for the shortcake)
Shortcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
- ½ cup buttermilk (use additional buttermilk to reach sticky biscuit dough consistency, up to ¾ cup buttermilk or buttermilk substitute)
- 2 teaspoon coarse sugar (topping, optional)
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Macerated Strawberries
- Slice the strawberries and place in a small mixing bowl. Combine with sugar and 2 tablespoon lemon juice from the zested lemon. Allow the berries to sit at room temperature while you make and bake the shortcakes.3 cups strawberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 large lemon
Strawberry Shortcakes
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small to medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients including flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter (or in a food processor) until you have roughly pea-sized crumbles.1 large lemon, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 tablespoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Stir in the buttermilk. Your dough should be like biscuit dough, very thick and sticky.½ cup buttermilk
- Drop the shortcake dough onto your parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the shortcakes with coarse sugar, if desired (if you don't have bakery style coarse sugar, use raw sugar granules or cane sugar).2 teaspoon coarse sugar
- Bake the shortcakes for 15-18 minutes, or until they start turning a light golden brown.
- Allow the shortcakes to cool to room temperature.
Whipped Cream
- Beat the heavy cream on low speed until bubbles form, then increase to a medium speed until soft peaks are formed.1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Add vanilla extract and slowly start adding the confectioners sugar, beating at medium speed until all of the confectioners sugar has been incorporated and stiff peaks are formed.½ cup confectioners sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assemble the Strawberry Shortcakes
- Slice each shortcake in half and layer whipped cream on the bottom, topped with the sliced strawberries. Layer the top half of the shortcake on top of the berries and add some more whipped cream on the top.
- Drizzle the strawberry juices over the entire strawberry shortcake, if desired, or top with a slice of fresh strawberry.
Equipment You May Need
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Carin says
I did the shortcake first and didn’t realize that you add lemon zest because it’s not in the shortcake ingredients.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
It's included in the 'lemon' bit of the macerated strawberries, but I will make a note for clarification! Thanks for letting me know!
Carrie says
Can you make extra and freeze these biscuits to have on hand or will that ruin them? Thanks!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I haven't ever frozen my strawberry shortcakes, but I wouldn't be afraid to. Follow the quickbread freezing style using heavy aluminum foil to wrap the biscuits before freezing for best results. Let us know if you do try, and I promise to freeze some from my next batch to update with my results too! Thanks for asking, hope that helps!
J says
Buttermilk substitution?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I have updated the page with a link to my buttermilk substitutes here. Thanks for catching that!!