This Strawberry Shortcake recipe is made completely from scratch, but make ahead and freezer options make this an easy strawberry dessert you’ll enjoy all summer long!
Strawberry season is maybe the best time of the year.
Heading out to the farm, strawberry picking with the kids (better yet, without the kids! Lol), and loaded up my buckets with the biggest, reddest, juiciest strawberries just never gets old.
If you’re looking for the perfect summer strawberry dessert recipe, this strawberry shortcake recipe is it.
And once you’ve enjoyed this strawberry shortcake recipe a couple times over and you’re ready for something new? Check out my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, my No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake, or my Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie — all strawberry dessert recipes approved by my resident taste testers 😉
What’s to love about this Strawberry Shortcake recipe?
- Fresh, made from scratch, sweetened biscuits (and they’re freezer-friendly to boot!) — I’m going to show you that elegant and homemade doesn’t have to mean difficult and time consuming!
- Fresh local strawberries — grab them from your Farmer’s Market or right from the farm, but don’t go for those off-season part-cardboard strawberries they try to sell you in the winter months.
- Homemade whipped cream. Friends — I understand the allure of frozen whipped topping, but it’s just not the same. It’s white sweet fluff with no real flavor! Make it from scratch and you won’t regret it.
But what if it’s not strawberry season?
No problemo!
Opt for a simple strawberry sauce made with frozen strawberries. Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at their prime to enjoy later, so they are the next best thing.
Making strawberry sauce is easy to do! Dump some frozen strawberries in a large pan (try to guess how much sauce you’ll need, and when in doubt make extra). Place over low heat, stir and thaw. Add some sugar (start on the low side, you can add more later), some lemon zest if desired, and cook it down until the strawberries are tender.
Make a corn starch slurry (1 tablespoon corn starch to 1 tablespoon water), and gradually thicken the sauce until you like the consistency, making more slurry if needed.
Taste and adjust sweetness, and add vanilla if desired.
How to make Strawberry Shortcake:
- First we make the shortcakes: these come together much like regular biscuits, by combining the flour and dry ingredients and cutting in the butter while it’s cold. Then we stir in the egg and the liquid, just so that it comes together. This is the best way to get flaky biscuits! I like to sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking (you could even add a touch of cinnamon if you like!) for an extra touch of sweetness,
- Bake or freeze. You can make your biscuits, flash freeze and place in a large ziploc freezer bag to bake later on, right from frozen! See additional tips on making this strawberry shortcake recipe in advance down below.
- Slice your strawberries and toss with sugar (macerated strawberries) — this will help the berries to release some juices that will give you a sweet and juicy strawberry shortcake.
- Make your whipped cream — from scratch! You can obviously use whipped topping here in a pinch (I’ll confess I always have a stash in the freezer for dessert emergencies!), but homemade is always going to be better. And since we’re making our shortcakes from scratch, I say we go all out with the real deal cream as well.
- Assemble just before eating. We don’t want our biscuits to get soggy, so I recommend laying everything out and allowing people to assemble their own dessert. This way, they can choose if they want a little more of this or a little more of that and make it however they like.
Can Strawberry Shortcake be made in advance?
There are lots of ways you can prep strawberry shortcake in advance so you have a stress-free dessert to serve for last minute company or a big party!
- Biscuits or shortcakes: you can bake and store at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days, but they may become softer as they sit. You can also freeze before baking, and simple bake as directed right from frozen. Keep an eye on them and add 2-5 extra minutes of bake time if necessary, pulling them out when they are golden brown.
- Macerated strawberries: you can slice and sugar your strawberries and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Homemade whipped cream: whipped cream is best made just before serving, as it can become flat and watery if stored too long. You can also stabilize your whipped cream with some unflavored gelatin to store it longer, or use whipped topping instead.
More strawberry dessert recipes:
- Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake
- Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Healthy Strawberry Smoothie
Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Strawberries
- 1 lb strawberries diced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Sweetened Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (30-35%)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Biscuits
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it is in pea-sized pieces.
- Lightly beat the egg and stir into the flour.
- Gradually add the buttermilk, adding just enough so that the dough comes together. For best results, cover and chill for 30 minutes before rolling.
- Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2″ thickness. Cut into rounds using a 2 ¾ ” biscuit cutter (or whatever size you prefer).
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place biscuits in the center of the baking sheet so that they are touching.
- Beat together the egg and water and brush over the tops of the biscuits. Sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
Strawberries
- Wash and chop strawberries. Add sugar and stir.
- Let sit for 20 minutes or more or until they become juicy.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
- In a large bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Adjust sweetness to taste.
- Serve split biscuits with strawberries and whipped cream as desired.
Nutrition Information
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Toni says
It was so good my kids really loved it!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Toni!
Lori says
Perfect biscuits- love this summer dessert!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lori!
Alli says
This recipe is so easy and delicious. My kids and myself gobbled it right up.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Ali! We love it with summer strawberries!
lauren kelly says
Strawberry shortcake has always been my absolute favorite! My whole family devoured this! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lauren!
Kara says
You are right about using fresh whipped cream – it makes a huge difference! It’s hard to beat fresh strawberries with cream. So yummy!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! It’s the only way!