Classic Strawberry Shortcake
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Strawberry shortcake from scratch is easier than you think, and this version proves it. Tender drop biscuits, macerated strawberries bursting with their own juices, and real whipped cream piled on top. If summer has an official dessert, this easy strawberry shortcake recipe is at the top.
Homemade strawberry shortcake is the kind of classic that never goes out of style, and “from scratch” is a lot less intimidating than it sounds. This recipe comes together in about 40 minutes with no rolling, no cutting, and no complicated steps standing between you and a really good dessert. One bite and you’re back at a backyard cookout, a family gathering, some easy summer afternoon you forgot you missed.
The drop biscuits are adapted from my vanilla scones recipe, which means they have that tender, slightly structured crumb that holds up under a pile of strawberries without turning soggy. The strawberries macerate while the biscuits bake, releasing their own juice into something almost like a light syrup. And the whipped cream is generous enough that nobody’s getting a skimpy shortcake.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
- Ready in 40 minutes, start to finish. No standing mixer, and no rolling or cutting biscuits. The biscuits are dropped onto a pan and baked in 15 minutes, the strawberries sit while you make the biscuits, and you whip the cream while they’re cooling.
- No cooking the strawberries. Just slice, sugar, and let them sit while the biscuits bake. This makes the best fresh strawberry shortcake.
- Built for generous layers. Every biscuit gets a huge pile of macerated strawberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream. Nobody’s getting a sad, squat shortcake on my watch.
Ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake
There are three components to making strawberry shortcake from scratch: homemade shortcake biscuits, sugared strawberries, and homemade whipped cream.
For the Biscuits
- All-purpose flour – I like all purpose flour for these biscuits. It’s sturdy enough to hold a lot of juicy berries, and makes the crumb tender enough to melt in your mouth.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar for a little bit of sweetness and browning.
- Baking powder – The baking powder will help the biscuits rise tall and make them light.
- Salt – I use coarse Kosher salt in my baked goods. The salt brings out the flavor in the butter and the sweetness of the berries. If you only have table salt, cut the salt in 1/2 on the recipe card or use salted butter.
- Butter – use very cold cubed butter. As the butter bakes, it will create steam which will give the biscuits lift and make them light and fluffy. The fat in the butter will also keep the biscuits moist.
- Large egg
- Heavy cream – I like using heavy cream in scones and biscuits to make them moist, tender, and rich.
- Vanilla extract – also use a quality extract for the best flavor
For the Strawberries and Sauce
- Fresh strawberries – Hulled and sliced 1/2″ thick. You’ll end up with 3-4 cups of sliced berries when all is said and done.
- White sugar – Sweetens the berries, but also is necessary in breaking down the strawberry slices. This creates the syrup in the bottom of the bowl and softens the berries.
- Fresh lemon juice – For brightening up the berries.
For the Homemade Whipped Cream
- Heavy whipping cream – Make sure the cream is very cold before whipping. This will help it whip faster and stay whipped.
- Granulated sugar – Sugar is needed to sweeten the cream. I like using granulated white sugar in this instance because it makes the whipped cream glossy and cloudlike.
- Vanilla extract – For a little extra flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake from Scratch
Note: I’ve included my recipe for homemade shortcake biscuits below, but feel free to use store-bought biscuits, sponge cake cups, or pound cake to make things even easier!
Macerate the Strawberries
Slice the strawberries into a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice and stir until coated. Let the berries sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature while you make the shortcake biscuits.
Make the Scone Biscuits
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet or sheet pan with parchment.
In a measuring cup, combine the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla, then mix until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2
Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl or the work bowl of a food processor.
Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients.
The butter and flour should look like tiny sandy pieces when its done.. If using a food processor, pulse until the butter is worked in.
Add the wet ingredients and fold gently with a silicone spatula until the dough forms. If using the food processor, pulse the machine until just combined, and the dough starts to form a ball around the blade.
Step 3
Divide the dough into 6 mounds on the cookie sheet and bake at 375°F for 10-15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool until lukewarm, but not hot.
Make the Whipped Cream
In a cold bowl, add the cream, sugar, and vanilla. Use a handheld electric mixer and beat on low speed to combine, when soft peaks start to form increase to medium-high speed and whisk until stiff peaks form. The cream should be billowy and smooth, but hold its shape on the end of the beater.
Assemble the Strawberry Shortcakes
Slice a biscuit open horizontally. Pile a generous 1/2 cup of strawberries and juice onto the bottom half.
Top with a heaping 1/4 cup of whipped cream. Place the top of the biscuit on and dress with a little more strawberries and whipped cream if desired. Serve immediately.
Easy Strawberry Shortcake Substitutions & Variations
- You can use slices of angel food cake, pound cake, or even canned biscuits in the place of the biscuit dough. Leftover slices of lemon loaf make a great base for short cake too!
- Instead of whipped cream, add a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream or strawberry ice cream.
- If you want to use frozen berries, you can do that too! I recommend cooking those into a strawberry compote, or just let them thaw at room temperature with the sugar. They’ll be very juicy, so drain off extra liquid.
- Add some blueberries to the sweet strawberries for a Fourth of July dessert treat!
Tips & Tricks for the Best Strawberry Shortcake Recipe from Scratch
- Make sure you use cold butter, milk, and eggs for the scone/biscuit dough. This will give you light and fluffy, flaky biscuits.
- The longer the strawberries sit, the more juice they release and the softer and sweeter they get. I like having the strawberries sit while I make everything else, but you can let them sit for up to an hour if you have the time.
A cold bowl is key to making good whipped cream. I like to put a metal mixing bowl in the fridge or freezer. You can also place some ice in a larger bowl and rest your mixing bowl on it while whipping. - The biscuit can be a little warm, but not hot, at serving. Otherwise the cream will melt.
Recipe Note: This makes a generous amount of strawberries and whipped cream—enough to pile high on 6 homemade biscuits. There’s plenty of give, though. Grab biscuits from the bakery, pop open a can, or spoon everything over pound cake or angel food, and it’ll stretch comfortably to 8 servings. Either way, you won’t run short.
Storage Instructions
Keep leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I recommend warming them to soften them for the best shortcake. If you need to make these further in advance, freeze the biscuits immediately after they’ve cooled and thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to use.
Leftover strawberries can be stored in the fridge. Whipped cream can be stored in an airtight container or jar in the fridge, and rewhipped before serving.
Leftover strawberries and whipped cream: Have extra? Spoon them over buttermilk pancakes or homemade waffles for a sweet breakfast treat.
More Strawberry Desserts
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Strawberry Shortcake Recipe From Scratch
Ingredients
For the shortcake biscuits:
- 1½ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
- 1 large egg, cold
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the strawberries:
- 24 ounces fresh strawberries *This will give you 3-4 cups of berries once they're hulled and sliced.
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream, cold
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Macerate the Strawberries
- Hull and slice the strawberries into a large bowl. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir until coated. Let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes while you make the biscuits.
Make the Shortcake Biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl (or food processor), whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a measuring cup, stir together the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture. By hand, work it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until it looks like coarse, sandy crumbs. In a food processor, pulse to the same texture.
- Pour in the wet ingredients and fold with a silicone spatula (or clean hands) until a dough forms. In a food processor, pulse just until the dough gathers into a ball around the blade.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal mounds. A ¼-cup measuring cup or large cookie scoop makes this easy.
- Place the mounds on the baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 10–15 minutes, until risen and lightly golden at the edges. Let cool until just warm, not hot.
Make the Whipped Cream
- Add the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a cold bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on low to combine, then increase to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form. The cream should be billowy and smooth but hold its shape on the beater.
Assemble
- Slice a biscuit in half horizontally. Pile a generous ½ cup of strawberries and juice onto the bottom half.
- Top with a heaping ¼ cup of whipped cream. Add the top half, then finish with a little more strawberries and cream if you like. Serve immediately.
