If you've only had strawberry shortcake made with sponge cake, you're missing the classic version.
Traditional strawberry shortcake is made with tender baking-powder biscuits, juicy, sweetened strawberries, and freshly whipped cream.
This old-fashioned recipe has been in my family for years and produces light, flaky biscuits that hold up beautifully under the berries without becoming soggy.
Classic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (With Homemade Biscuits)
These biscuits are tasty all by themselves or with some butter and your favorite jelly. I love them warm from the oven when the butter melts into the tender nooks and crannies. Yum!
Why You'll Love This Strawberry Shortcake
Jump to Recipe- This is a traditional New England-style biscuit shortcake
- Tender, flaky homemade biscuits covered in juicy strawberries
- Fresh strawberries, not pie filling, perfect for summer dessert
- Real whipped cream made from scratch
- Easy enough for beginners
- Ready the same day
Making biscuits is a forgiving process. Feel free to experiment when you make them, either sweet or savory. Biscuits are an example of simple food at its best.
One of the adjustments you might want to make as you adapt this recipe to your preferences is the amount of sugar. The amount of sugar in this recipe is specific to baking powder biscuit shortcakes or as a simple breakfast treat with butter and jelly.
When making these biscuits to go with a savory meal, like beef stew, you may want to reduce the sugar or leave it out completely. Also, think about adding a little shredded cheese or a bit of dried herbs.
Tips for Light, Flaky Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits
Use fresh baking powder. Baking powder that is caked in the container can produce biscuits with brown spots or have bits with a bitter, salty taste. You can try sifting the caked baking powder if necessary.
Use cold butter. When butter in the biscuits melts in the baking process, it helps your biscuits be light and flaky. Cold butter makes all the melting happen in the oven where you want it to happen.
Cut the fat into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives. I prefer my mixture to resemble coarse crumbs with just a few larger pieces spread throughout the mixture. This will give you flaky, tender biscuits with layers.
Whisk your dry ingredients together before cutting in the butter and shortening. You want your dry ingredients to be evenly distributed throughout your dough.
Avoid overmixing. Gluten starts to develop when you add the liquid to the mix. Use a fork, or your fingers to mix the liquid into the dry ingredients just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Overmixing will produce tough biscuits.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcakes
Now that you have made your baking powder biscuits, you'll want to make some strawberry shortcakes for dessert.
Start with ripe, in-season strawberries whenever possible. Sweet, juicy berries are the key to an unforgettable strawberry shortcake.
- Look for deep red berries.
- Avoid white shoulders.
- Smell them.
- Buy local when possible.
Slice fresh strawberries into a bowl and sprinkle them with granulated sugar to taste (this is called macerating the berries). In a pinch, you can thaw frozen, sweetened strawberries. The amount of sugar you use will vary with the sweetness of the strawberries you are using. Try adding a tablespoon at a time.
Prepare your strawberries at least a couple of hours in advance so the berries will have time to produce enough juice to moisten your biscuits.
You'll also want to make some sweetened whipped cream. This is not the time to use the whipped cream in a can. It takes just a couple of minutes to whip up some heavy cream with a bit of vanilla and some sugar. Buy heavy cream instead of whipping cream for your strawberry shortcake. Heavy cream has the highest amount of fat and will whip more reliably for you.
Make sure your cream is cold. Use your electric mixer for quick whipped cream. Beat the heavy cream until it foams and begins to thicken. Add vanilla extract and then the sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Taste and continue beating until it is thick enough to hold itself up. Chill until you are ready to assemble your strawberry shortcakes.
How To Assemble Your Homemade Strawberry Shortcakes
Slice your biscuits in half. Spoon the juice from the strawberries onto the biscuits.
Generously top the bottom biscuit half with sliced strawberries. Place the other biscuit half on top.
Spoon whipped cream onto the top of the shortcakes. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should strawberry shortcake be made with biscuits or cake?
Traditional strawberry shortcake is made with lightly sweetened baking powder biscuits. Sponge cake versions became popular later, but biscuits create the classic contrast between buttery pastry, juicy berries, and whipped cream.
Can I make strawberry shortcake ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the biscuits a day ahead and store them at room temperature. Prepare the strawberries several hours before serving so they release their juices. Assemble just before serving.
Why are my strawberries not juicy?
Strawberries need time after they're mixed with sugar. Let them sit for 1 to 2 hours so they release their natural juices.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes. Frozen strawberries work well when thawed completely. Since they're already juicy, they're an excellent choice when fresh berries aren't in season.
Can I freeze the biscuits?
Yes. Bake them completely, cool them, then freeze for up to three months. Warm them in the oven before serving.
Why are my biscuits tough?
Usually because the dough was overmixed. Mix only until the flour is moistened, and keep the butter cold.
Here's a version that fits your style—practical, conversational, and focused on helping readers make the recipe their own.
Strawberry Shortcake Variations
Once you've mastered this classic strawberry shortcake recipe, it's easy to change it up using other fresh fruits and simple flavor additions. The homemade baking powder biscuits are the perfect base for all kinds of seasonal desserts.
Mixed Berry Shortcake
Replace some of the strawberries with fresh blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries for a colorful mixed berry shortcake. Prepare the berries the same way by sprinkling them with sugar and letting them sit until they become juicy.
Peach Shortcake
When peaches are in season, slice ripe peaches and toss them with a little sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Let them rest for about 30 minutes before serving over warm biscuits with homemade whipped cream.
Blueberry Shortcake
Fresh blueberries make a delicious alternative to strawberries. If the berries are a little tart, add a bit of sugar and let them sit for an hour to develop more flavor and juices.
Lemon Whipped Cream
For a bright summer twist, stir a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest into your whipped cream along with the vanilla. The fresh citrus flavor pairs beautifully with strawberries.
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake
Chocolate lovers can add a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce over the strawberries and whipped cream or sprinkle the finished shortcakes with chocolate shavings for an extra-special dessert.
Individual Shortcake Bar
Hosting a summer gathering? Set out bowls of sweetened strawberries, blueberries, peaches, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, chopped nuts, and fresh mint so everyone can build their own strawberry shortcake just the way they like it.
Storing Shortcake Leftovers
Storing strawberry shortcake leftovers can be a challenge. You'll want to store each component separately.
- Biscuits are best when stored for no more than 2 days at room temperature
- Macerated strawberries are best used within 2 days when kept refrigerated
- Whipped cream is best used within 24 hours
- Assemble your shortcakes just before serving
Strawberry Shortcake Troubleshooting
These are the Common Strawberry Shortcake Mistakes:
- Overmixing the biscuit dough
- Using warm butter. Keep your butter cold.
- Not letting strawberries macerate. Let the sugar work its magic and produce plenty of strawberry juice.
- Using canned whipped topping. Homemade whipped cream will take your shortcakes from good to great!
- Assembling too early. Don't let your shortcakes get soggy. Assemble them as you are serving.
Traditional Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Classic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (With Homemade Biscuits)
This is a traditional New England-style strawberry shortcake recipe made with baking powder biscuits.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
- Measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl. whisk to combine.
- Cut the butter and shortening into small pieces. add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until it resembles bread crumbs.
- Add the milk. Using a fork, combine the milk with the dry ingredients until it just comes together. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball, picking up all the remaining dry ingredients in the bowl.
- Flour your counter. Flatten the dough into a round shape, about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 2-1/2 inch biscuit cutter, cut 12 rounds, reshaping the dough as needed.
- Place the biscuits on an ungreased sheet pan. Dot each biscuit with a bit of butter or brush the tops with milk.
- Bake in the oven on the center rack for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Slice fresh strawberries into a bowl and sprinkle them with granulated sugar to taste or you can thaw frozen, sweetened strawberries (which I will do in a pinch). The amount of sugar you use will vary with the sweetness of the strawberries you are using. Try adding a tablespoon at a time.
- Prepare your strawberries a couple of hours in advance so they will have time to produce enough juice to moisten your biscuits.
- You'll also want to make some sweetened whipped cream. Buy heavy cream instead of whipping cream for your strawberry shortcake. Heavy cream has the highest amount of fat and will whip more reliably for you.
- Make sure your cream is cold. Use your electric mixer for quick whipped cream. Beat the heavy cream until it foams and begins to thicken. Add vanilla extract and then the sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Taste and continue beating until it is thick enough to hold itself up. Chill until you are ready to assemble your strawberry shortcakes.
- Slice your biscuits in half. Spoon the juice from the strawberries onto the biscuits.
- Generously top the bottom biscuit half with sliced strawberries. Place the other biscuit half on top.
- Spoon whipped cream onto the top of the shortcakes.
Notes
The size of your biscuit cutters will impact the number of biscuits and the length of time it takes to bake your biscuits
Be sure to let your strawberries macerate with the sugar to have plenty of strawberry juice.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
214.71Fat (grams)
9.08 gSat. Fat (grams)
3.93 gCarbs (grams)
29.5 gFiber (grams)
0.84 gNet carbs
28.65 gSugar (grams)
5.22 gProtein (grams)
3.94 gSodium (milligrams)
414.88 mgCholesterol (grams)
12.61 mgNutritional information is approximate. This nutritional information is only for the baking powder biscuits.
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