Table of Contents
Who doesn’t LOVE strawberry shortcake? It’s such a classic dessert and one of our favorites – especially in the summertime!
Everyone has their own version of strawberry shortcake. But this recipe is more of a classic old-fashioned shortcake recipe. It has the texture of a biscuit and isn’t overly sweet. But don’t worry—the strawberries and whipped cream are sweet enough!
This traditional strawberry shortcake recipe is a go-to version at our house! It’s simple with just a few steps, beautiful, and incredibly delicious. It’s definitely best when strawberries are in season and at their prime ripeness (typically April – June). But really, it’s a winning dessert all around!
This classic version is delicious, but we also LOVE this Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake and Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs. Can you tell we love strawberry shortcake!?
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Pantry staples. You just need a few simple ingredients (most you probably always have on hand)!
- 20 minutes of prep. Then simply bake and assemble! This is an extra easy treat, perfect for last-minute company or family night.
- Fresh berries. There’s not much better than sweet, ripe strawberries (in our opinion) and this dessert highlights our favorite summer flavors!
Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients and Substitutions
- 2 pints strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered – We only use fresh strawberries and never frozen berries because they thaw too soft and watery.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar – or another sweetener like stevia
- 4 cups all-purpose flour – see How to Measure Flour
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1¼ cup butter, divided – We use unsalted butter. see How to Soften Butter Quickly
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided – You will need 1½ cups of heavy whipping cream to mix into the dough, but sometimes we will omit the other 1½ cups cream and the vanilla and use store-bought Cool Whip instead.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- optional garnish – whole strawberry to top each dessert
How to Make Classic Strawberry Shortcake
- PREP. Place quartered strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar. Place in fridge and let fruit “sweat” out juices for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- BATTER. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl (you can use a whisk to do this as well). Add 1 cup softened butter and mix. Add 1 ½ cups cream and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough for a minute and roll out to about ½ inch thickness. Use a 3-inch circle cookie/biscuit cutter and place rounds on the cookie sheet.
- BAKE. Brush with ¼ cup melted butter and bake for 12-14 minutes (or until golden brown). These will be thicker and more biscuity than cake.
- WHIPPED CREAM. Beat the heavy cream and vanilla with an electric mixer until thickened and soft peaks form.
- SERVE. Make shortcakes by layering cake, whipped cream, and strawberries with another cake on top. Add juicy strawberries and more cream on top if desired.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- To keep the strawberries from becoming overly juicy we only “sweat” them in sugar for about 30-45 minutes.
- We make sure to bake tender cakes by measuring the flour accurately and not overworking the dough.
- When making Homemade Whipped Cream don’t over-beat the cream. You can tell it is done by lifting the beater which creates a peak that will softly flop over.
Classic Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 2 pints strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1¼ cup butter, divided
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place quartered strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar. Place in fridge and let fruit “sweat” out juices for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add 1 cup softened butter and mix. Add 1½ cups cream and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough for a minute and roll out to about ½ inch thickness. Use a 3-inch circle cookie/biscuit cutter and place rounds on a cookie sheet. Brush with ¼ cup melted butter and bake for 12-14 minutes (or until golden brown). These will be thicker and more biscuity than cake.
- Make whipped cream: Beat the remaining whipping cream and vanilla until thickened and soft peaks form.
- To assemble: Place a shortcake on the plate, top with whipped cream and strawberries, then top with another shortcake. Add strawberries and more cream on top if desired.
Notes
- To keep the strawberries from becoming overly juicy we only “sweat” them in sugar for about 30-45 minutes.
- Make sure to bake tender cakes by measuring the flour accurately and do not overwork the dough.
- When making Homemade Whipped Cream don’t overbeat the cream. You can tell it is done by lifting the beater which creates a peak that will softly flop over.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Bake the biscuits, make the whipped cream, slice the strawberries (do not add sugar until 30 minutes before assembling), and store them separately until you’re ready to assemble and serve.
Leftover classic strawberry shortcake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. The cake layer will absorb moisture from the cream and berries, but can still be eaten.
More Like This
Strawberry Shortcake Recipes
Fruit Desserts
Collections
This recipe was originally published July 2019.
The very best ever.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in the dough?
Also, do iI put 1/2 a cup of sugar to the dough? Thanks!
Yes, the 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) of sugar goes in the fruit and then the 1/2 cup goes in the dough.
You could try! It may change the texture/consistency of the dough but if you give it a try, you’ll have to let us know how it turns out.
ive used so many different things for sTrawberry shortcake like angel food cake and other cakes, but this is a gEnuine strawberry shortcake. I love the directions fOr the individual sized cakes as well.
My kids request for their birthday cake is strawberry shortcake. They loved these and thought it was so great that they were individual cakes.
These are the cutest little dessert! Super tasty too! Strawberries Desserts are a favorite in our home.
LOVE that you can make and freeze it ahead of time!
We dont like the heat but we do like the cool, frUitty desserts that come in the summertime.
Simple, yet so tasty!! This dessert is always a hit! My mom loves it, so we try to make it often. You can’t mess this recipe up! It has a nice crispy top, but soft on the inside!