Video: How To Make Strawberry Shortcake

To make strawberry shortcake, all you have to do is toss sliced fresh strawberries in sugar, and let them set for a bit to macerate. The sugar will draw moisture out of the strawberries and dissolve to make a syrupy sauce. Serve the strawberries over white cake or biscuits, and top with whipped cream.

Cake or Biscuits?

Do you like your shortcake with cake or biscuits? I’m from the camp that insists that strawberry shortcake is made with a biscuit, not a cake. Growing up we always made the shortcake biscuits with Bisquick baking mix, but now I just make biscuits from scratch, it’s easy! The biscuit recipe I’ve included here is adapted from one I pulled from Fine Cooking magazine years ago. The original recipe used a cup and a half of cream in addition to one and a half sticks of butter, which I think is a little over the top. In this recipe, I’m using mostly milk with a little bit of cream (and the butter).

Biscuits with Butter, Milk, and Cream

The butter, milk, and cream combo produces a beautifully tender, flaky biscuit, perfect for serving with the strawberries. One of the things I’ve learned over the years making strawberry shortcake is that you always want more. It’s easy enough to macerate more berries, but once you run out of the biscuits? It’s a mega bummer. So for this recipe we are making a batch of 9 biscuits. Good enough for 6 people, plus more for seconds! My father wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t include a link for making his favorite Bisquick biscuits, for those of you who prefer this classic. We also have gluten-free biscuits for those who don’t want to give up strawberry shortcake just because they’re avoiding gluten, and delicious dairy-free vegan drop biscuits made with coconut oil and almond milk.

More Summer Berry Recipes!

Strawberry Shortcake Sliders Blueberry Shortcake Fresh Strawberry Pie Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Make the biscuits up to a day ahead. Cool, then store in an airtight container. Reheat the biscuits in the microwave, one at a time, for 5 to 10 seconds.Wash and cut the strawberries up to a day ahead; refrigerate. About 20 minutes before serving, add the sugar and macerate the strawberries.You can make the whipped cream up to an hour ahead of time. Refrigerate it in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve.

3 pint baskets fresh strawberries (about 6 cups) 1/2 cup (100g) white granulated sugar for the strawberries

Whipped Cream:

1 cup (236ml) heavy whipping cream 2 teaspoons powdered sugar 2 drops vanilla extract

Biscuits:

3 1/4 cups (455g) all-purpose flour, divided ( 3 cups and 1/4 cup) 3 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 12 tablespoons (168g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 1 cup (236ml) milk 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, until the berries soften and begin to release their juices. You don’t want to mash all the berries, just enough of them for their juices. Let sit while you bake the biscuits. To serve, break up one biscuit per person into big pieces into a bowl. Ladle strawberries over the biscuit. Add a dollop of whipped cream. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon until the mixture is just combined. It should look rather shaggy. If it is too wet to work with, sprinkle some of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour over it. Gently knead by hand a few times to form a loose ball of dough, adding more flour if needed. It should be slightly tacky but not wet. Bake until the biscuits are medium golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 9 biscuits. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!