Strawberry Shortcake

This Strawberry Shortcake recipe has delightful layers of flaky shortcake, sweet strawberries, and fluffy whipped cream.

With all of the ripe, juicy strawberries available, it’s time for some strawberry desserts! Today I’m sharing a recipe for strawberry shortcake that is perfect for summer.

Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients

This is a simple recipe that can be made using pantry staples! Scroll down for a complete ingredient’s list including exact measurements of each ingredient.

• Baking Mix: To make the shortcakes I used my homemade bisquick copycat recipe which is a simple combination of flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. If you are short on time, you can use the store-bought version instead.
• Granulated Sugar: Adding a little sugar to the dough helps turn this recipe from biscuits into shortcakes.
• Buttermilk: The buttermilk in this recipe adds liquid and a little fat to the dough. Plus the acidity helps tenderize the gluten and works in conjunction with the baking powder to make the shortcakes rise.
• Vanilla Extract: We used a teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor. You can leave it out if you don’t have any on hand but your shortcakes won’t be quite as good.
• Coarse Sugar: The coarse sugar gets sprinkled on the top of the cakes. It will give the strawberry shortcake a little extra sweetness as well as some crunch on top. You can use any coarse sugar such as turbinado sugar or sanding sugar.
• Whipped Cream: The homemade whipped cream is sandwiched between the two halves of the shortcake along with the strawberries. And why not add an extra dollop on top for good measure! Other options would be using whipped topping or even vanilla ice cream.
• Strawberries: The better the strawberries are, the better the strawberry shortcake will be! We used fresh strawberries for this recipe but frozen ones would work if strawberries aren’t in season.

How To Make Sugared Strawberries

This strawberry shortcake recipe starts with making sugared strawberries since they need time to sit in the fridge before using them. Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries. You can use a knife or a strawberry slicer like I did.

Put all of the strawberries in a bowl and top with granulated sugar. Stir the strawberries until coated. Then, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, frozen strawberries can be used instead of fresh. When it isn’t strawberry season it can be hard to find ripe strawberries, so frozen ones are a great choice.

How can I make this with less sugar?

You can simply add less sugar to the strawberries. Or if you prefer you can use your favorite sugar alternative. Another option is to skip the sugar altogether and simply serve the strawberry shortcake with fresh berries.

How To Make Shortcake For Strawberries

To make shortcake for strawberries start by combining the bisquick and granulated sugar. Then, make a well in the center and add the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Stir to combine the wet and dry ingredients into a rough dough. Next, turn it out onto a floured surface, form and fold it into a rectangle, and cut out the shortcakes. Once the shortcakes are on the baking sheet brush the tops with buttermilk and sprinkle them with coarse sugar. Finally, bake them until they are golden brown. (Scroll down for the printable recipe card with step-by-step instructions.)

What can I use instead of bisquick?

If you don’t have any bisquick on hand, it is really easy to make it from scratch with only four basic ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. You can find my recipe for Homemade Bisquick Copycat Recipe here.

Is there a buttermilk substitute?

I am right there with you! I rarely have buttermilk on hand. If you want to skip the buttermilk, you can use whole milk instead. If you want to make buttermilk there are a couple of options. One is to store powdered buttermilk like this in your refrigerator. Simply mix it with water when you are ready to use it.

Another option is to make a buttermilk substitute. For one cup of buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes before using it. For this recipe, you’ll need 1 1/3 cups (1 1/4 cup for the biscuits and 1 tablespoon for brushing on top).

What is the secret to strawberry shortcakes with flaky layers?

The secret to flaky biscuits and shortcakes is handling the dough as little as possible. Only mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface such as my silicon mat called a Roul’Pat. It is a non-stick, non-skid work surface that is perfect for working with dough, chocolate, and sugar. It can also be used as a baking mat like a Silpat.

Then, sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and gently pat it into a rectangle about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Next, fold the rectangle over onto itself in thirds, as shown in the photo above. Turn the dough and gently pat it into a rectangle again. Now it is ready to be turned into shortcakes!

How is this shortcake recipe for strawberries different from a biscuit recipe?

It is very similar. The only differences are the sugar and vanilla added to the dough as well as the coarse sugar sprinkled on top. And of course, the strawberries and whipped cream turn it into a dessert. If you want to make biscuits instead, you can find my bisquick biscuits with buttermilk recipe here.

Strawberry Shortcake FAQs

Want more strawberry recipes? Try these next:

This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe is a quintessential summer dessert. It is sweet and tangy just like grandma used to make it.

Fluffy Strawberry Jello Salad is a delicious side dish for every occasion from summer barbeques and holiday dinners!

This Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert recipe is creamy and smooth with strawberry pie filling and whipped cream. It’s been part of our family for generations!

Strawberry Pecan Pretzel Salad is one of the MOST POPULAR recipes. It’s cool and creamy with caramelized brown sugar pretzels and diced strawberries.