Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake (Classic, Easy, The BEST!)
This Strawberry Shortcake recipe is scrumptious and impressive yet easy to make homemade using simple ingredients for a gorgeous version of the classic summertime dessert. You'll never wonder how to make Strawberry Shortcake again!
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For more tasty treats that make the most of strawberry season, you may also enjoy Strawberry Chicken Salad, Strawberry Iced Tea, or Strawberry Spinach Salad!
It took me years, but -- glory be! -- I finally got my scrumptious Strawberry Shortcake recipe up for y'all on the ol' blog!
Because, let's be honest...if Strawberry Shortcake isn't the quintessential summer dessert, I'm not sure what is. 😉
Before we get into the specifics of this Strawberry Shortcake recipe, you need to know three things about it:
- It's homemade and from-scratch, using real ingredients.
- It's surprisingly easy to make. And...
- It's ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!
Lofty goals that not all Strawberry Shortcake recipes achieve...but this one does!
Ingredients
I realize that there are shortcut versions of easy Strawberry Shortcake utilizing a certain ubiquitous baking mix. But I promise that whipping up a from-scratch shortcake recipe using real, quality ingredients will make your dessert even better!
I also promise that it's not rocket science...we're talking about simple, basic ingredients for amazing, homemade results!
- Flour, sugar, baking powder, + salt. The base of the shortcake recipe.
- Butter. Unsalted and very cold. Pockets of cold butter melting into little poofs of steam while baking is what will make your Strawberry Shortcake biscuits light and flaky!
- Milk + egg. To bind the shortcake recipe.
- Heavy cream + vanilla + powdered sugar. For the whipped cream.
- Strawberries. Washed, hulled, and sliced.
- Additional granulated sugar. To macerate the berries.
- Egg white + sparkling sugar. Brushed and sprinkled on top of the Strawberry Shortcake biscuits before baking, resulting in sweet and crunchy tops.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
Thanks to my quick and easy method, using real ingredients to make homemade Strawberry Shortcake doesn't take much more time or effort than using Bisquick!
As for the secret to success? Drumroll please...you can make the shortcake dough in mere minutes in the food processor!
But first thing's first...
Macerate the Berries
Slice the strawberries and combine with sugar so they can soften and sweeten while you prep the other components of the dessert.
Make the Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits
Once the strawberries are doing their thing, get started on the simple shortcake dough. This particular shortcake recipe is more like American biscuit dough than an English sponge cake, because I personally think a biscuit-like texture holds up better to juicy berries.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the dry ingredients until combined.
- Add cubed, chilled butter.
- Pulse until the texture resembles coarse sand.
- Whisk an egg into some milk. Feed that mixture through the tube of the food processor while pulsing until the dough forms large clumps.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured board and gently knead until it comes together. Using your hands, form the dough into a rectangle that ¾- to 1-inch thick.
- Use a pastry cutter to slice the rectangle into six equal squares.
- Arrange the Strawberry Shortcake biscuits on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Brush them with egg white and then generously sprinkling with sugar.
- Bake until puffy and beautiful and golden-brown, and then allow to cool for a bit.
Whip the Cream
While the shortcake recipe is cooling, whip up some heavy cream with a smidge of vanilla and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Set aside.
How to Assemble Classic Strawberry Shortcake
Once your lovely biscuits have had a chance to cool, it's time to assemble each homemade Strawberry Shortcake!
Gather your components...
- Slice a shortcake in half and place the bottom on a plate.
- Top with a big spoonful of macerated strawberries.
- Add a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream.
- Place the "lid" of the shortcake on top.
Repeat with your other five pastries.
Looks pretty darn fabulous, doesn't it?
BECAUSE IT IS.
It's surprisingly easy to make this gorgeous, gloriously delicious, perfect-for-summer, homemade, classic, BEST Strawberry Shortcake recipe!
And please don't be intimidated by the length of the recipe...or the length of the above list of adjectives. 😉
As you can see by this post, there are multiple steps to make this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake. But they are ALL simple and straightforward!
I promise that the minimal time and effort put into this recipe are well worth the final results!
So are you ready for a beautifully sweet taste of summer?
This easy Strawberry Shortcake recipe is so delectable that it truly makes the perfect summer dessert.
In fact, I predict that after you make it once, it just might end up on your annual summer bucket list! 🙂
Enjoy, friends.
More Summer Berry Desserts
- Strawberry Upside-Down Cake
- Homemade Blackberry Cobbler
- Blueberry Crisp
- Easy Blackberry Cake (Upside-Down Skillet Cake)
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ultimate Strawberry Shortcake (Classic, Easy, The BEST!)
Video
Ingredients
For the Strawberries:
- 1 ½ pounds strawberries (about 6 cups whole berries), washed, hulled, & sliced (for about 4 cups sliced)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Shortcake Recipe:
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for forming & cutting dough
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled & diced
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white, beaten
- Coarse sparkling sugar (or regular granulated sugar)
For the Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Strawberries:
- Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar. Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to allow the berries to macerate.
For the Shortcake Recipe:
- Place an oven rack in the lower-center position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse (1-second pulses) until the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- In a measuring cup, use a fork to whisk together the milk and the egg. Slowly pour the milk mixture through the tube of the food processor while pulsing (1-second pulses) until the dough just forms into large clumps. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead until it comes together.
- Use your hands to form the dough into a rough rectangle measuring approximately 7 ½- by 5-inches (and ¾- to 1-inch thick). Use a floured pastry cutter to cut the dough into six equal squares. Arrange them on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet with 1 to 2 inches between each shortcake. Brush the tops with the beaten egg white and sprinkle with sparkling or granulated sugar.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the shortcakes are puffed up and golden brown. If the tops are getting too dark before the centers are done, loosely lay a sheet of foil over the tops for the last few minutes of baking time. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes or until they are still warm but cool enough to handle.
For the Whipped Cream:
- While the shortcakes are cooling, measure the heavy cream into a bowl. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer, start on low speed then increase to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks just form (do not overbeat or the cream will start to curdle). Set aside.
To Assemble:
- Slice each Strawberry Shortcake biscuit in half. Place the six bottom halves on individual plates (or on a large serving platter) and top with macerated strawberries, evenly dividing the berries between the shortcakes. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream on top of the strawberries on each shortcake. Carefully lay the shortcake tops over the whipped cream, garnishing the tops with remaining whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Whipped cream gets the best volume when you use very cold cream plus a chilled bowl and beaters. I typically pop my bowl/beater in the freezer for 10 minutes before I make my whipped cream.
Nutrition
Adapted from Baking Illustrated. Post originally published on June 8, 2019, and updated on June 15, 2020, July 5, 2021, and April 29, 2024.
This strawberry shortcake is the best I've ever had! My husband couldn't believe I made it, lol.
This was the yummiest dessert. I took it to a family party and everyone loved it!
This strawberry shortcake has become one of our favorite summer desserts. We love anything with strawberries anyway, but the soft shortcake and homemade whipped cream take the sweet berries over the top!
Good but I didn't have enough whipped cream for six pastries.