Skip the store-bought and make summertime strawberry shortcake completely from scratch with this recipe! These lightly sweetened biscuits are simply perfect for holding juicy strawberries and fresh whipped cream.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips. I also updated the biscuit recipe in 2022. Using less flour and baking powder, adding a bit of baking soda, and including a dough folding step, these sweet biscuits are better than ever.
Today is real food and real flavor brought to life without any peanut butter swirls, caramel drizzles, rainbows, chocolate chunks, candy bar pieces, sprinkles, or unicorn magic. Strawberries + sweet biscuits + whipped cream. Every summer has a different song anthem with the latest chart-topping hit, but the summer dessert anthem stays the same year after year. And that dessert we just can’t get out of our heads, tastes delicious any time of day, and soothes our summertime soul is most definitely strawberry shortcake.
One reader, Ruth, commented: “This was phenomenal! Best strawberry shortcake I’ve ever made! Made with local berries that you can only get for a few weeks of the year really put it over the top! The flavors melted together perfectly. I loved the buttermilk flavor of the shortcake, light and flaky, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Excellent! ★★★★★”
Another reader, Debbie, commented: “This was an easy recipe to pull together for the wow-factor presentation it made. Everyone loved not just the look but the taste of this amazing dessert! It made our Fourth of July memorable, and I will definitely be making this again! ★★★★★“
Here’s What You Don’t Know About Strawberry Shortcake
Completely homemade strawberry shortcake is easier than you think. Skip the store-bought biscuits and whipped topping. Instead, have fun making strawberry shortcake at home. Load the homemade biscuits up with juicy strawberries and homemade whipped cream that, again, is so simple. If you can reach for store-bought whipped cream in the dairy aisle, you can make fresh whipped cream at home.
I hope I’m not overwhelming you with all this homemade goodness—I promise it’s all very doable. It might even be easier than making strawberry shortcake cupcakes. And that’s what summer is about, right? Simple, happy, pure homemade goodness that celebrates the season’s fresh flavors.
Fresh Strawberries for Strawberry Shortcake
You only need two ingredients for the strawberry filling: sugar and fresh strawberries. Chop up the strawberries and mix with a little sugar. The sugar helps strawberries release all their delicious juices, which will seep down into the sweet biscuits and whipped cream. (Aka the best part about strawberry shortcake!) I recommend mixing the strawberries and sugar together before you make the biscuits; this gives the strawberries some time to juice up.
Use Cold & Cubed Butter in the Biscuits
Use a food processor or pastry cutter, like we do for pie crust, to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients, as detailed in the printable recipe below.
How to Make & Shape These Biscuits
Biscuits for this strawberry shortcake are not nearly as tall and fluffy as regular biscuits. Just to set your expectations appropriately! Don’t expect a super tall biscuit.
The shaping process is exactly like our regular biscuits using the fold and flatten method. Flattening and folding biscuit dough creates multiple flaky layers, just as it does when we make homemade croissants. This step is a lot easier than it looks. First, pour the crumbly dough onto a floured work surface:
Flatten the dough to about 3/4 inch thick with your hands or use a rolling pin:
Fold both ends into the center:
Turn it:
Flatten again and repeat 2 more times.
Use a biscuit cutter to shape them. You can use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or 2.75-inch biscuit cutter. You can bake the biscuits on a lined baking sheet, cast iron skillet, or round cake pan. A brush of heavy cream and sprinkle of coarse sugar gives the sweet biscuits a delightfully crisp top.
Homemade Whipped Cream
Just 3 ingredients here: cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. The colder the heavy cream, the more volume your whipped cream has. Unlike store-bought whipped cream, you can control the amount of sugar. I prefer lightly sweetened whipped cream with strawberry shortcake, so we’ll only use 2 Tablespoons. And another thing! Homemade whipped cream tastes 100x better than store-bought.
With its light and billowy texture, whipped cream is the perfect topping for pies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecake, trifles, and so much more.
Let’s Assemble Strawberry Shortcake
After the biscuits bake, it’s time to assemble the strawberry shortcakes. Strawberry shortcake is fantastic with warm biscuits, cold strawberries, and cold whipped cream—but you can also wait for the biscuits to fully cool.
Assembling the strawberry shortcakes is the fun part! You can totally set up a “strawberry shortcake bar” where everyone makes their own stacks. And you could definitely add blueberries to the sweet strawberries for a patriotic treat in the summertime.
More Fan-Favorite Summer Desserts
- Key Lime Pie – only 3 ingredients in the filling
- No Bake Cheesecake
- Peach Cobbler – with homemade biscuit topping
- Fruit Pizza
- Lemon Blueberry Cake & Blueberry Pie
- Strawberry Bread
- Berry Galette
For even more inspiration, view all of my dessert recipes. This recipe also joins 30+ others in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipes—ready in 1 hour or less!
Print
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Shortcake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Fresh summer strawberries shine in this simple homemade strawberry shortcake recipe. The biscuits don’t rise super tall, but you’ll enjoy their crisp crumbly texture paired with the soft whipped cream and juicy strawberries.
Ingredients
Strawberries + Whipped Cream
- 6–7 cups quartered strawberries
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
Biscuits
- 2 and 3/4 cups (345g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for hands and work surface*
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt (I recommend fine sea salt)
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup (240ml) cold buttermilk*
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) heavy cream or buttermilk
- coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Start with the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use. This time allows the strawberries to release their delicious juices.
- Make the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl or in a large food processor. Whisk or pulse until combined. Add the cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or by pulsing several times in the processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form. If you used a food processor, pour the mixture into a large bowl.
- Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle as best you can. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4 inch thick rectangle.
- Cut into 2.75 or 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. (Tip: Do not twist the biscuit cutter when pressing down into the dough.) Re-roll/flatten any scraps and cut more circles until you have around 10-12 biscuits.
- Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (see note) or close together on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.
- Brush the tops with 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.
- Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Each part of this recipe can be prepared ahead of time. Make the biscuits up to 3 days in advance and store covered tightly at room temperature—or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before using. Prepare the strawberries in step 1 up to 1 day in advance. Prepare the whipped cream up to 1 day in advance. Store both in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Pastry Cutter or Food Processor | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Rolling Pin | 3-Inch Biscuit Cutter or 2.75-Inch Biscuit Cutter | 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Pastry Brush | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Flour: Starting with cold flour is helpful when making biscuits. If you can remember, place the flour in the freezer 30 minutes before beginning.
- Baking Powder: To avoid a chemical aftertaste, make sure your baking powder is labeled aluminum free. I usually use Clabber Girl brand and though the ingredients state aluminum, I’ve never noticed an aluminum aftertaste.
- Buttermilk: You can substitute whole milk for buttermilk if desired. Acidic buttermilk isn’t needed in order for the biscuits to rise since we’re using baking powder. However if you’d like the tangy flavor, which I highly recommend, you can make your own buttermilk substitute. Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough cold milk to make 1 cup. (You need 1 cup in the recipe, plus 2 Tbsp for brushing– you can use regular milk to brush on top.) Whisk together, then let sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe. Whole milk is best for the DIY sour milk substitute, though lower fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch. (In my testing, the biscuits don’t taste as rich or rise quite as tall using lower fat or nondairy milks.)
- If you’re using a cast iron skillet: If your cast iron skillet isn’t well seasoned, I recommend greasing it with a little vegetable oil or melted butter. Brush a thin layer of either on the bottom and around the sides. No need to heat the cast iron skillet before using, though you certainly can by placing it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes before arranging the shaped biscuits in it.
- Older Version of This Recipe: We tested and retested this recipe based on reader feedback. Old version of this recipe called for 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour and 2 Tablespoons baking powder (no baking soda). The written recipe above yields better results with more flavorful and taller biscuits.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is by far the best shortcake recipe I have found yet. Made it for house guests recently and it was a big hit! Thanks so much!
Wow. Used food processor method. Added the zest of 1.5 large lemons to the dry ingredients. Brushed with cream and used turbinado sugar for sprinkling. Rise was more than I expected given the caveat. One of the best “biscuits” I’ve made and I’m from the south. Less the sprinkles this might become my breakfast biscuit recipe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Excellent shortcake! Even having to deal with mixing Japanese cake flour and bread flour, they ended up beautiful and just the right texture and flavor. I could eat these every day! Strawberry season is nearing the end, but how about some raspberry shortcake and blueberry shortcake!?
That would work!!!
Not sure what I did wrong. The dough was very wet once I added the buttermilk. Not at all shaggy. I ended up adding another half cup of flour so I could work it at all. They look okay out of the oven. Keeping my fingers crossed that they taste okay.
Jennifer, my dough was really wet after adding buttermilk, so I eventually added slowly another 3/4 cup flour while rolling the dough, came out great….live and learn
Lightly sweet, soft, and perfect for strawberries and cream! My family already loves your Buttermilk Biscuit recipe, so this slightly sweet variation was naturally a favorite too! Thank you for so many tried and true recipes, Sally.
Wow, I’ve been baking Bisquick biscuits for my strawberry shortcake for years and finally felt brave enough to try your recipe. I followed your instructions precisely…. put the buttermilk in the freezer and butter so it was extra cold…. even put the flour in the freezer for 10 mins prior. The biscuits are SO GOOD. wow. I even used the food processor for the first time. Thank you for encouraging bakers to expand beyond their comfort zone. I won’t be buying (chemical filled) Bisquick EVER again.
I have been making biscuits for years yet never hit on a recipe that rang all the bells for me. This one is it! They are light , slightly sweet and rose perfectly. Yummy!
Hi, this recipe looks delicious! I don’t have a cast iron skillet, so would it be okay if I greased and lined a cake pan and baked the biscuits in that instead? Thanks!
Hi A.K., absolutely — you can bake the biscuits on a lined baking sheet, cast iron skillet, or round cake pan.
Really delicious! I’m having trouble waiting to eat the biscuits with the strawberries- they are so tasty!! I was a little worried about the folding part but once you are doing it, it’s actually fine.
Simply the best biscuits and the perfect amount of sweetness for the strawberries!! Our local berry farm opened last week for picking, and my husband is in strawberry heaven!!! He says to tell you your recipe is outstanding!!!! I’ll be going to the farm again tomorrow for more berries. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!!!
I don’t bake (well, until today..) I live in Spain, and as summer starts and travel restrictions still in place, I’ve been a little homesick… I’ve been craving Strawberry Shortcake and couldn’t find anything close to it here… I tried to explain the dessert to my husband, and said, no, doesn’t exist here…just make it… (he completely overestimates my abilities…) And, what do you know, I found this recipe. I was a little concerned as flour and heavy cream is different here. The recipe was easy to follow, and they turned out perfectly. I made it for a lunch party and you have 10 Spanish converts to your Strawberry Shortcake (yes, I doubled the recipe…) They’ve asked me to translate the recipe. Thank you very much!
When Oregon’s strawberry crop ripens, it is time for Strawberry Shortcake. I turned to Sally’s for a great shortcake recipe and this did not disappoint. The folding and turning of the biscuit dough is nothing short of baking alchemy, resulting in fluffy, tender and very tall biscuits. Thanks again for another delightful result.
Can I make this into 2 large rounds for a full “cake” presentation (rather than individual biscuits?) Will it bake reasonably enough as a larger piece?
Hi Sarah, we don’t suggest baking this as two large biscuits. They likely won’t be light and fluffy. You may love this strawberry shortcake cake recipe instead!
Could the dough be made 1-2 days ahead of time and then baked? We’re going camping and taking our dutch oven, so thought it might be a good way to streamline. 🙂
Absolutely! See recipe notes for make ahead instructions. What a great idea for camping!
Wonderful, rose beautifully. Cut up the butter with a food processer and then moved to a bowl to add the buttermilk.
These were delightful! Light, mildly sweet and a perfect treat on a hot day! Definitely my new go to recipe for strawberry shortcake!!!
Went strawberry picking this morning and found this recipe before we left the strawberry patch on the way home … this recipe was SO easy and such a hit with the fresh berries we’d picked! I followed the recipe precisely, except for one tiny detail – my biscuit cutter is pretty large and I decided not to roll out the dough quite so thin. Thick “tallcake” instead of “shortcake” biscuits made this so delectable. This dough yielded 6 biscuits for me, but I still baked for 18 mins on 400.
This is my third straight win with Sally’s Baking Addiction – I made your carrot cake and coconut cake last month. All three of these baked treats were awesome recipes and crowd pleasers. You’re my go-to now!
This recipe looks awesome! I don’t have a food processor or pastry cutter, would a blender work just as well? If not, what could I use instead? Thank you!
Hi Cloey, we’re unsure how well a blender would work to cut in the butter. It may depends on the model and how powerful it is. You could always use two forks instead and work the butter in by hand!
LOVE these biscuits!! So easy to make and always delicious! I love making them in June for fresh strawberry shortcake. Thanks Sally!
Made these for my daughter’s 15th Birthday and it turn out great. Thank you!
I grumbled to my husband that I was not enjoying the process of making the shortcake for him, but I have to say that it turned out beautifully and tasted wonderful. It looked a mess on the bread board, with chunks of butter scattered throughout, but I was tired of using the pastry cutter and I was trying not to overwork the dough. It doesn’t seem to have mattered one bit. We sprinkled extra sugar over the dough and doused it with milk instead of using whipped cream. That’s how we learned to eat strawberry shortcake as kids, and we still prefer it that way.
I have made a lit of different shortcake recipes and this is by far the best recipe ever! We used French vanilla ice cream and whipped cream and OMG
Thank you! Amazing recipe. I added some Grand Marnier to the strawberries and whipping cream.
Puttting about a TBS of dry milk into your whipped cream while you’re mixing it will keep it stabilized.
Wonderful dessert for a beautiful May day. Thank you for making it easy to make the shortcakes.
P.S. from my first post, the leftover shortcakes are great with coffee for breakfast!!!
Thanks again!
The house smelled wonderful and it was simple to make. I don’t have a biscuit cutter so I used a small mouth mason jar instead, made 20 small shortcakes- no one is complaining about the extras! Thanks for a great recipe
I made these this morning and they turned out delicious! I didn’t have buttermilk but I had drinkable low sugar Greek berry yoghurt. It took a little extra liquid to get the right consistency, but they were really outstanding and a delightful pink color! I’ve made strawberry shortcake in the past using Bisquick, but now I will do it this way. Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use confectioners’ sugar for the cream?
Definitely!
Hi Darlene, how was the texture of your dough? If the butter was over-mixed into the dough during the cutting step, the dough will end up being pretty wet instead of crumbly. Make sure the butter is extra cold before cutting it in, too. The biscuits can’t rise too high if the dough is heavy and wet. Also, be sure to bake them close together and to not twist the cutter when making the rounds. Hope these tips are helpful for next time!
DELICIOUS!! I absolutely LOVE the biscuit recipe! Thank you so much