This strawberry shortcake recipe combines tender shortcakes, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries for a classic summer dessert that feels simple, fresh, and always looks beautiful on the table.
Why You'll Love It
- Classic homemade dessert with tender shortcakes, whipped cream, and strawberries
- Perfect for strawberry season when fresh berries are at their best
- Simple to prepare with easy components that come together quickly
- Beautiful for serving, but still relaxed and easy to assemble
When strawberries are in season, I always look for desserts that highlight their flavor without making the process complicated. This strawberry shortcake recipe does exactly that. The homemade shortcakes are lightly sweet and tender, the whipped cream keeps the dessert soft and creamy, and the strawberries bring a bright freshness that makes every bite feel light.
What I enjoy most about this dessert is how balanced it feels. The buttery shortcakes soak up the strawberry juices while the whipped cream adds a smooth texture that ties everything together. If you enjoy easy strawberry desserts, recipes like strawberry tiramisu, strawberry mousse, and strawberry tart are also great ways to use fresh strawberries.
Key Ingredients in Strawberry Shortcake
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at a few of the ingredients and why I use them.
- Shortcakes: I like making the shortcakes from scratch because they give the dessert its classic texture. Flour, baking powder, sugar, and cold butter create soft, slightly flaky shortcakes that hold the filling perfectly.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are the heart of this recipe. Some are macerated with sugar and lemon juice so they release their juices, while another portion cooks briefly into a quick strawberry compote for deeper flavor.
- Whipped Cream: Freshly whipped cream with vanilla keeps the dessert light and creamy while balancing the sweetness of the strawberries and the richness of the shortcakes.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Make the Dough: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Rub in the butter until crumbly, then add milk and cream to form a dough. Pat to 2.5 cm thick and cut into rounds.
2. Bake the Shortcakes: Place the rounds on a lined tray, brush with cream, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 400°F / 200°C for 30 minutes until golden. Let cool.
3. Prepare the Strawberries: Macerate chopped strawberries with sugar and lemon juice, and make a quick compote by simmering some with sugar for 5 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Assemble: Whip the cream to soft peaks, slice the shortcakes in half, and layer with cream, macerated strawberries, and strawberry compote.
Best Tips for Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Cut the Shortcakes Evenly: I like to keep the dough about the same thickness before cutting so the shortcakes bake evenly and look more uniform when assembled.
Let the Strawberries Sit for a few Minutes: After mixing the strawberries with sugar and lemon juice, I usually leave them for a few minutes so they release more juice and become extra flavorful.
Whip the Cream just to Soft Peaks: I stop whipping as soon as the cream holds soft peaks because it stays smoother and spreads more easily between the shortcake layers.
Serve Slightly Chilled Strawberries: I often keep the prepared strawberries in the refrigerator while the shortcakes cool. The contrast between cool berries and soft shortcakes tastes especially refreshing.
Storage
I keep the shortcakes in an airtight container and refrigerate the cream and berries. Assemble just before serving to keep the textures perfect.
Try These Strawberry Recipes Next!
Recipe
Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Ingredients
For the shortcakes
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 85 g unsalted butter - cold and diced
- 80 ml whole milk
- 80 ml heavy cream
- heavy cream - for brushing
- granulated sugar - for sprinkling
For the strawberry compote
- 300 g strawberries - hulled and halved
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the filling
- 300 ml heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 300 g strawberries - hulled and quartered
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 5 fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C and line a baking tray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add ⅓ cup (85 g) of cold diced butter and rub it into the flour mixture until crumbly.
- Pour in ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk and ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream, then mix gently until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat it out to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, and cut out 6 shortcakes.
- Place the shortcakes on the prepared tray. Brush the tops with heavy cream, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let them cool completely.
- In a bowl, combine 2 cups (300 g) strawberries, quartered, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside so the strawberries release their juices.
- Add 2 cups (300 g) halved strawberries and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to a saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, then let the compote cool completely.
- Whip 1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy whipping cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
- Slice the cooled shortcakes in half. Spoon whipped cream onto the bottom halves, add strawberry compote and macerated strawberries, then place the top halves over the filling.
- Finish with more whipped cream, more strawberries, and garnish with 5 fresh mint leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
This is the most gorgeous strawberry shortcake ever! Those fluffy biscuits and juicy berries have my mouth watering. 🤤