This easy strawberry shortcake recipe starts with the easiest one-bowl biscuits. Stack ’em high with juicy macerated strawberries and pillowy homemade whipped cream (made with my favorite secret ingredient) for the ultimate summer dessert, ready in under an hour.
Table of Contents
When I lived in New York City, Peter Luger Steakhouse held the top spot on my restaurant bucket list. And it took living in the city for four solid years until I finally scored a reservation and made my way from Manhattan to Brooklyn to take on the holy grail of steakhouses.
The thick-cut bacon. The sizzling steaks. The stellar strudel. Sure, it all lived up to the massive hype. But allow me to provide an insider’s take on the real star of the Peter Luger Show: the schlag!
You read that correctly. S-C-H-L-A-G. Rhymes with fog. Tastes like sugary clouds of heavy cream whipped to pillowy perfection.
Luger’s serves every dessert with a side of schlag, which pairs well with pie, cake, strudel, and I’m venturing to say cardboard and/or wallpaper.
And that is what inspired this recipe for easy strawberry shortcake with whipped cream.
Imagine a one-bowl biscuit recipe that yields buttery, flaky shortcakes perfect for halving and stuffing with freshly sliced strawberries, and of course, mountains of DIY whipped cream (a.k.a. schlag).
Video Tutorial
Before you grab your mixing bowl, watch this step-by-step video to see exactly how to make strawberry shortcake from scratch, start to finish. It’s so easy!
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are the star, and they do double duty here: sliced and lightly sweetened, they release their juices and create that syrupy strawberry goodness. The riper, the better—they’ll be sweeter and juicier with less sugar needed. Tip: Let the berries sit with the sugar while you prep the shortcakes so they have time to macerate (a fancy word for getting soft and juicy).
- Granulated sugar: Just a couple of tablespoons added to the strawberries draws out their natural juices and enhances their flavor. You can adjust the sweetness to taste, depending on how sweet your berries are.
- Flour: This is your base for the shortcakes. Stick to all-purpose flour for the perfect balance of softness and structure. No need for cake flour or anything fancy!
- Baking powder: This gives the shortcakes their rise. One tablespoon might seem like a lot, but it’s just right for getting those tall, tender layers.
- Salt: Brings out all the flavors and balances the sweetness of the berries and cream.
- Heavy cream: Acts as both the fat and the liquid in the biscuit dough. No butter needed. The result? Flaky, ultra-tender shortcakes with rich flavor. You’ll also use heavy cream to make that dreamy homemade whipped cream. Pro tip: Use cold cream for the dough and very cold cream for whipping.
- Sanding sugar: This is that sparkly finishing touch that gives the tops of the shortcakes a sweet crunch. Totally optional, but if you have it, go for it!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Making this strawberry shortcake recipe from scratch is easier than you might think. With just a few simple ingredients and no fancy equipment required, you’ll be layering sweet strawberries and whipped cream into warm, buttery shortcakes in no time. Here’s how:
- Macerate the strawberries. Toss the sliced berries with sugar and set aside. As they sit, they’ll release their juices and become saucy and sweet. The longer they sit, the juicier they get.
- Make the shortcake dough. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the cold heavy cream just until the dough comes together. It’ll look a little shaggy—that’s perfect.
Don’t overmix! A few lumps are totally fine. Overworking the dough can make your shortcakes tough instead of tender. This is what a shaggy dough looks like:
- Roll and cut the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it once or twice to bring it together. Roll it to 1/2-inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out 8 shortcakes. Or, for a no-waste shortcut, trim the dough into a square and cut 8 squares using a sharp knife.
No cookie cutter? Use a drinking glass or jar lid!
- Bake the shortcakes. Place the cut biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little extra cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar if you want that bakery-style sparkle and crunch. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Cool them slightly on a wire rack while you whip the cream.
- Make the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer), beat together the cold heavy cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Assemble the shortcakes. Slice each shortcake in half. Spoon strawberries and their syrupy juices onto the bottom half, add a generous dollop of whipped cream, and cap it with the top half. Serve immediately!
Make-Ahead Tips
- Shortcakes: Bake and cool the shortcakes up to 1 day in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temp. Warm them slightly before serving for that just-baked vibe.
- Macerated strawberries: You can toss the sliced strawberries with sugar and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 24 hours ahead of time. The longer they sit, the more syrupy and flavorful they become. You may want to use a slotted spoon to scoop the berries onto the shortcakes to avoid soggy bottoms.
- Whipped cream: This isn’t just any whipped cream—it’s my Secret Ingredient Whipped Cream, made with a touch of sour cream for extra richness and tang. You can make it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Give it a quick stir or whisk before assembling to bring back that fluffy texture.
Kelly’s Tip: If you’re prepping all three components ahead, store them separately and assemble just before serving.
This strawberry shortcake is just the beginning. Check out more of my favorite strawberry sweets below!
Equipment
- 3-inch circular cookie cutter (optional)
Ingredients
For the shortcakes:
- 4 cups sliced strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups heavy cream, plus additional for brushing on shortcakes
- 2 teaspoons decorative sanding sugar (optional)
For the whipped cream:
- 1 cup chilled heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the shortcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together the sliced strawberries with the sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the heavy cream just until a dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball and knead it on a lightly floured surface one to two times. (Don’t over-knead the dough or your biscuits will be tough.)
- Roll out the dough until it’s 1/2-inch thick. Using the cookie cutter, cut out 8 shortcakes and transfer them to the baking sheet. (Alternately, you can trim the sides of the dough into a square and then, using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 square shortcakes.)
- Brush the tops of the shortcakes with additional heavy cream and then sprinkle them with the sanding sugar (optional). Bake the shortcakes until golden, 15 to 20 minutes, and then transfer them to a rack to cool.
Make the whipped cream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until soft peaks form.
Assemble the shortcakes:
- Slice the shortcakes in half and then sandwich the strawberries and whipped cream inside them.
Video
Easiest-Ever Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
No Description
Kelly’s Notes
- Make-Ahead Tips:
- Shortcakes: Bake and cool the shortcakes up to 1 day in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temp. Warm them slightly before serving for that just-baked vibe.
- Macerated strawberries: You can toss the sliced strawberries with sugar and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 24 hours ahead of time. The longer they sit, the more syrupy and flavorful they become. You may want to use a slotted spoon to scoop the berries onto the shortcakes to avoid soggy bottoms.
- Whipped cream: You can make it up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Give it a quick stir or whisk before assembling to bring back that fluffy texture.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Shortcake recipe adapted from Gourmet.
Can you make whipped topping up ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. How many days do you think it will last?
Hi Denise! Homemade whipped cream will last up to a day or two in the fridge. To make it ahead, beat it less stiff than you ultimately want it to be, cover the bowl and refrigerate. When ready to serve, use a wire whisk to stiffen the whipped cream and re-incorporate any liquid that has accumulated at the bottom of the bowl.
Best strawberry shortcake ever! Great recipe!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Steven!
These brown way too quickly on the bottom. My oven temperature is fine because I’ve checked. Is there a reason for this? I don’t care for overly brown and crispy biscuits.
Thank you.
Hi Marie – There are several factors that may have attributed to this, such as how the heat circulated in your oven, if you baked the shortcakes in the top half of the oven (so the bottom of the pan was away from the lower heating element), and what type of baking sheet you used.
Delicious recipe. The shortbread was perfection.
Thank you so much for rating the recipe, Kathy! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
These look so good. I need to try this.
Enjoy the recipe, Amanda!
Do these freeze? My daughter wants strawberry shortcake at her wedding reception and she lives in D.C. (I live in Missouri.)
Hi there Anne! I’ve never tried freezing them so I’m not certain how they’d be once thawed. Let me know if you try a test batch! And congrats to your daughter on her upcoming wedding! :)
I’m about to make these for Valentine’s Day. I thought I’d use a large heart-shaped cookie cutter for the shortcakes.
I made this for an adult birthday party. It was easy and quick. Everyone loved it, especially the ‘birthday girl’ who had requested strawberry shortcake instead of a typical birthday cake.
I assembled one strawberry shortcake for the guest of honor and put a tall birthday candle in it. We sang Happy Birthday to her, then the guests were invited into the kitchen to assemble their own. I told them to go ahead and grab a plate or a bowl, and a fork, and showed them how to build their own. They enjoyed the activity and devoured their individual cakes with relish, even fighting over the left overs!
I made two adjustments to the recipe/instructions:
1. I omitted the sour cream from the whipped cream. I might try it someday but I had never had whipped cream with sour cream in it before that I know of, and didn’t want to take a chance.
2. After kneading the dough, instead of rolling it and using a cookie cutter, I spread the dough out on a board with my fingers into a rectangular shape, then sliced the dough into 8 rectangles. I did this because it was faster and easier. Plus I liked the look of a more rustic shaped cake. Some of the rectangles were more symmetrical than others, and they were not all exactly the same size. No one seamed to mind. In fact, some of the party-goers chose the smaller, less symmetrical cakes for their own personal strawberry shortcake.
In short, this recipe, with my minor modifications, was a success all around. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
It all smells amazing! Was wondering if you could prepare the shortcakes the day before or would it be better to make the components then assemble the day after? Thanks!
Absolutely! Just keep them at room temp in an airtight container. Enjoy!
I forgot to pick up angel food cake, so googling I went! This recipe was the winner. It halved beautifully for 4 pieces. I added a bit of cinnamon and vanilla with the square cut from the comments. If you’ve never had cinnamon with strawberries, you should try it!
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Terry!
Looks very tasty !
Can I make the dough in the morning and refrigerate til te evening?
I’ve been wanting to make strawberry shortcake lately. Love the sweet crunch of that sparkly sugar on top!
Awesome Kelly ! I think I will love it.
Looks Delicious !!