Name: Traditional Strawberry Shortcake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 cups flour; 4 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; ⅓ cup sugar; ¼ cup sugar (for topping); ¾ cup unsalted butter, (cubed and chilled); 1 cup buttermilk; 1 egg, (lightly beaten); 2 cups heavy whipping cream; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 pound strawberries, (chopped); 1 pint blueberries

Enjoy a classic dessert with our Traditional Strawberry Shortcake Recipe.

This easy-to-follow recipe features fluffy homemade biscuits, fresh fruit, and a generous dollop of whipped cream to create the perfect balance of sweetness and texture.

Ideal for any occasion, this timeless treat is sure to impress your family and friends.

Find even more inspiration to satisfy your sweet tooth with these easy desserts.

Traditional Strawberry Shortcake served on a white square plate

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Indulge in the sweet nostalgia by trying our traditional shortcake recipe. This delicious dessert is perfect for any occasion and is sure to become a family favorite.

Made with the perfect buttermilk biscuit from scratch that melts in your mouth. Then topped with fresh strawberries before finishing it off with a big dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Looking for more strawberry desserts? Try my 4th of July Strawberry Kabobs, Strawberry Pudding Cups, and even my Strawberry Shortcake Mason Jar. Yum!

Table of Contents

Tips & Tricks for Homemade Biscuit Perfection
What is a shortcake?
What other fruits can I use for shortcake?
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
📋Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
Step-by-Step Instructions
Baking Instructions
Quick Tip
How to Serve
Before you Begin!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Top Recipe Tip
More Recipes You'll Love!
📖 Recipe Card
💬 Comments

Tips & Tricks for Homemade Biscuit Perfection

Keep the butter very cold before incorporating it into the flour mixture. This helps create flaky layers in the biscuit.

Use a pastry blender or two forks to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step is important for the texture of the shortcakes.

Avoid over mixing the dough to prevent the shortcakes from becoming tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.

What is a shortcake?

A shortcake is a type of biscuit or scone-like cake that is typically sweetened and has a crumbly, tender texture. Shortcakes are often served as a dessert, most famously in the classic strawberry shortcake, where the shortcake is split and layered with juicy strawberries and whipped cream.

What other fruits can I use for shortcake?

While strawberries are classic, you can also use other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or a combination. Peaches, mangoes, or even a mix of seasonal fruits can also make delicious variations.

🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools

Spring Chef XL Dough Blender For Baking, Heavy Duty Manual Dough Mixer, Stainless Steel Pastry Cutter with Sharp Blades, Pastry Blender for Easy Mixing, Dishwasher Safe - Mint M JINGMEI Biscuit Cutter Set for baking (5 Pieces/Set), Round Cookies Cutter with Handle, Professional Baking Dough Tools 2 Pack Silicone Baking Mat, 24 Sur La Table Wild Strawberry 12-Piece Melamine Dinnerware Set, Red ZEAYEA Set of 2 Berry Basket, Melamine Berry Bowl With Holes, Square Kitchen Fruit Basket, 5

📋Ingredients

Below is a quick preview of the ingredients you’ll need. For exact amounts, check the recipe card below. You can also use the "Shopping List button" to create a printable shopping list, or the "Get Ingredients button" in the recipe card to order groceries online.

Substitutions and Variations

If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

Feel free to mix in other berries or fruits of your choice. Try my Walking Strawberry Shortcakes for a fun twist on this classic recipe.

For the best whipped cream, make sure both the heavy cream and the bowl are well chilled before whipping. Whip until stiff peaks form, but be careful not to over whip!

Check out the full directions for my Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mixing bowl with flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar

Step 1: Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together.

Step 2: Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture.

Buttermilk added to the flour and butter mixture

Step 3: Stir the buttermilk into the flour and butter mixture.

Balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Step 4: Portion the dough out into balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Baking Instructions

Yellow pastry brush painting egg wash onto dough balls

Step 5: Lightly beat an egg and brush onto the dough balls, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Step 6: Bake at 425°F for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown.

Quick Tip

For the best results, make sure both the heavy cream and the bowl are well chilled before whipping.

How to Serve

Step 7: Make the whipped cream by beating the heavy cream with sugar until it forms stiff peaks.

Shortcake cut in half and filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries and blueberries

Step 8: Slice a shortcake in half and fill will whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Before you Begin!

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Traditional Strawberry Shortcake with blueberries too

Storage and Reheating Instructions

If you have any leftovers, it's best to store the ingredients separately. Store any leftover shortcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Refrigerate: Store the whipped cream and chopped fruits separately in the refrigerator and use within 1-2 days for the best freshness.

Freezer: Freeze the biscuits in an airtight container or zip top freezer bag for 2-3 months.

Thaw and Reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. If you'd like to warm it up, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds or heat in a 350°F oven for a few minutes until warmed through.

Top Recipe Tip

Make sure the butter is cold. This helps the shortcake rise and give you those delicious flaky layers we all love!

More Recipes You'll Love!

Check out my other recipe for Walking Strawberry Shortcake.
Or you might enjoy this recipe for Grilled Pound Cake with Balsamic Strawberries and Mascarpone Cream.

Traditional Strawberry Shortcake Recipe MSN

📖 Recipe Card

Lois